Praeludium und Fuge B-Dur op. 16 / 2

Born in Leipzig in 1819, Clara Wieck, daughter of a piano teacher and instrument dealer, became an admired child prodigy in the international music world. She met Robert Schumann at a young age. The relationship produced eight children, whose education she tried to reconcile with her concert activities under constantly strained financial circumstances.

In 1853, the Schumanns met Johannes Brahms, who was just 20 years old at the time. Whether a romantic relationship developed between Clara and Brahms remains her secret. In any case, their complicated friendship lasted until the end of the musician's life. After Robert's death in 1856, Clara Schumann cemented her international reputation as the outstanding pianist of her time. No fewer than 19 tours took her to England alone. She was also a revered teacher, feared by some for her strictness. Clara Schumann died in Frankfurt in 1896.
[Translated from berliner-philharmoniker.de]

The three preludes and fugues were originally composed for piano and are obviously inspired by Mendelssohn's Three Preludes and Fugues for organ (op. 35). The manuscript dates from 1845, and the fugue is based on a theme by Robert Schumann.

Several transcriptions are available for organ. I chose the one from Furore-Edition as the Praeludium is written in a style more suited to the organ. Unfortunately, this edition contains numerous errors, but these are easy to correct when compared with the piano original.