Bach began publishing his keyboard works, including the first Partita in 1726, during a period when he was growing tired of regular church composition and facing difficulties with Leipzig authorities.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's dedication for the Clavier Übung, "composed for the agreeable delectation of music lovers," was a common marketing cliché of the time, targeting wealthy amateurs.
Composer Biography
Bach was highly regarded as a keyboard performer during his lifetime, though his vocal music was sometimes criticized as "bombastic" and "over-wrought."
Instruments
The harpsichord used in this recording is a custom-built 'Vater-Hemsch' instrument by Christian Kuhlmann, which features a removable second soundboard to offer two distinct sound characteristics.
Compositional Technique
The title "Clavier Übung" (Keyboard-Practice) was fashionable in Leipzig, first coined by Bach's predecessor Johann Kuhnau, and implied a pedagogic purpose for the music.
Performer Biography
Giulia Nuti, the performer on this album, has won multiple awards for her solo recordings, including the Diapason d'Or and Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik.
Critical Reception
Johann Nikolaus Forkel, Bach's first biographer, wrote in 1802 that these keyboard compositions made a "great sensation in the musical world" and were considered "excellent."
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