The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, was compiled around 1722 during Bach's time at Cöthen, incorporating earlier works and serving a pedagogical purpose for young musicians.
Cultural Impact
Bach's Preludes and Fugues are sometimes called the 'pianist's Old Testament,' with Beethoven's Sonatas being the 'New Testament,' highlighting their foundational importance.
Compositional Technique
The Well-Tempered Clavier explores the possibilities of every major and minor key, made feasible by experiments in keyboard tuning during the late 17th century.
Instruments
The harpsichord used for this recording was custom-built in 1985 by Réjean Poirier and Yves Beaupré in Montreal, aiming for clarity in polyphony and a strong sound.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's music, particularly in works like The Well-Tempered Clavier, represents a culmination of the Baroque style, synthesizing Italian melody, French dance forms, and German counterpoint.
Performer Biography
Luc Beauséjour, the harpsichordist on this album, is a highly awarded Canadian musician, recognized for his elegant and expressive playing, and has performed internationally.
Composer Biography
Johann Sebastian Bach came from a family of musicians and his sons continued this tradition, laying the groundwork for a new musical style in the late 18th century.
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