Though Forkel, 1802, p. 59-60, does in fact list the Passacaglia among "Die
besten Orgelcompositionen Joh. Seb. Bachs" (The best compositions for organ
by JSB), he mentions it (still under the sub-headline "1) Große Präludien
und Fugen mit obligatem Pedal. ") as
"... eine sehr kunstreich gearbeitete Passacaglia (Fig. 17.), die aber mehr
für zwey Claviere und Pedal als für die Orgel ist."

" ... a very artfully crafted [elaborated/set] Passacaglia (fig. 17),
which, however, is more [apt?/meant?] for two claviers and pedal than for
the organ."

Clearly Forkel understood in this case the frequent term "2 Clav. e Pedal"
as indicating a stringed keyboard instrument.
Just a few lines below, Forkel also lists the "Six sonatas or trios for two
claviers with the obligate pedal" which he describes a having served
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach to prepare him to become the famous organ player.
Organ playing technique was taught and studied in Germany inn Bach's time
on stringed keyboard instruments with pedal, certainly nearly always a
pedal clavichord, an instrument that was according Adlung so common, that
every child would know one.


Btw, free "organ pieces" like the passacaglia or the trio sonatas that both
in terms of temperament and compass exceeded the possibilities of by far
most organs in Bach's time (meantone, short octave, upper pedal compass
only to c'), would have made a great show piece on the pedal harpsichord in
one of the coffee houses.

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