← Bach · Well-Tempered Clavier
Prelude 5 in D major BWV 850
Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier. Under its figuration, this prelude is 60 chord changes across 35 bars — ranked 7 of 42 by measured difficulty (intermediate) in this survey. Played as block chords, it's a progression you can learn in an afternoon; the piece is that progression wearing sixteenth notes.
Practice this piece → Practice chords → Learn it section by section → Hear the harmony →
How it opens
The first changes are I · ii7 · iii7 (A) · vi7 (D) · V7/V (D) · I7 (C#) · vi7 · vii7 (E) — and the whole prelude keeps moving at roughly that harmonic pace.
What it leans on
Of 60 labeled changes, the harmonies that do the most work: V7 (7×), vi7 (D) (4×), ii7 (3×), iii7 (A) (3×), V7/V (D) (3×).
Free scores
- Blocked-chord reduction (MusicXML) — the harmony skeleton the player performs
- The prelude as written (MusicXML)