Prelude and Fugue in C-major from Die Wohltemperierte Orgel, Op.58

Heinrich Wilhelm Stolze was the son of Georg Christoph Stolze (1762–1830), who worked as a cantor and organist in Erfurt . From 1814 to 1820 he attended the Ratsgymnasium .

Stolze was a student of Johann Christian Kittel , Michael Gotthard Fischer and Ludwig Ernst Gebhardi.

On October 27, 1822, he took over the position of organist at the Marktkirche in Clausthal . In 1824 he was appointed city and castle organist in Celle . At the same time he also took on the position of singing teacher at the local high school .

Stolze founded a singing club for mixed choirs in Celle in 1827 and a teachers' singing club in 1841. He owned an extensive collection of music, which is now kept in the church ministerial library and in the city archives.

Although he lived after the Baroque era, he wrote in baroque forms - this is the first piece from his collection of 24 Preludes and Fugues for organ. Towards the end of the fugue it becomes obvious we're not in the baroque anymore, however, as the harmonies make their way into Ab (!) during the Coda.

The Steiner-Reck does a fine job of rendering counterpoint - Do enjoy!