Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532a

Like most of Bach's organ compositions, this piece was written during his tenure in Weimar between 1709 and 1717. Many of his greatest and most well known organ works were written during this period, including, for example, the Prelude and Fugue in E major, BWV 566. The composer was residing in Weimar after being hired by the ruling duke of Weimar, Wilhelm Ernst, in 1709 as an organist and member of the court orchestra; he was particularly encouraged to make use of his unique talents with the organ by the duke. Indeed, his fame on the instrument grew and he was visited by many students of the organ to hear him play and to try to learn from his technique. The Prelude and Fugue in D major was probably composed in 1710, although this is not certain. However, it was definitely written before Bach codified the clear two-section prelude and fugue in the form of what is used in the The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893, which was composed in 1722. This is because BWV 532 features a lengthy, complex, self-contained fugue preceded by a multisectional prelude.