The welltempered clavier complete by glenn gould 1. Books i and ii pieterjan belder hpd period instruments brilliant 93892 4 cds. 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. The preludes and fugues that make up bachs welltempered clavier operate on multiple levels at once theyre a compilation of. Complete score of the welltempered clavier, book 1, by johann sebastian bach open welltempered clavier project. If any pianist has the musicianship to undertake the well tempered clavier, he or she must surely have enough judgment to carefully page through the material, study it, and form their own judgments as to relative difficulty of the different pieces. A proper analysis of js bachs well tempered clavier is therefore simply a must for anybody who takes playing the 48 seriously. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. 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. Book 1, part 1 the open well tempered clavier sheet music. However, equivalent corpus analyses of complex timevarying cues in. Jandos recordings of bachs welltempered clavier rank among his very bestbrilliant, sensitive, giving all the inner voices of the music full play.
First and foremost, bernards artificial existence was revealed to be an homage of sorts to one of the parks founders. The welltempered clavier, complete book 1 by johann. Bachs welltempered clavier indepth analysis and interpretation siglind bruhn. Another topic commonly debated is bachs choice of an instrument for the. Print and play the the welltempered clavier, complete book 1 sheet music collection by johann sebastian bach arranged for piano or harpsichord or keyboard. The c minor prelude from js bachs welltempered clavier, book 2. The well tempered clavier, book 1, bwv 846869 bluray disc version prelude and fugue no. Dublin ant edinburgh, and professor of music in university of dublin, uted by b.
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. Fugue analysis music theory for the 21stcentury classroom. The welltempered clavier, composed in 1722 and 1744 and widely considered bachs pinnacle of keyboard music, is divided into two books, each containing 24 preludes and fugues, with each prelude and fugue moving successfully upwards in key, starting with c major. Here you find 3 complete recordings and several single preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by johann sebastian bach. In some of the areas, the fingering is driving me crazy. First exposition of fugue 2 in c minor from welltempered clavier, book i bwv 847. Print and download in pdf or midi the open well tempered clavier. A proper analysis of js bachs welltempered clavier is therefore simply a must. In the example below, notice that the third note of the subject in measure 1 descends a perfect fourth to the fourth note. Kickstarting free, open recordings of bachs welltempered clavier, book 1. Therefore, most fugue analyses first consider these thematic patterns. With pairings of preludes and fugues for each major and minor key, bachs masterwork still serves as one of the most potent tools for students of the piano. 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.
The present article discusses pedagogical aspects aiming to contribute to teaching and learning bachs preludes of the welltempered clavier. 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. Barenboims bach has a refreshing old world quality, reflecting his rounded tone, moderate tempos, and emphasis on harmonic tension. For an alternative reading of the welltempered clavier. At the start of the cycle, however, bach bluffs us with simplicity. In stretto, the subject is presented in one voice and then imitated in one or more other voices, with the imitation starting. Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j. Welltempered clavier book i bwv 846869 discography. Welltempered clavier here you find 3 complete recordings and several single preludes and fugues of the welltempered clavier by johann sebastian bach. Ishizaka plays the 24 preludes and fugues with impeccable taste and technique, finding many levels of musical meaning even as she brings utmost clarity to the multiplicity of textures. Fischers ariadne musical, a set of 20 short preludes and fugues in a. Sep 20, 20 kickstarting free, open recordings of bachs welltempered clavier, book 1. An important feature of the fugue is its two pedal points bars 61 to 65, and 76 to 82.
The term stretto comes from the italian past participle of stringere, and means narrow, tight, or close. It applies in a close succession of statements of the subject in a fugue, especially in the final section. Bach, the welltempered clavier, book 1 sviatoslav richter 1969 duration. For years i have grappled with bachs wtc, the acknowledged old testament dispensation of the classical keyboard. If any pianist has the musicianship to undertake the well tempered clavier, he or she must surely have enough judgment to carefully page through the. If you are a beginner or an advanced player, the question which score to use is always an important topic. In stretto, the subject is presented in one voice and then imitated in one or more other voices, with the imitation starting before the subject has finished. Then, there is an analysis of selected preludes that will exemplify the variety of styles found in this. 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. 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. 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. Bach the well tempered clavier, book i, bwv 846869. 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. The episode has an 89% score on rotten tomatoes and has an average rating of 8.
