Unless youre angela hewitt or glenn gould i would recommend mastering only a select few preludes and fugues rather than being okay at all of them. Welltempered clavier book one prelude and fugue no. The welltempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the welltempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. Listen to your favorite songs from the welltempered clavier, book 1 by andrew rangell now. The well tempered clavier book 1 scrolling youtube. The welltempered clavierbook i is a live version of jarretts 1988 ecm studio release of the same name. After some practice, after having learned a few of these preludes and fougues, the fingering should become more natural and those fingering suggestions on the editions really become unneccessary. Within a month of jarretts having studiorecorded the welltempered clavierbook i, in 1987, he performed the pieces in a solo concert at the troy. The welltempered clavier wikipedia republished wiki 2. The welltempered clavier confirms a multitude of popular theories in an episode marked by bleak revelations and tragic results. These preludefugue pairs cycle through all 24 possible major and minor tona. Trevor pinnock to release first recording of bachs well. Bachs welltempered clavier by siglind bruhn, october 1993, mainer intl ltd edition, paperback in english.
The welltempered clavier is a collection of two books of keyboard music. 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. Happy 250th, well tempered clavier, book i the new york. Johann sebastian bach 1685 1750 the welltempered clavier, book 1 00. Johann sebastian bach 1685 1750 the well tempered clavier, book 1 00. 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. Each book contains 24 relatively free, improvisatory preludes, each of which precedes a fugue. 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 the collection is. The grace and fecundity of the well tempered clavier have thrilled audiences, musicians, and composers for centuries.
Once a deeper understanding of each individual piece has been achieved, the relationship of each prelude to its fugue will be more clear, and even though book 1 is a. Mozart, beethoven, and chopin were influenced by its polyphonic richness and depth of harmony, and schumann counseled young musicians to. Jarrett followed with book ii 2000, another in a series of six bach recordings. Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 15 prelude no. Sergey schepkin has been creating music history with his revelatory recordings of bachs keyboard works. What is the significance of the welltempered clavier. Download a free and public domain recording and musical. Mozart, beethoven, and chopin were influenced by its polyphonic richness and depth of harmony, and schumann counseled young musicians to make the well tempered. This prelude is an intentionally simple series of chord arpeggios, walking through some modulations in the vicinity of and returning back to c maj.
Bachswelltempered clavieror the 48 preludes and fugues stands at the core of baroque keyboard music and has been a model and inspiration for performers and composers ever since it was written. Sergey schepkin, a young russian pianist based in boston for the past decade, has built a following. The episode has an 89% score on rotten tomatoes and has an average rating of 8. In the german of 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 well tempered clavier is two books of music for solo keyboard by js bach, the first written in 1722, and the second twenty years later in 1742. His art was of an encyclopedic nature, drawing together a.
Each book contains twentyfour preludes and fugues, both books begin with preludes and fugues in c major and c minor then move up chromatically be semitone, ending with b major and b minor. The well tempered clavier, or preludes and fugues in all the tones and semitones, both with the major. The well tempered clavier book 1 scrolling youtube a. Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 scoreopenwelltemperedclavier201504. This invaluable guide to the 96 pieces explains bachs various purposes in compiling the music, describes the rich traditions on which he drew, and provides. Bachs own maturation process but also the impetus for the emerging style and structure of modern keyboard music. Mozart, when rapidly advancing to the height of his mastery, had but to read a manuscript copy of the well tempered clavier and his style developed a new polyphonic richness and depth of harmony. For example, the piece that ends the cycle of book 1, the great bminor fugue, is so chromatic and convoluted that it shocks the modern ear with its complexity. 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. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet.
Bachs welltempered clavier or the 48 preludes and fugues stands at the core of baroque keyboard music and has been a model and inspiration for performers and composers ever since it was written. Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 01 prelude no. This chapter is an extract from my critical commentary, vol. The welltempered clavier, book i live in troy, ny 1987 by keith jarrett now. Some 20 years later bach compiled a second book of the same kind, which became known as the well tempered clavier, part two in. Interpreting bachs welltempered clavier by ralph kirkpatrick, september 10, 1987, yale university press edition, paperback in english new ed edition. Complete score of the welltempered clavier, book 1, by johann sebastian bach open welltempered clavier project. Well tempered clavier book 1 from christiane jaccottet. Trevor pinnocks recording of book i of bachs welltempered clavier will be released on 10 april 2020 and can be preordered here.
The welltempered clavier, book 1 by andrew rangell on. 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. In its whole, the welltempered clavier delves into some of the most complicated and compelling counterpoint ever written. One can learn the entirety of both welltempered clavier books in a year, i would estimate, but it would take a lifetime to master. A monument in the history of western music, the welltempered clavier represents not only the culmination of j.
Well tempered clavier book i, prelude c major we start our analysis with the, so to say, entry door into the 48, the well tempered clavier book i, prelude c maj. For most arrangements, see the separate pages for the individual preludes and fugues. Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. 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. Interpreting bachs welltempered clavier september 10. A monument in the history of western music, the well tempered clavier represents not only the culmination of j. Clavier is the german word for any keyboard instrument other than organ. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742.
1034 516 1054 201 803 619 268 316 827 905 619 1333 1386 538 768 624 1164 1013 476 685 1289 1089 1286 1453 1066 1230 599 1315 401 171 619 1185 121 964 1189 455 911 219 1016 1010 1090 1237 53 1294 106 1071