The well tempered clavier, bwv 846893, is a collection of two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, composed for solo keyboard by johann sebastian bach. The welltempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the welltempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. Together they are considered among the most important collections of music ever written. Bachs welltempered clavier is one of the cornerstones of western classical music. Such thoughts perhaps passed through bachs mind too when surveying his own keyboard output, and the profound differences in.
A detailed guide that analyzes the structural, harmonic and thematic frame of the prelude and the fugue. Such thoughts perhaps passed through bachs mind too when surveying his own keyboard output, and the profound differences in sensibility that distinguish. Major prelude and fugue with its sobachian ornamental twists and turns. Johann sebastian bach well tempered clavier piano solo ashley publications. Bachs klavierbuchlein 1720 there is an almost complete collection of prelude and fughetta versions predating the 1722 autograph, known from a later copy by an. Theres even one by yours truly of a 36cd brilliant classics collection containing the complete scarlatti.
From all the works written in the baroque era, no other work has been so wellcherished, frequently performed and thoroughly studied than this work of bachs. Oct 26, 2011 another example the c major prelude which opens book i sounds like morning sunshine. With thematic index, performance notes and introductory text. We all know about bachs well tempered clavier which we refer to as book 1 of the 48. In bachs time clavier was a generic name indicating a variety of keyboard instruments, most typically a harpsichord or clavichord but not excluding an organ either the modern german spelling for. Along the san diego border with mexico, a project has been in construction for the past three years. I havent played some of the toccatas since i recorded them about 15 years ago. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. The first book of the welltempered clavier was composed in the early 1720s, with bachs autograph dated 1722. Enharmonic key signatures in bachs well tempered clavier. Book 2 of the welltempered clavier was collected from 1738 and probably completed by 1742, about twenty years after book 1. The welltempered clavier, book i, preludes and fugues 18. Bach prelude and fugue no 1 well tempered clavier book 2.
Internal evidence for this may be seen in the fact that in book 1 bach paired the e. The welltempered clavier book 2, preludes and fugues 18. Perhaps this is why he is less well known and doesnt appear on the usual lists of great performances of wtc. In the court and church appointments that johann sebastian bach had throughout his life. Maurizio pollini deutsche grammophon, two cds andrew clements. S welltempered clavier the, book 1 landowska 19491951 wanda landowska, who continued to perform and record up to her death in 1959, was renowned as the greatest harpsichordist of the first half of the twentieth century, resurrecting the instrument and taking a scholarly approach to the performance of music from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The preludes and fugues that make up bachs welltempered clavier operate on multiple levels at once theyre a compilation of. January 1983, musee des beauxarts, salle italienne, chartres. Book 1 contains the more popular preludes and fugues. We know it was intended in some way to acknowledge its predecessor simply because the title page of most copies includes the words zweiter teil part two, though english usage is generally books 1 and 2, but it. Id buy book 2, learn these, and then go back to book 1. Apart from the early versions of several preludes included in w. Is it just me, or does bachs wtc book 1 seem sassier for example the.
I have been listening to bachs well tempered clavier book 1 and have noticed something intriguing. It explores the intricacies of each of the 12 major and 12 minor keys and constitutes the largestscale and mostinfluential undertaking for solo keyboard of the baroque era. Mozart, when rapidly advancing to the height of his mastery, had but to read a manuscript copy of the welltempered clavier and his style developed a new polyphonic richness and depth of harmony. First and foremost, bernards artificial existence was revealed to be an homage of sorts to one of the parks founders. The work consists of 24 preludes and fugues in each major and minor keys. The well tempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. Gentle mobility characterises book 2 s a major fugue, where the soft, pearly. The well tempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the well tempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. However, i have never seen bach himself refer to the two books as. Its not just youthere are a number of general stylistic and architectural differences between book i and book ii, which is to be expected given that the compilations are separated by a period of twenty years. Pieces from the anna magdalena notebook twopart inventions french suites threepart inventions sinfonias welltempered clavier book 1 italian concerto english suites welltempered clavier book 2 toccatas bwv 910916 partitas chromatic fantasy and fugue goldberg variations art of the fugue.
Book ii took about two months because it is so much more complicated. Well temperament also good temperament, circular or circulating temperament is a type of tempered tuning described in 20thcentury music theory. What is the single highest point of the two books, for you. The two books known collectively as the welltempered clavier were published in 1722 book i and 1742 book ii. Books i and ii pieterjan belder hpd period instruments brilliant 93892 4 cds.
