No. 8 in F minor, HWV 433

In this work, a fugue that was originally an independent piece follows the prelude, forming a prelude-fugue pair, similar to No. 3.

In the prelude, newly composed by Handel for publication, four voices alternate various motives in short intervals from the outset. From measure 11, one of the previously introduced motives continues, modulating over a chromatic progression in the bass. After a fermata, the fugue is directly prepared from a half cadence. The subject of the fugue is presented consecutively up to the third voice, then appears ponderously with chords in the low register. This presentation of the subject with chords recurs several times later in the movement. Also noteworthy are the stretti and the characteristic rhythm of the first three measures of the subject, which repeatedly appear throughout the movement.

No. 8 forms a pair with No. 1, which also consists of a prelude and three suite movements, but the character of each movement is contrasting. In contrast to No. 1, which has strong French elements, the Allemande of No. 8 is dominated by a simple two-voice texture with uniform rhythms, exhibiting characteristics of the Italian style. Similarly, the Courante is concise, contrasting with No. 1, which includes elaborate ornamentation and various rhythmic changes. The imitation between the upper and lower voices at the beginning of each section is a method frequently used throughout this suite collection.

The Gigue, a revised version from the Roger edition, begins with imitation, similar to No. 1, and is generally written in two voices. Using the Picardy third cadence in the dominant key that closes the first half as a dominant chord, the second half begins with a tonic-dominant (DT) progression in the tonic key. The modulations are simple, returning to the tonic key via the subdominant and relative keys. Subsequently, sections from the first half are repeated, interspersed with the relative major key.