Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598

The Pedal-Exercitium, BWV 598, is a 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. 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: <blockquote>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.</blockquote>

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.

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.
• Tuba and trombone transcriptions have also been made, emphasizing the leaps and chromaticism in the pedal line.
• 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.
• Harpsichord arrangements have been published in recent editions, aimed at keyboard players seeking to explore pedal repertoire without organ access.

References

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