The welltempered clavier, book one prelude in c major, bwv 846 by earl rose now. Id start with the preludes in the keys you are familiar with. In this recording i used the 4th harmonic pedal in resonance position only. Composition history the first book was compiled in the year 1722 during bachs appointment in kothen. 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. 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 well tempered clavier, book i, bwv 846869 prelude in fugue no. Bach the well tempered clavier, book i, bwv 846869. The best known of bachs clavier works is the famous set of preludes and fugues called the welltempered clavier. Second, the theme features a dramatic and expressive leap of a minor 9th the big jump upwards between the 2nd and 3rd notes. The well tempered clavier, or preludes and fugues in all the tones and semitones, both with the major. Prelude no 1 in c major, bwv 846 the welltempered clavier. Bach recycled some of the preludes and fugues from earlier.
Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 prelude no. 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. The preludes are formally free, although many of them exhibit typical baroque melodic forms, often coupled to an extended free coda e. A monument in the history of western music, the welltempered clavier represents not only the culmination of j. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Johann sebastian bach the welltempered clavier book 1 no 1 prelude in c major bwv 846 guitar pro tab ver 15 with free online tab player, speed control and loop. Listening to martins book i is an unalloyed pleasure. Prelude i in c major, bwv 846 well tempered clavier. Sviatoslav richter piano melodiya rca red seal olympia le chant du monde russian revelation. Prelude in c major bwv 846 robert hill, harpsichord harpsichord after mietke by keith hill recorded in st. Each set contains twentyfour pairs of prelude and fugue. Prelude eb minor the 8th pfpair of book 1 is unusual in the sense that prelude and fugue are notated in different keys.
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. Each part consists of twentyfour preludes and fugues, one prelude and one fugue in each of the twelve major and minor keys. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. A well tempered clavier keyboard instrument was one that was so tuned it was possible to play in all keys and to modulate freely. It not only has the youthfulness and joy dubal describes, but an emotional depth that recalls edwin fischer at his best. Ranking of difficulty of well tempered clavier preludes. The well tempered clavier, or preludes and fugues through all tones and semitones, relating to the major third, that is, ut re mi, as well as those related to the minor third, that is, re mi fa. By johann sebastian bach, with commentaries by donald francis tovey. The welltempered clavier i, fuga vi bwv 851 piano solo. Clavier is the german word for any keyboard instrument other than organ. The fugue is in three parts, and in his classic book on the wohltemperirte clavier from 1942, hans brandts buis.
At the start of the cycle, however, bach bluffs us with simplicity. He completed the first volume in cothen in 1722 and the second around 16 years later in leipzig. Then have a look at the two books and do the cmaj, amin, gmaj, emin, fmaj. The welltempered clavier, book 1 by andrew rangell on. Many consider the two books of the welltempered clavier bachs finest keyboard collection. The well tempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. Johann sebastian bach 16851750 written in 1722, publicated in 1801. 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. Here, johann sebastian bachs prelude in c major from welltempered clavier book number 1 is performed. Bach the welltempered clavier, book 1, prelude 22 bwv.
The welltempered clavier, book 1, prelude 22 bwv 867. Bachs autograph fair copy in the possession of the. Preludes and fugues the welltempered clavier, by j. Mar 29, 2011 each book consists of 24 preludes and fugues, one prelude and one fugue for each of the twelve major and minor keys.
It was a common baroque trait to end a minor key work in the tonic major. Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j. Weve begun with the well tempered clavier the prelude and fugue in cminor from book 1. 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. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Listen to your favorite songs from the welltempered clavier, book 1 by andrew rangell now. The prelude has a walking bass and two upper voices for imitation. The welltempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. The welltempered clavier is generally regarded as one of the most influential works in the history of western classical music. The well tempered clavier, or preludes and fugues in all the tones and semitones, both with the major third or ut, re, mi and with the minor third or re, mi, fa. Happy 250th, well tempered clavier, book i the new york. The welltempered clavier, book 1, preludes and fugues 18 to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it to another music lover. This highly influential work is monumental in the history of western music. Prelude i in c major, bwv 846 well tempered clavier first.
What is the significance of the welltempered clavier. Book ii of the welltempered clavier occupies much more space in goulds discography than the first. Discover the album on a streaming platform of your. He made a manuscript of the welltempered clavier i that can be traced back to the autograph only by way of several presently lost intermediate stages. 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. This prelude is an intentionally simple series of chord arpeggios, walking through some modulations in the vicinity of and returning back to c maj.
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. Each book contains 24 relatively free, improvisatory preludes, each of which precedes a fugue. Well tempered clavier flashcards and study sets quizlet. Bachs own maturation process but also the impetus for the emerging style and structure of modern keyboard music. Part i was completed at cothen in 1722, and part ii was completed at leipzig around 1740. 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. Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 35 prelude no. The haunting fivevoice fugue in bflat minor has several characteristics which are notable.
Bachprelude in c from welltempered clavier book 1 youtube. Listening to martinsbook i is an unalloyed pleasure. Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 01 prelude no. Martins book i of the welltempered clavier is, for me, a revelation. Musically, the structural regularities of the well tempered clavier encompass an extraordinarily wide range of styles, more so than most pieces in the literature. First, it is one of the rare fugues with five voices there are two in book 1 of the welltempered clavier, and none in book 2. One can learn the entirety of both welltempered clavier books in a year, i would estimate, but it would take a lifetime to master.
Welltempered clavier, book 1 by kimiko ishizaka, released 19 march 2015 1. The relatively short prelude is followed by an equally exuberant fugue. In its whole, the welltempered clavier delves into some of the most complicated and compelling counterpoint ever written. Martins book i of the well tempered clavier is, for me, a revelation. If music does have a bible, it is book i of the well tempered clavier, which. The c major prelude from book 1 the first one is probably the easiest for a beginner its actually one of the harder ones to do really well. Kimiko ishizaka bach welltempered clavier, book 1 39 prelude no. Jul 16, 20 the well tempered clavier is a collection of two books of keyboard music. Initially, his fast pace in the prelude was not to my liking, but i was won over through additional listenings. There is less clarity about the history of part two.
Apart from the early versions of several preludes included in w. Kimiko ishizaka bach well tempered clavier, book 1 35 prelude no. Also, feinbergs conclusion of the prelude is of one of majesty. Bach the welltempered clavier, book 1, prelude 22 bwv 867. The first pair is in c major, the second in c minor, the third in c. One of the copyists was the hamburg music director christian friedrich gottlieb schwencke 17671822. Like thinkgreenlovepiano already said, i think all of them are very enjoyable to listen to, but some suggestions for the first book. The first book of the welltempered clavier was composed in the early 1720s, with bachs autograph dated 1722. 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. The welltempered clavier, book 1, preludes and fugues. Happy 250th, well tempered clavier, book i the new york times. The well tempered clavier, book one, prelude and fugue no.