J.S. Bach: Das wohltemperierte Klavier, Book 1

Featuring

Marcel Worms
Johann Sebastian Bach

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Compositional Technique

Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier (Book 1) contains 24 preludes and 24 fugues, each piece a personality with its own unique character, with a prelude always followed by a fugue in the same key.

Compositional Technique

The fugue, the most ingenious form of polyphony, always begins with a theme in a single voice that then 'flies' through all other voices, giving the form its name.

Composition History

Bach stated on the title page that he composed the Well-Tempered Clavier for studious musical youth and as a 'special pastime' for skilled keyboard players, not initially for public performance.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Bach's ultimate intention for the Well-Tempered Clavier, as with almost all his work, was 'Solo Deo Gloria' (solely for the glory of God), even for this worldly music.

Historical Context

Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier covers all 24 keys, a diversity that was startling in 1722 and only possible due to his use of a 'tempered' or well-tempered tuning technique.

Critical Reception

Conductor Hans van Bülow (1830-1894) called Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier 'the Old Testament of every pianist,' while Robert Schumann considered it the pianist's daily bread.

Composer's Artistic Vision

According to the doctrine of the affects, widely accepted in Bach's day, each key has its own affect and expresses specific emotions, which Bach wanted to retain.