"Clavier-Übung, consisting of Preludes, Allemandes, Courantes, Sarabandes, Gigues, Minuets, and other modern dances, composed for the delight of connoisseurs by Johann Sebastian Bach, Kapellmeister to the Prince of Saxony and Weissenfels, and Music Director 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 well-considered. For the genre, he chose galant suites, which were the latest fashion at the time. The scale was neither as extensive as the English Suites nor as delicate as the French Suites; the content was straightforward, yet it had to be substantial enough to further enhance Bach's reputation as a keyboard virtuoso, and above all, it had to satisfy him personally. For the target audience, he envisioned general individuals who would perform the pieces in private settings such as homes and salons, rather than as repertoire for public concerts. He then proceeded to publish one piece almost every year to gauge sales, and finally, in 1731, he reissued all six pieces together as a collection. Regarding the title, he avoided eccentricity, following his predecessor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Johann Kuhnau, by naming the suites in an Italianate style as Partitas. He also borrowed the title Clavier-Übung from Kuhnau's widely acclaimed and well-known collection of works. This title, "Übung" (exercise), is by no means synonymous with 19th-century etudes. It embodies the intention of being intimate works for those who seek solace from music, and of course, as perfected musical norms.

Despite being published, this collection presents complex issues regarding revisions. Bach continuously refined his own compositions, especially his keyboard works, and his efforts did not cease even for published pieces. The versions released earlier in separate fascicles already differ from the collected edition of 1731. Furthermore, the 1731 edition that Bach kept in his possession underwent additional corrections. In addition to these, four printed scores containing annotations for improvement have been preserved, one of which is highly likely to be Bach's own. The New Bach Edition (NBA V/1) was published after thoroughly examining all these revisions, but the matter remains open to debate.

Musical Characteristics

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 arrangements of interpolated dances. While the movement structure and musical language are extremely diverse, the coherence of the work 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 "unity in diversity."

Although this collection has sometimes been referred to as "German Suites," this name does not originate from Bach, nor is it stylistically appropriate. Just as the French Suites and English Suites cannot be said to represent typical French or English styles, a typical German style cannot be found in the Partitas either.

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

• 1. Partita No. 1 in B-flat major (7 movements): Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Minuet I, Minuet II, Gigue / BWV 825 / 1726
  This work was presented in the autumn of 1726, accompanied by Bach's own ode, to celebrate the birth of the legitimate son of his former patron, Prince Leopold of Cöthen. The Courante is of the Italian type. The Gigue, instead of the usual contrapuntal development, employs the style brisé (French for 'broken style') technique, which uses arpeggiated chords in a brilliant manner.