This piece in G minor is one of Buxtehude's larger more interesting praeludia. It is a bit unusual in its construction. It consists of a free section, two fugues, and a concluding bass ostinato section. As is common in Buxtehude's praeludia, there is a bit of free rhapsodic material in between the two fugues. The bass ostinato section is particularly peculiar. The ostinato itself is two bars plus one quarter note followed by a bar and three quarters of rest in the bass line. The rests in the bass line create an unusual ground bass, in which the ground is not sounding nearly half the time. On a large North German organ with an aggressive pedal division, this creates a very grand effect with the loud pedal division coming in and out of the texture.

© All Music Guide