Canon in A minor

Johann Sebastian BachBWV 1073

BaroqueSpecialistinventionA minorAllegro4/4~1 min
H4
Henle (estimated)
RCM 6ABRSM 5

About this piece

BWV 1073 is a short, perpetual canon by Bach that exemplifies his mastery of voice-leading within a minimal time frame. It is distinctive for its dense, economical use of melodic material.

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Teacher notes

The technical hurdle lies in executing the rapid sixteenth-note patterns with perfect finger independence.

Technical focus

counterpointfinger-independenceflowing-sixteenths

Mood

intellectualprecise

Your status

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Free sheet music on IMSLP

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Canon in A minor (BWV 1073) by Johann Sebastian Bach?

Canon in A minor (BWV 1073) is rated Henle level 4 of 9 — intermediate repertoire, roughly ABRSM grades 5–6. In the RCM system it corresponds to about level 6.

What level do I need to play Canon in A minor?

You should be comfortable at Henle level 4 — meaning you can already play level 3–4 pieces cleanly. Learning it one level early is possible as a stretch piece, but more than that usually leads to months of frustration.

How long is Canon in A minor?

A typical performance of Canon in A minor (BWV 1073) lasts about 1 minute.

Where can I get free sheet music for Canon in A minor?

Canon in A minor (BWV 1073) is available as free public-domain sheet music on IMSLP — the score is linked directly from this page.