Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598

Pedal-Exercitium
Pedal-Exercitium
by Johann Sebastian Bach
Key	G minor
Catalogue	BWV 598
Form	Cadenza
Composed	before 1735
Duration	approx. 2 minutes
Movements	1

The Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598, is a short, virtuosic organ work for pedalboard alone, attributed to Johann Sebastian Bach and preserved in the handwriting of his son Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. It consists of rapid broken-chord figurations and large leaps, serving as both a technical showpiece and a pedal exercise.^[1]

Historical context

The fragment survives without conclusion and its origins remain uncertain. Some scholars suggest it may have been transcribed on the spot by C. P. E. Bach from one of J. S. Bach's pedal improvisations. Musicologist Alberto Basso notes that it could reflect a spontaneous transcription of an improvisation by the father.

The contemporary organist Constantin Bellermann famously described Bach's pedal technique thus:

If this man so chooses, he can use only his feet ... to produce miraculous, quick and exciting harmonies ... such as those you see others produce with their fingers.^[1]

Structure and musical characteristics

The 33-measure fragment in G minor is a spectacular pedal solo, notable for fast passages, broad leaps and unexpected chromaticism. It has been interpreted as either an independent exercise, a didactic demonstration, or a transcription of an improvisatory segment.^[1]

Reception and legacy

The piece illustrates Bach's extraordinary pedal technique—praised by Bellermann as producing sounds "like lightning"—and is widely used in contemporary pedagogy. Organists and scholars regard it as a remarkable example of technical and musical mastery in pedal solo repertoire.^[1]

Arrangements

Despite its origin as an organ pedal exercise, BWV 598 has inspired several transcriptions and arrangements for various instruments, often highlighting its virtuosic character:

A transcription for recorder by Kees Boeke demonstrates the work's adaptability to wind instruments.^[2]
Tuba and trombone transcriptions have also been made, emphasizing the leaps and chromaticism in the pedal line.^[3]^[4]
The Italian violist Marco Misciagna has arranged the piece for solo viola. This arrangement has been performed in recital and it is part of a larger collection of over one hundred solo viola transcriptions by Misciagna.^[5]^[6]
Harpsichord arrangements have been published in recent editions, aimed at keyboard players seeking to explore pedal repertoire without organ access.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598 – Bach (organ solo)". All of Bach. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
^ "Pedal-Exercitium for Recorder, transcribed by Kees Boeke". Kees Boeke official site. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
^ "Pedal Exercitium BWV 598 for Tuba Solo". martin-schmid-blechblaesernoten.de. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
^ "Pedalexercitium, BWV.598 transcribed for solo bass trombone". hickeys.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
^ "Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach: Pedal Excercition, for Viola". Babelio. Marco Misciagna. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
^ "List of solo viola arrangements – Marco Misciagna official website". marcomisciagna.com. Marco Misciagna. Retrieved 17 June 2025.
^ "Harpsichord transcription of Pedal-Exercitium BWV 598". thediapason.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

External links

Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project

[AoB-1] "Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598 – Bach (organ solo)". All of Bach. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

[2] "Pedal-Exercitium for Recorder, transcribed by Kees Boeke". Kees Boeke official site. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

[3] "Pedal Exercitium BWV 598 for Tuba Solo". martin-schmid-blechblaesernoten.de. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

[4] "Pedalexercitium, BWV.598 transcribed for solo bass trombone". hickeys.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

[5] "Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach: Pedal Excercition, for Viola". Babelio. Marco Misciagna. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

[6] "List of solo viola arrangements – Marco Misciagna official website". marcomisciagna.com. Marco Misciagna. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

[7] "Harpsichord transcription of Pedal-Exercitium BWV 598". thediapason.com. Retrieved 17 June 2025.

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v t e Compositions for organ, keyboard and lute by Johann Sebastian Bach
Organ	Fugue in G minor, BWV 131a (doubtful) Sonatas, BWV 525–530 Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 531 Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 532 Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 537 Toccata and Fugue in D minor ("Dorian"), BWV 538 Toccata and Fugue in F major, BWV 540 Fantasia and Fugue in G minor ("Great"), BWV 542 Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 544 Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 546 Prelude and Fugue in E minor ("Wedge"), BWV 548 Eight Short Preludes and Fugues, BWV 553–560 (doubtful) Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 562 Toccata, Adagio and Fugue in C major, BWV 564 Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 (doubtful) Prelude (Toccata) and Fugue in E major, BWV 566 Fantasia ("Pièce d'Orgue") in G major, BWV 572 Fugue in G minor ("Little"), BWV 578 Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 582 Concertos, BWV 592–597 Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598 Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599–644 Schübler Chorales, BWV 645–650 Great Eighteen Chorale Preludes, BWV 651–668 Chorale partita Sei gegrüßet, Jesu gütig, BWV 768 Canonic Variations on "Vom Himmel hoch da komm' ich her", BWV 769 Neumeister chorales, BWV 1090–1120 Chorale fantasia Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält, BWV 1128
Keyboard	Inventions and Sinfonias, BWV 772–801 English Suites, BWV 806–811 French Suites, BWV 812–817 Partitas, BWV 825–830 No. 2 No. 4 No. 6 Overture in the French style, BWV 831 Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893 Book 1 No. 1 in C major No. 2 in C minor No. 3 in C♯ major No. 4 in C♯ minor No. 7 in E♭ major No. 8 in E♭ minor/D♯ minor No. 10 in E minor No. 11 in F major No. 16 in G minor No. 21 in B♭ major No. 22 in B♭ minor No. 24 in B minor Book 2 No. 1 in C major No. 2 in C minor No. 3 in C♯ major No. 4 in C♯ minor No. 5 in D major No. 6 in D minor No. 12 in F minor No. 13 in F♯ major No. 18 in G♯ minor No. 22 in B♭ minor No. 24 in B minor Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 903 Fantasia and Fugue in C minor, BWV 906 Toccatas, BWV 910–916 Six Little Preludes, BWV 933–938 Italian Concerto Harpsichord solo concertos Goldberg Variations discography Gould recording Aria variata alla maniera italiana, BWV 989 Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother, BWV 992
Lute	Suite in G minor, BWV 995 Suite in E minor, BWV 996 Bourrée Suite in C minor, BWV 997 Prelude, Fugue and Allegro in E♭ major, BWV 998 Prelude in C minor, BWV 999 Fugue in G minor, BWV 1000
Mixed collections	Clavier-Übung III: Prelude and Fugue in E♭ major ("St. Anne"), BWV 552, Chorale preludes, BWV 669–689, Duets, BWV 802–805 Concerto transcriptions, BWV 592–596 and 972–987 Klavierbüchlein W. F. Bach Notebook A. M. Bach Twelve Little Preludes
List of compositions by Johann Sebastian Bach List of fugal works by Johann Sebastian Bach List of concertos by Johann Sebastian Bach

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