Complete copy P 281; a lost source used for Peters VIII (1852).

Two staves; P 281 headed ‘VII Praeludia èd VIII Fugen di. J. S. Bach. (?)’.

P 281 was once thought to be a copy by J. C. G. Bach (†1814), and may have belonged to J. C. Kittel. Its paper is known from three sections of the MS P 803, including one written by J. L. Krebs (Dürr 1987 p. 34). A copy of No. 2 in P 508 was made by F. A. Grasnick (†1877), who had access to manuscripts transmitted through various Bach pupils. The MS used for Peters VIII, either based on P 281 or sharing its source (Emery 1952 p. 5), had belonged to Forkel.

P 281's many errors make it unlikely to be a copy made by the composer, whoever he was, and who deftly handles many styles: toccatas (No. 5), Italian concertos (No. 1), neo- galant effects (No. 4), old durezze techniques (No. 3), and ‘southern’ fugal styles (Nos. 1, 4, 6, 7). Errors like parallels in Preludes No. 5 and 8 could reflect an unclear original. Some of these suggest a much later date than the early non-thematic pedal fugal entry in No. 6. Though frequently charming and melodious, they could hardly have been written by J. S. Bach for his pupils since their ‘standard of counterpoint and general musicianship’ does not fit the period in question, nor does the scarcity of copies suggest they were much used (Emery 1952 p. 31), even as part of a bigger compendium.