Ranked from easiest to hardest

  1. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 15 - Little Prelude In C Major BWV 939
    4,325 Points · Level 4
  2. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 20 BWV 999
    4,500 Points · Level 4
  3. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 6 BWV 929
    4,945 Points · Level 4
  4. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 8 - Prelude In A Minor BWV 931
    15,332 Points · Level 5
  5. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 18 BWV 942
    16,625 Points · Level 5
  6. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 1 BWV 924
    17,500 Points · Level 6
  7. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 16 BWV 940
    20,200 Points · Level 6
  8. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 17 BWV 941
    25,600 Points · Level 6
  9. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 3 BWV 926
    28,750 Points · Level 6
  10. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 9 BWV 933
    30,000 Points · Level 6
  11. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 4 BWV 927
    31,600 Points · Level 6
  12. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 10 BWV 934
    32,500 Points · Level 6
  13. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 7 BWV 930
    34,000 Points · Level 6
  14. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 13 BWV 937
    35,250 Points · Level 6
  15. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 2 BWV 925
    38,000 Points · Level 6
  16. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 11 BWV 935
    42,000 Points · Level 6
  17. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 14 BWV 938
    44,100 Points · Level 6
  18. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 5 BWV 928
    57,000 Points · Level 7
  19. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 19 BWV 943
    58,500 Points · Level 7
  20. Bach - 20 Short Preludes - No. 12 BWV 936
    61,000 Points · Level 7

Quick facts from the RTV ranking

The easiest Bach short prelude on this list is No. 15 - Little Prelude In C Major BWV 939, with 4,325 RTV points.

The hardest Bach short prelude on this list is No. 12 BWV 936, with 61,000 RTV points.

Most of Bach’s 20 Short Preludes in this ranking fall between Level 5 and Level 6.

Only three pieces in the set reach Level 7: BWV 928, BWV 943, and BWV 936.

The original order of the collection does not follow difficulty. Some later-numbered preludes are among the easiest, while several earlier preludes are more demanding.

The spread is useful for students because this collection sits before the Bach Inventions for many pianists, but not every short prelude is equally easy.

Bach 20 Short Preludes in original order

BWV 924–943 and BWV 999

  • No. 1 BWV 924
    View piece — 17,500 points — Level 6
  • No. 2 BWV 925
    View piece — 38,000 points — Level 6
  • No. 3 BWV 926
    View piece — 28,750 points — Level 6
  • No. 4 BWV 927
    View piece — 31,600 points — Level 6
  • No. 5 BWV 928
    View piece — 57,000 points — Level 7
  • No. 6 BWV 929
    View piece — 4,945 points — Level 4
  • No. 7 BWV 930
    View piece — 34,000 points — Level 6
  • No. 8 - Prelude In A Minor BWV 931
    View piece — 15,332 points — Level 5
  • No. 9 BWV 933
    View piece — 30,000 points — Level 6
  • No. 10 BWV 934
    View piece — 32,500 points — Level 6
  • No. 11 BWV 935
    View piece — 42,000 points — Level 6
  • No. 12 BWV 936
    View piece — 61,000 points — Level 7
  • No. 13 BWV 937
    View piece — 35,250 points — Level 6
  • No. 14 BWV 938
    View piece — 44,100 points — Level 6
  • No. 15 - Little Prelude In C Major BWV 939
    View piece — 4,325 points — Level 4
  • No. 16 BWV 940
    View piece — 20,200 points — Level 6
  • No. 17 BWV 941
    View piece — 25,600 points — Level 6
  • No. 18 BWV 942
    View piece — 16,625 points — Level 5
  • No. 19 BWV 943
    View piece — 58,500 points — Level 7
  • No. 20 BWV 999
    View piece — 4,500 points — Level 4

About RTV points and levels

Road to Virtuosity uses both points and levels to show difficulty. Levels give a broad category, while RTV points give a more specific ranking within that category.

RTV points are based on the overall difficulty of learning and performing a piece. This can include factors such as length, tempo, rhythm, hand coordination, articulation, voicing, repeated notes, jumps, musical control, and the amount of consistency needed to perform the piece accurately.

Because points are more detailed than levels, two pieces can have the same level but still have different RTV point values. The piece with more RTV points is ranked as more difficult.

About Bach’s 20 Short Preludes BWV 924–999

Bach’s 20 Short Preludes, BWV 924–999, are compact Baroque keyboard pieces that are often studied before larger works such as the Inventions, Sinfonias, suites, and fugues.

Even though these preludes are short, they introduce many important Baroque keyboard skills: broken-chord patterns, two-hand coordination, imitation, clear cadences, harmonic direction, and independent musical lines.

The collection is especially useful because the pieces are small enough for students to study carefully, but musical enough to feel like real repertoire rather than simple exercises.

Why this ranking is useful

The title “short prelude” can be misleading. Short does not always mean easy.

Some of these preludes are very approachable, while others require a much stronger sense of rhythm, finger control, hand independence, and Baroque style.

This is where the RTV ranking helps. Instead of treating all 20 short preludes as one difficulty category, each piece receives its own point value and level.

That makes it easier for pianists and teachers to choose the right Bach short prelude at the right stage of study.

Complete book on RTV

View Bach - 20 Short Preludes BWV 924–999 on Road to Virtuosity

The complete RTV edition includes all 20 Short Preludes BWV 924–999, engraved in a clean, modern format for study and performance.