Prelude and fugue in d minor by Bach
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Bach was born in Einsach in 1685, where, after his parents died, his older brother and adoptive father Christoph nurtured his interest in Music. In his late period, from around 1720, Bach had begun to turn his attentions towards secular works, although maintaining his sacred traditions. This particular set of works, which he started in 1737, and were published in 1744 when he was working as Kappelmeister at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. The first set of Prelude and Fugues was written in 1722. Each set contains 24 Preludes and Fugues, one for every major and minor key of the scale. They demonstrate his continued interest in 'even temperament' which changed the way that music was written. During the Renaissance period, modal scales, which could contain no more than two sharps or flats, made up a tonal system known as the mean tone system. However, even temperament, where each of the twelve tones that make up an octave were equidistant, meant that any number of sharps and flats could be used. Therefore, these two sets of music were a means to display the versatility of the diatonic scale, a form of tonality which dominated music for many years...