An iconic inspiration for composers from mozart and beethoven to chopin and brahms and beyond, the well tempered clavier has long been considered the old testament of the keyboard literature with beethovens piano sonatas as the new testament. In thomas manns novel lotte in weimar an old goethe muses on the achievements of his youth and of his maturity the former the work of genius, the latter the work of greatness. The eight recent recordings included in the study constitute most of the recordings of the complete welltempered clavier presently listed in the leading record catalogue. Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j. Continue from part 5 donald satz wrote april 20, 2001. Is it just me, or does bachs wtc book 1 seem sassier for example. Bach preludes and fugues 24 well tempered clavier, book 1. Is it just me, or does bachs wtc book 1 seem sassier.
I have played welltempered clavier a lot in my life. Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 scoreopenwelltemperedclavier201504. I would appreciate any info on ranking of the difficulty of the preludes in the well tempered clavier. Download bach well tempered clavier public domain sheet music from. Js bach, the welltempered clavier book 1, detailed comments. It is generally far more difficult than book 1 however, with greater. If my reaction to book i was tepid, it was more than thawed by my enthusiasm for book ii. A minor prelude and fugue than book 2, while book 2 seems to have a higher. The grace and fecundity of the welltempered clavier have thrilled audiences, musicians, and composers for centuries. Even without the sparkling feltsman edition for musicmasters recently deleted, there are several piano performances of the wtc available that will suit most tastes better, including the provocative and sometimes crazy gould and the.
Aug 14, 2010 they both run about the same difficulty. Bach the well tempered clavier book 1 bwv 846869 kenneth gilbert 0. Is it just me, or does bachs wtc book 1 seem sassier for. Second time around for hewitts clavier yields wonderful new subtleties. Completed by 1742, book 2 was intended as a complement to book 1, not as a replacement.
I know there have been discussions of ranking the difficulty of the well tempered clavier for example, bartok, but it is my understanding that those take into account the fugues as well. Did bach intend his two volumes known as the welltempered. Glenn gould 1932 1982 bach the welltempered clavier. In the welltempered clavier, a few major facts were established. For book 2, to view originals is a more complex exercise, given the lack of the one authoritative original from js bachs hand and the fragmentation of historical copies see the work of yo tomita for more info on this. Book 1 and book 2 of the well tempered clavier are 2cds each not full cds though, so only the 4cd set contains the complete work. The prelude is steadily and earnestly flowing, producing a polyphonic aria of rare beauty, similar to what js bach has achieved in book 1 prelude f. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, is a collection of two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, composed for solo keyboard by johann sebastian bach. Listen, for example to the sheer joyousness of the c. Hilda huang performs the fugue in a major from book 1 of the welltempered clavier, bwv 8642. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Significance of title welltempered is derived form the tuning method equal temperment. Notable performances there are lots of recordings of the welltempered clavier available, and one can find them easily either through itunes and amazon, or in the more specialist eshops, such as presto one can find even rare records, such as giesekings or pollinis recordings of the welltempered clavier. Which book of bachs well tempered clavier is easier overall.
Clavier is a german term for a keyboard instrument other than an organ. The welltempered clavier i by johann sebastian bach. The term is modeled on the german word wohltemperiert. Sep 12, 2017 its not just youthere are a number of general stylistic and architectural differences between book i and book ii, which is to be expected given that the compilations are separated by a period of twenty years. Complete score of the well tempered clavier, book 1, by johann sebastian bach open well tempered clavier project. Ranking of difficulty of well tempered clavier preludes. From all the works written in the baroque era, no other work has been so well cherished, frequently performed and thoroughly studied than this work of bachs. Comb bound book alfred masterwork edition bach, johann sebastian, palmer, willard a.
Jill crossland plays the first of bachs 48 preludes and fugues, book 2 bach prelude and fugue no 1 well tempered clavier book 2 home latest popular trending. The interpretation of bachs welltempered clavier, book 1. Shop and buy bach the well tempered clavier, volume 1 sheet music. This website is incredibly resourceful, and one can especially check the 1722 original of the welltempered clavier book 1. Download bach well tempered clavier public domain sheet music from the imslp music library. Schirmer library of classics volume 1759 piano solo schirmers library of musical classics by e bischoff and johann sebastian bach. Mine would be the e flatdsharp minor bwv 853 of book 1. Which book of bachs well tempered clavier is easier. The welltempered clavier i, an album by johann sebastian bach, pierrelaurent aimard on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Every note of the book 1 d major preludes rapid righthand passagework falls into a seamless, centred long line, while book 1s b minor prelude benefits from woodwards alla breve conception that refreshingly contrasts with slower, more solemn renditions. Richters painted this one with delicate shades, listen carefully from bar to bar he shades each one slightly differently as if he thought hard about how each bar should sound. Some 20 years later bach compiled a second book of the same kind, which became known as the well tempered clavier, part two in. Of the two, the second book is considered the more challenging and frankly is probably more important if you need to make such a determination between the two.
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