Prelude in D Minor

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Rhythmic Practise

On the surface, Bach’s music often gives an impression of rhythmic uniformity. In reality, underneath the continuous sixteenth-note movement of this piece, and of many others, there is enormous rhythmic variety and vitality. This vitality is created by the way Bach uses different intervals and changes of melodic direction to suggest varied groupings of notes within the constant flow of sixteenth notes. Adjacent notes tend to group themselves together as a unit, while larger intervals often suggest the beginning of a new group. In motive a, for example, the first three notes belong together (like a mordant figure), suggesting a...