The six Partitas were composed between 1726 and 1730, and first published in 1731 in a collection marked Opus 1 (as this was Bach's first published opus). Suites of popular dance movements like the Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue, etc. were common and popular at the time, but Bach's auspicious 'debut' transcends everything that was so far done in this area, and has never been parallelled since, except perhaps by Bach's own French and English Suites.

The subtitle Clavichord Practice (Clavier Übung) should be understood in a musical rather than pedagogical sense, for these are works of the highest musicality and virtuosity. According to the Bach biographer J.N. Forkel, these works made a big impact on the musical scene of the time. "Never before had such excellent compositions for the clavier been seen or heard. Anyone who had learnt to perform well some pieces out of them, could make his fortune in the world thereby". The Partitas soon gained a reputation for their technical demands, and even now, they are the prerogative of only the greatest of keyboard players.

The set of Partitas were later included as part I of an even more ambitious project, the Clavier Übung (four sets of keyboard pieces for harpsichord and organ, containing besides the Partitas, the Italian Concerto, French Ouverture, Goldberg Variations, and organ works).

Partita No.1 in B-flat major, BWV.825

Complete recording by Chiara Bertoglio

1	BWV 825	Prelude	1:57
2	BWV 825	Allemande	3:09
3	BWV 825	Courante	2:43
4	BWV 825	Sarabande	5:02
5	BWV 825	Minuets I. II.	2:27
6	BWV 825	Gigue	2:46

Complete recording by Ken Sasaki.

1	BWV 825	Prelude	1:39
2	BWV 825	Allemande	1:12
3	BWV 825	Courante	1:24
4	BWV 825	Sarabande	3:06
5	BWV 825	Minuets I. & II.	2:44
6	BWV 825	Gigue	2:28

Complete recording by Wui-Ming Gan.

1	BWV 825	Prelude	1:53
2	BWV 825	Allemande	2:06
3	BWV 825	Courante	2:05
4	BWV 825	Sarabande	2:27
5	BWV 825	Minuets I. & II.	2:27
6	BWV 825	Gigue	1:42

 

6	BWV 825	Gigue	2:34	Rebecq, H.
6	BWV 825	Minuets I. & II.	2:26	Sager, M.

Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV.826
 

1	BWV 826	Sinfonia	4:58	Weigl, P.
2	BWV 826	Allemande	4:03	Weigl, P.

Partita No.4 in D major, BWV.828

Complete recording by Gregorio Szames

1	BWV 828	Ouverture	5:47
2	BWV 828	Allemande	5:27
3	BWV 828	Courante	3:21
4	BWV 828	Aria	1:31
5	BWV 828	Sarabande	5:26
6	BWV 828	Menuett	1:28
7	BWN 828	Gigue	3:22

Partita No.5 in G major, BWV.829
 
Complete recording by Andrew Sheffield.

1	BWV 829	Praeambulum	02:05
2	BWV 829	Allemande	04:20
3	BWV 829	Corrente	01:46
4	BWV 829	Sarabande	05:22
5	BWV 829	Tempo di Minuetta	02:25
6	BWV 829	Passepied	01:47
7	BWV 829	Gigue	04:20

2	BWV 829	Allemande	2:11	Anzaldua A.
3	BWV 829	Corrente	0:55	Anzaldua A.
4	BWV 829	Sarabande	2:24	Anzaldua A.
5	BWV 829	Tempo di Minuetta	1:14	Anzaldua A.
6	BWV 829	Passepied	1:11	Anzaldua A.

Partita No.5 in G major, BWV.829

1	BWV 829	Preambulum	2:38	Kopp, S.
6	BWV 829	Passepied	1:45	Kopp, S.

Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV.830

1

BWV 830

Toccata

8:50

Carnevale, R.

Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV.830

Complete recording by Felipe Sarro

1	BWV 830	Toccata	10:05
2	BWV 830	Allemande	03:43
3	BWV 830	Courante	05:11
4	BWV 830	Air	01:23
5	BWV 830	Sarabande	07:15
6	BWV 830	Tempo di Gavotta	01:56
7	BWV 830	Gigue	06:23