If youre a devotee of a particular pianist in this repertoiregould, schiff, richter, kempff, etc. The recordings were made by playing a two manual keyboard, which is connected to a. This website is incredibly resourceful, and one can especially check the 1722 original of the well tempered clavier book 1. The welltempered clavier book one and book two contain 48 preludes and fugues in all the keys of the chromatic scale. Johann sebastian bach welltempered clavier, book 1. 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. Johann sebastian bach welltempered clavier, book 1, bwv846. 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. Internal evidence for this may be seen in the fact that in book 1 bach paired the e. Bach, the welltempered clavier, book i, fugue no 10 in e. A proper analysis of js bachs welltempered clavier is therefore simply a must for anybody who takes playing the 48 seriously. Analysis js bachs music combines two elements, namely a high degree of formalism and complexity with utmost beauty.
Fischers ariadne musical, a set of 20 short preludes and fugues in a chromatic key order ascending from cb. The pitches can describe diatonic based on note names or semitone. The first instance to look at, which is also the most authoritative one, is to study the composers original manuscripts. Learn the well tempered clavier with free interactive flashcards. Johann sebastian bach was a noted german composer, keyboardist, and violinist. Sep 23, 2012 umg on behalf of deutsche grammophon dg. Glenn gould 1932 1982 bach the welltempered clavier. In a conventional baroque fugue, the subject is first stated by itself. His works such as the brandenburg concertos are known for their technical depth and artistic beauty. Thus each volume contains analyses 6f preludes and fugues from both volumes.
Poloarts china cl4b86080 whether this last is a legit licensed issue, or a pirate, i have no idea. Theres even one by yours truly of a 36cd brilliant classics collection containing the complete scarlatti keyboard sonatas. Bach composed a paired prelude and fugue in each of the 24 keys to demonstrate the viability of the new equal. Prelude no 1 in c major, bwv 846 the welltempered clavier. In its whole, the welltempered clavier delves into some of the most complicated and compelling counterpoint ever written. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Several attempts have been made to analyse the motivic connections. Kickstarting free, open recordings of bachs welltempered. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, is a collection of two sets of preludes and fugues in. Weve begun with the well tempered clavier the prelude and fugue in cminor from book 1.
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. Model answers for the works in book i bwv 846869 i 1 prelude and fugue in c major. It is widely accepted the bachs the welltempered clavier was modelled on j. Welltempered clavier book i, bwv 846869 discography part 6. Listen the first note of the subject, d in red, is a prominent dominant note, demanding that the first note of the answer in blue sounds as the tonic, g. Although ashkenazys amazing virtuosity as a performer is no secret, the music of bach demands much more than that alone. A detailed guide that analyzes the structural, harmonic and thematic frame of the prelude and the fugue. Choose from 33 different sets of the well tempered clavier flashcards on quizlet. In the welltempered clavier, a few major facts were established. Raymond smullyan the well tempered clavier, book i, bwv 846869 prelude and fugue no. Eminent bachspecialist sir andras schiff here performs book i. In its whole, the well tempered clavier delves into some of the most complicated and compelling counterpoint ever written. The two sets of 24 preludes and fugues book 1 dating from 1722 and book 2 from 1742 had pedagogical objectives.
But performances by gould and richter, while brilliant, never disclosed to me the profound unity and musicality of these pieces as a set. Le premier livre a ete compile en 1722 lorsque bach travaillait a kothen. 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. Bachs mastery and control, obviously, and also your incredible analyses. The well tempered clavier flashcards and study sets quizlet. Certain online resources for the distribution of lossless music, such as are not mentioned hereabouts, may be relevant in this context. With all due respect, i believe such questions are rather absurd. A fugue of unusual construction, in the few entries of the subject, and the very large proportion of episode. Incidentally, this subject is an example of double dotting or. The well tempered clavier book 1 scrolling youtube. Such thoughts perhaps passed through bachs mind too when surveying his own keyboard output, and the profound differences in. The well tempered clavier is a great example of how much variety is possible to achieve in this genre.
Sep 07, 2017 the two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a wealth of musical invention, ingenuity and delight. Analysis of dsharp minor fugue from the welltempered clavier, book i. In bachs time clavier keyboard was a generic name indicating a variety of keyboard instruments, most typically a harpsichord or clavichord but not excluding an. The welltempered clavier confirms a multitude of popular theories in an episode marked by bleak revelations and tragic results. The welltempered clavier, book 1 3 5 stars 3 out of. These are also all relevant points when we discuss the style and character of music. Please feel free to comment on any notation engraving error complete. The two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a wealth of musical invention, ingenuity and delight.
Analysis of dsharp minor fugue from the welltempered clavier. Welltempered clavier, book 1, bwv846869 various arrangements play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web. Internal evidence for this may be seen in the fact that in book 1 bach paired. Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic. The well tempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the well tempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. Nonetheless, the moscow conservatory graduate still has his feet firmly planted in his russian heritage, this new recording of the well tempered clavier on longtime partner decca being no exception. 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.
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