Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846-869
11/3/2015, 48 Tracks, 1:42:58
Featuring
Céline Frisch
Johann Sebastian Bach
Did you know?
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Composer Biography
Bach may have begun or conceived The Well-Tempered Clavier during his arrest in 1717 by Duke Wilhelm Ernst of Weimar, who punished Bach for trying to leave his service.
Instruments
Céline Frisch performs on a harpsichord built in 1995 by Anthony Sidey & Frédéric Bal, modeled after an original Silbermann instrument.
Critical Reception
Bach's fugues in The Well-Tempered Clavier became 'exempla classica' of the genre, still used today by musicians, theorists, and composers for training.
Composition History
The first part of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, recorded here, was completed in Köthen in 1722, while the second part was finished around 1740.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach was the first composer to explore the full diversity of the tonal system and make it accessible through unique masterpieces like The Well-Tempered Clavier.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded from October 19 to 25, 2014, at the Saint Rémi Church in Franc-Warret, Belgium.
Compositional Technique
The Well-Tempered Clavier combines a rich harmonic palette with a similar wealth of musical styles and compositional techniques, rather than just exploring the key system.
