Clavier-Übung, consisting of Preludes, Allemandes, Courantes, Sarabandes, Gigues, Minuets, and other modern dances, composed for the delight of music lovers by Johann Sebastian Bach, Capellmeister to the Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels and Director Musices in Leipzig. Opus 1. Published by the composer. 1731.

In 1726, Bach began publishing his own works, approximately three and a half years after taking up his post in Leipzig. Bach's plan for publication was meticulous and thorough. For the genre, he chose the gallant suite, which was the latest fashion at the time. The scale had to be neither as extensive as the English Suites nor as delicate as the French Suites; the content had to be accessible, yet substantial enough to further enhance Bach's reputation as a keyboard virtuoso, and above all, satisfying to himself. For the target audience, he envisioned general music lovers who would perform the pieces in private settings such as homes and salons, rather than as repertoire for public concerts. He then published one piece sequentially almost every year to gauge sales, and finally, in 1731, he reissued all six pieces together. Regarding the title, he did not resort to eccentricity, but followed Kuhnau, his predecessor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, by naming the suites Partita in the Italian style. Furthermore, he borrowed the title 'Clavier-Übung' (Clavier Practice) from Kuhnau's widely acclaimed and well-known collection of works. This title 'Übung' (Practice) is by no means synonymous with the 19th-century étude. It embodies the intention of being an intimate work for those seeking solace from music, and, of course, a complete musical paradigm.

Despite being published, this collection presents complex issues regarding revisions. Bach continuously refined his own works, especially his keyboard compositions, and his hand did not falter even with published works. The earlier versions published in separate fascicles already differ from the collected edition of 1731. Furthermore, the 1731 edition that Bach kept in his possession underwent additional revisions. In addition, four printed scores containing annotations for improvements have been preserved, one of which is highly likely to have belonged to Bach himself. The New Bach Edition (NBA V/1) was published after thoroughly examining all these revisions, but there is still room for debate.

Each of the six pieces is given a different opening movement. The structure of the suites is more varied than that of the French Suites, with some deviations from convention in the types and arrangement of the inserted dances. While the movement structure and musical language are extremely diverse, the sense of unity within the pieces is further enhanced by the thematic connections at the beginning of each piece, the uniformity of cadential patterns, contrapuntal development, and meticulous motivic work. Here, one can observe the pinnacle of Bach's aesthetic of 'diversity and unity'. It should be noted that this collection has sometimes been called 'German Suites,' but this name does not originate from Bach, nor is it appropriate from a stylistic point of view. Just as the French Suites and English Suites cannot be said to be typically French or English, respectively, no typical German characteristics can be found in the Partitas either.

※For the standard forms of suites, please refer to the section on the French Suites.

4. D major (7 movements): Overture, Allemande, Courante, Aria, Sarabande, Minuet, Gigue / BWV 828 / 1728

The dotted rhythm of the typical French overture in the opening movement marks a turning point in the six-piece collection, signaling the beginning of the 'second half'. Such an arrangement can also be seen in the Goldberg Variations. However, here, it does not follow the original formula of the French overture (slow-fast-slow), but is followed by a largely unrelated concerto-like fugue, with the whole consisting of two parts.

The Allemande is highly stylized. The richly ornamented right-hand part sings over the simple bass in the left. As the piece progresses, both rhythm and melody become more complex, but the soprano's arioso never loses its grace. These characteristics make it a masterpiece that not only deviates from the traditional suite Allemande but also stands apart from Bach's other Allemandes.