This Praeludium in E major may not be the longest of the Buxtehude praeludia, but it consists of nine sections including five bits of free toccata passage work, and four imitative fugal sections. In this praeludium only the first two toccata sections are over 10 measures in length, and with the exception of the first fugue, the imitative sections are also somewhat brief. This quick alternation between free toccata passage work and fugal material gives the piece a strongly kaleidoscopic character. Also the free material in the toccata sections is as wildly and even spasmodically rhapsodic as ever. As the first fugue breaks down into free improvisatory passage work, Buxtehude approaches the musical approximation of a brain seizure with his hyper and rambunctious musical material. Each fugal section is vaguely related, though not with as tight a motivic connection that can be found in other Buxtehude praeludia such as BuxWV 140.

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