The legend about J. S. Bach and keyboard fingering is that he introduced the use of the thumb to benighted players. This is a crock, of course. Bach’s music requires the use of the thumb, for sure, but the legend implies that Bach essentially used modern keyboard fingerings. Below is a brief passage in Bach’s own handwriting, from the Clavierbüchlein for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, showing the standard baroque approach to fingering scales—the same approach described in the mid-18th century by his son, C. P. E. Bach, as most common.
There exists a manuscript (Berlin, Staatsbibliothek Mus MS Bach P1089) containing pieces from Bach’s WTC II, copied by J. C. Vogler during the time that Vogler was studying with Bach. It thus seems likely that the fingering Vogler gives was either taught to him or was, at least, approved by Bach. This selection is from the edition, Early Keyboard Fingering: An Anthology, edited by Mark Lindley and Maria Boxall (New York: Schott, ca.1982). Note especially those passages highlighted in light blue for choices which are not obvious, not required by the circumstances, and which give a definite articulation to the passage by separating notes that might otherwise be smoothly joined. This is a far cry from the pan-legato style of modern piano fingering.
