The well tempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. Prelude c minor the c min prelude of book 1 finds a parallel in wilhelm friedemann bachs clavierbuchlein keyboard booklet and, as ledbetter points out, it is quite clearly an exercise to make all fingers of both hands busy which, today, may seem nothing special, but at jsbs time it was a rather modern concept. Volume ii deals with the preludes and fugues wtc i, nos. Book 11722, book 21724 significance of title well tempered. 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. Then, there is an analysis of selected preludes that will exemplify the variety of. The well tempered clavier, book ii 1740 complete recording by breemer, c. Obviously there are certain points of detail which are always open to discussion. Johann sebastian bach the welltempered clavier, book 1. Bachs well tempered clavier, performed by kimiko ishizaka, with an animated graphical score. This is a most amazing performance of the book ii of the well tempered clavier, with mr. Print and download in pdf or midi the open well tempered clavier.
Complete score of the well tempered clavier, book 1, by johann sebastian bach open well tempered clavier project. Incidentally, this subject is an example of double dotting or. Firstly, it is the very first musical edition in which the analysis is fully presented with colours. 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. The set is on dg with a catalog number of 289 463 6232. Book ii of her recording of bachs welltempered clavier was made between 1951 and 1954 at her home in lakeville.
Bach, the welltempered clavier, book i, fugue no 2 in c. His art was of an encyclopedic nature, drawing together a. It was the ultimate workbook, open to constant change and refining by bach himself. It aims to help you, its reader, achieve a creative understanding and interpretation of bachs preludes and fugues by encouraging you to.
Indepth analysis and interpretation, siglind bruhn. Bach composed a paired prelude and fugue in each of the 24 keys to demonstrate the viability of the new equal. The well tempered clavier book 1 scrolling duration. A monument in the history of western music, the welltempered clavier represents not only the culmination of j. They were sequenced by an anonymous enthusiast and deposited in. Some of the preludes of the welltempered clavier based on dances are the f minor, book 2. Download a free and public domain recording and musical. This edition of johann sebastian bachs famous keyboard work the welltempered clavier was edited by ferruccio busoni, who also added historical information and a large number of performance notes that will relate to piano performance. Preludes and fugues the welltempered clavier, by j. 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. Book 1 was written in 1722 towards the end of bachs period as capellmeister at cothen and book 2 appeared some twenty two years later in 1744.
Im starting to learn bachs fugue in d major from book 1 of the welltempered clavier. Many performers touch the first aspect only briefly and focus on the flow of the music, to be able to express the inner beauty of the work. Books i and ii pieterjan belder hpd period instruments brilliant 93892 4 cds. Bachs own maturation process but also the impetus for the emerging style and structure of modern keyboard music. For an alternative reading of the welltempered clavier. Background in january 1995, a friend of mine, professor michael beddow of dept. The well tempered clavier consists in its entirety of two books, each of 24 preludes and fugues, in which there is one for each major and minor key. The welltempered clavier, book 1 3 5 stars 3 out of 5 stars. Books i and ii, complete dover music for piano the welltempered. In a conventional baroque fugue, the subject is first stated by itself. The f major preludes impeccably matched trills, the d major fugues ever. Composed about 20 years apart, the two sets of 24 preludes and fugues that constitute the two books of johann sebastian bachs welltempered clavier didnt start off as one huge collection of 48 works in fact, the set of 24 preludes and fugues composed in 1742 were not issued as a sequel to the original wtc of 1722. 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. They were published in two separate books, book i, which was composed in 1722, and book ii, composed in 1744.
Indepth analysis and interpretation, volume 4 global art music education series j. The well tempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the well tempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. Bach, the welltempered clavier, book i, fugue no 2 in c minor, bwv 847 three voices. I now play it with the extra measure since it seems making sense to me. Such thoughts perhaps passed through bachs mind too when surveying his own keyboard output, and the profound differences in sensibility that distinguish the second volume of the. Which book of bachs well tempered clavier is easier. Theres even one by yours truly of a 36cd brilliant classics collection. Which book of bachs well tempered clavier is easier overall. Bach, the well tempered clavier, book i, fugue no 16 in g minor, bwv 861 youtube bach.
As a quintessential baroque fugue, bachs d major fugue from book 1 of the welltempered clavier will make for suitable illustration of how to analyze a fugue. Unless youre angela hewitt or glenn gould i would recommend mastering only a select few preludes and fugues rather than being okay. Fugue in c minor, bwv 871 animated score and analysis duration. It is the only episode of the season to not be written by either jonathan nolan or lisa joy, but rather by individuals who had worked with the two of them in their previous endeavors dietz with nolan on person of interest and lingenfelter with joy on pushing daisies. This edition of johann sebastian bachs famous keyboard work the well tempered clavier was edited by ferruccio busoni, who also added historical information and a large number of performance notes that will relate to piano performance. Preludes and fugues through all tones and semitones name translations.
