Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869
6/15/2014, 49 Tracks, 2:24:41
Featuring
Peter Watchorn
Johann Sebastian Bach
Did you know?
1/7
Instruments
The pedal harpsichord, used in this recording, was a common instrument in 18th-century Germany for organists to practice, as original examples no longer survive.
Recording & Production
This recording concludes with a reprise of the very first prelude, a decision inspired by Bach's own Goldberg Variations, to create a sense of cyclical closure.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The tuning system used for this recording, the Bach/Lehman temperament, allows each major and minor scale to project a subtly different mood or character, building drama into the music.
Interpretation
Performer Peter Watchorn believes the Bach/Lehman tuning, which he uses, is the precise solution to what Bach meant by "Well-Tempered."
Instruments
The harpsichord used is a copy of a 1646 Andreas Ruckers instrument, which was later enlarged by François Etienne Blanchet and restored by Pascal Joseph Taskin.
Compositional Technique
J. S. Bach's obituary reported that he achieved a "correct and pure temperament" in tuning harpsichords, making all tonalities sound agreeable.
Performer Biography
Peter Watchorn, the performer, was presented with the Erwin Bodky Award in 1985 for his interpretations of J. S. Bach's music.
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