J.S.Bach’s organ tablature notation
Did Bach use tablature?
Apparently, Bach was very comfortable in using the tablature notation, especially in his youth, probably because it saved him a lot of time when copying music, not to mention the paper, due to its compactness. Supposedly, the great Passacaglia in C minor, BWV 582 was originally written this way.
What is organ tablature notation?
Organ tablature music notation originates from the mid-14th century as a representation of multipart vocal music for keyboard or string instruments (Wolf, 1919). It differs from modern musical notation with 5 staves. There is a Spanish and a German form of organ tablature letter notation.