I own book 1, and was considering buying book 2 because some of the pieces were too dificult. Richard atkinson analyzes the amazing counterpoint in the astonishingly complex csharp minor fugue from book i of bachs well tempered clavier. Maurizio pollini deutsche grammophon, two cds andrew clements. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, is a collection of two sets of preludes and fugues in. This is a most amazing performance of the book ii of. Analysis js bachs music combines two elements, namely a high degree of formalism and complexity with utmost beauty. 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. 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. A welltempered clavier book i to savor classics today. Aldwell enunciating the various voices of the fugues in the clearest and most creative possible manner, and bringing his awesome originality to the preludes as well. He is a strong technician, accurate and precise, but i frankly dont really care. Bach gave the present title to the work, which was composed for the use and practice of musical youth eager to learn and for the amusement of those already skilled in this study.
Jones, richard, jones, richard, bach, johann sebastian. Mozart, beethoven, and chopin were influenced by its polyphonic richness and depth of harmony, and schumann counseled young musicians to make the well. Completed by 1742, book 2 was intended as a complement to book 1, not as a replacement. Prelude and fugue in c minor and well tempered clavier. In bachs time clavier keyboard was a generic name indicating a variety of keyboard instruments, most typically a harpsichord or clavichord but not excluding. In depth analysis and interpretation volume iiv siglind bruhn mainer international, ltd. Such thoughts perhaps passed through bachs mind too when surveying his own keyboard output, and the profound differences in. Through her generosity, they are provided here at earsense where they play an essential role in our collaborative presentation. Eminent bachspecialist sir andras schiff here performs book i. The welltempered clavier confirms a multitude of popular theories in an episode marked by bleak revelations and tragic results. Complete score of the welltempered clavier, book 1, by johann sebastian bach open welltempered clavier project. Book 1, part 1 the open well tempered clavier sheet music.
Bach worked on the second book over a long period of time, even reworking pieces he had written for other purposes, as he had in the first book. Fugue in csharp major, bwv 848 animated score and analysis. My main intention for depositing this information in the internet is to make available to my students and colleagues the most uptodate information when available. The title page is missing from the manuscript, but its similarity to the first book of the well tempered clavier led editors to entitle it book ii. Model answers for the works in book i bwv 846869 i1 prelude and fugue in c major.
One can learn the entirety of both welltempered clavier books in a year, i would estimate, but it would take a lifetime to master. Bach loved numbers, symbolism, and symmetry, so this is very likely his way of showing that. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the creative. Bachs welltempered clavier, performed by kimiko ishizaka, with an animated graphical. Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j.
Indepth analysis and interpretation, siglind bruhn has crafted 48 jewels of her own, 48 elegant and eloquent visualizations of bachs precious fugues. Is book 2 any easier, or should i just keep working on what i have. This comprehensive, indepth work book on bachs welltempered clavier should. Published on dec 4, 2016 richard atkinson analyzes the amazing counterpoint of the d major fugue from the welltempered clavier, book ii, by j. Aldwell, a noted music theorist preoccupied with analysis, projects the bloodless world of a modern academic. Production the well tempered clavier was written by dan dietz and katherine lingenfelter, and was directed by michelle maclaren.
Please feel free to comment on any notation engraving error complete. My question is related to the structure of the fugue of this particular fugue as well as of fugues in general, which is not clear to me. 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. May 21, 2016 the prelude in c major from the first book of j. Bach welltempered clavier complete andras schiff pn ecm 001733702 4 cds. Book i wtc i and the welltempered clavier, book ii wtc ii, respectively. The well tempered clavier is two sets of preludes and fugues for keyboard. In jill crosslands own words, no other music is so perfect an integration of emotional. Ive read your extremely useful article, how to learn a fugue, and i have started to practice the fugue accordingly. It explores the intricacies of each of the 12 major and 12 minor keys and constitutes the largestscale and mostinfluential undertaking for. Bach loved numbers, symbolism, and symmetry, so this is very likely his way of showing that he intended to write 24 fugues altogether. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. This chapter is an extract from my critical commentary, vol. Theres even one by yours truly of a 36cd brilliant classics collection containing the complete scarlatti keyboard sonatas.
Bachs welltempered clavier indepth analysis and interpretation siglind bruhn. A detailed guide that analyzes the structural, harmonic and thematic frame of the prelude and the fugue. Also, the prelude 1 book i is probably the correct version, but i have seen from some other books the other version with an extra measure between bar 22 and 23. The two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a wealth of musical invention, ingenuity and delight. The welltempered clavier, book ii 1740 complete recording by breemer, c. Welltempered clavier the, book 2 landowska 19511954 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. The episode has an 89% score on rotten tomatoes and has an average rating of 8. Sep 07, 2017 the two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a wealth of musical invention, ingenuity and delight. A proper analysis of js bachs welltempered clavier is therefore simply a must for anybody who takes playing the 48 seriously. Some of the preludes and fugues date from the 1720s. This is especially true for the longer pieces, only few can really understand those in detail merely based on musical instinct and talent i, for instance, cant. Each set consists of twenty four preludes and fugues in all of the major and minor keys in ascending order. The welltempered clavier is two sets of preludes and fugues for keyboard. It is generally far more difficult than book 1 however, with greater technical and structural difficulty for the performer.
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