Bach the well tempered clavier, book ii, bwv 870893. 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. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Bach later compiled a second book of the same kind, dated 1742, but titled it only twentyfour preludes and fugues. The well tempered clavier i, fuga vi piano solo the well tempered clavier i, fuga i bwv 846, fuga a 4 piano solo the well tempered clavier i, fuga iii piano solo the well tempered clavier i, fuga iv piano solo the well tempered clavier i, fuga ix piano solo. Tureck adds to the slowest e minor p the slowest fugue i really admire turecks art, but. Welltempered clavier book one prelude and fugue no. In this recording i used the 4th harmonic pedal in resonance position only. Six preludes and fugues from the welltempered clavier book i.
Composed about 20 years apart, the two sets of 24 preludes and fugues that constitute the two books of johann sebastian bachs well tempered 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 wikipedia republished wiki 2. Things in the well tempered clavier always come in pairs, but pairs that, unlike butterfly wings, display an essential asymmetry, if an asymmetry that will sound inevitable, even natural. The well tempered clavier bwv 888 in a major, book 2 by j. Welltempered clavier prelude and fugue 2 in c minor bwv 847. Some 20 years later bach compiled a second book of the same kind, which became known as the well tempered clavier, part. This is in contrast to modern songs which have a melody, usually sung or played by one voice, chords, and rhythm. Bach fugue 21 from the well tempered clavier bwv 866 2. The welltempered clavier i, bwv 846869 bach, johann. 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. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The first collection was written in 1722 and the second was written in 1742. The two works are now usually considered to make up a single work, the welltempered clavier, and are referred to respectively as books i and ii.
Nice recorded versions of the e minor fugue come from ashkenazy, janssen, hewitt, stadtfeld and koroliov. Notes, from kimiko ishizakas open welltempered clavier. 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 commentaries for each. This exam section asks about a bach fugue from the well. 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. Bach the well tempered clavier, book i, bwv 846869. The welltempered clavier, book 2 johann sebastian bach. The grace and fecundity of the well tempered clavier have thrilled audiences, musicians, and composers for centuries.
Both preludes and fugues of the welltempered clavier were based on. A fugue is a style of musical composition where a theme melody is introduced, and then repeated in one or more other voices. Well tempered clavier book one prelude and fugue no. About fugue 21 from the well tempered clavier bwv 866 2 artist. The first fugue in the well tempered clavier is a beautiful introduction to the world of bachs fugues. Here are a few interesting points about how famous composers about this piece of work. Danying zhang masters recital the welltempered clavier. For most arrangements, see the separate pages for the individual preludes and fugues. Prelude i in c major, bwv 846 well tempered clavier. John passion, the magnificat, the musical offering, the art of fugue, the english suites, the french. Taken from bachs well tempered clavier, also known as the 48 preludes and fugues, this piece is not unlike the first prelude in construction with arpeggiated. 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. Bwv 855a may also refer to both this prelude and a fughetta in the same key, an.
The welltempered clavier is the title of two collections of preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach. 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. The music was written in all 24 major and minor keys for solo keyboard. The gate leads to the path, allows us to sense the path. 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. Bach wrote hundreds of pieces for organ, choir, as well as many other instruments. Bach, johann sebastian bartok, bela beethoven, ludwig van berlioz, louis hector bizet, georges brahms, johannes chausson, ernest chopin. Trevor pinnock is a true pioneer of the early music movement as founder and former leader of the english concert he enjoys a longstanding relationship with archiv produktion and deutsche grammophon among his celebrated recordings are bachs brandenburg concertos handels messiah and concerti grossi vivaldis four seasons. Bachs welltempered clavier indepth analysis and interpretation siglind bruhn. They approach the complexity of polyphonic writing in each of the twelve major and. The well tempered clavier is a work in two volumes.
The well tempered clavier by bach david piano play it. Revered for their intellectual depth, technical command and artistic beauty, bachs works include the brandenburg concertos, the goldberg variations, the partitas, the well tempered clavier, the mass in b minor, the st. It is the second prelude and fugue in the first book of the welltempered clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer. Fugue no 1 in c major, bwv 846 the welltempered clavier. Complete score of the well tempered clavier, book 1, by johann sebastian bach open well tempered clavier project.
Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j. Twentyfour preludes and fugues composed by johann sebastian bach. Bach wrote hundreds of pieces for organ, choir, as well. Prelude and fugue in c minor, bwv 847, is a keyboard composition written by johann sebastian bach.
This website is incredibly resourceful, and one can especially check the 1722 original of the well tempered clavier book 1. It explores the intricacies of each of the 12 major and 12 minor keys and constitutes the largestscale and mostinfluential undertaking for. Prelude and fugue in c minor, bwv 847 bach, johann sebastian. Proudly powered by wordpress and the sheet music library plugin. Beethoven used to practice the well tempered clavier in. He first gave the title to a book of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, dated 1722, composed for the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the. Ranking of difficulty of well tempered clavier preludes. The well tempered clavier, book 2, preludes and fugues 1724 glenn gould on allmusic 2007. The well tempered clavieris an exemplary collection of twice twentyfour preludes and fugues for keyboard in which bach exhibits his unsurpassed contrapuntal virtuosity and also the seemingly infinite types, forms, and characters that may emergeat his hands, and at his hands alonefrom the art of fugue some pieces are sketches for jeweled miniatures, some for vast frescos. 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. I would appreciate any info on ranking of the difficulty of the preludes in the well tempered clavier. Bach welltempered clavier prelude and fugue 2 in c minor bwv 847 sheet music tutorial performed by kimiko ishizaka. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. Bach the well tempered clavier bwv 846893 is a collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach published in two books.