Bach did not compose The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part 2, systematically from beginning to end, but rather compiled it in three distinct stages.
Composition History
The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part 2, evolved from teaching material Bach gathered for his exceptionally able students, who later became influential figures in Western music.
Composition History
Unlike most of his vocal works, Bach's keyboard works, including The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part 2, were not composed for specific occasions.
Performer Biography
Masaaki Suzuki, the harpsichordist on this recording, founded the Bach Collegium Japan in 1990 and embarked on a series of performances of J.S. Bach's church cantatas.
Composition History
Anna Magdalena, Bach's wife, helped speed up the compilation process of The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part 2, by copying nearly half of the movements in the first stage.
Recording & Production
This recording of The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part 2, was based on a critical edition prepared by Yo Tomita, published in 2007.
Composition History
Bach completed The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part 2, a collection of twenty-four preludes and fugues covering all tonalities, around 1742.
