Fugues are, by their very nature, the hardest type of composition for a pianist to play well. Walter gieseking 1895 1956, was a frenchborn german pianist and composer. Print and download in pdf or midi prelude and fugue no. There is no clear dramatic progression in wtc book i. Bach s autograph 1722 of the first prelude of book i the prelude and fugue in c major, bwv 846, is a keyboard composition written by johann sebastian bach. Yet we can learn a great deal about its origin by examining the circumstances in which the work was composed, studied by his students and appreciated by later generations through the surviving manuscripts. In bachs time clavier keyboard was a generic name indicating a variety of keyboard instruments, most typically a harpsichord or clavichord but not excluding. Stream bach fugue in e major from the wtc book 2 bwv 878 glenn gould funky drummer mix by ethan hein from desktop or your mobile device. Bachs c minor fugue bwv 871 from the second book of the wtc offers an excellent example of three contrapuntal techniques. The 14 notes long subject is said to be related to bach s name. Zhu xiaomeis recording of bachs welltempered clavier book 1 follows her 2008 book 2 release. Propractice video download bach prelude and fugue in g. This 45minute video lesson explores an indepth look at the prelude and fugue in g major from the welltempered clavier, book 2 by j.
Difficulty of pieces in bachs welltempered clavier. While some fugues c sharp minor, d sharp minor, b minor, g sharp minor book 2 are definitely much harder than others, its not really possible to say that any one fugue is the easiest. Book ii of her recording of bachs welltempered clavier was made between 1951 and. Bachs autograph 1722 of the first prelude of book i the prelude and fugue in c major, bwv 846, is a keyboard composition written by johann sebastian bach. Bach, andras schiff the welltempered clavier, book 2.
Wtc book 2, prelude and fugue in f major, bwv 880 by walter gieseking piano on amazon music. The welltempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the welltempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. There are 2 books of the welltempered clavier, with 24 pieces, each consisting of a prelude and fugue. By this time the fugue was more or less out of fashion, and bach had begun to attract some criticism for his unnaturally intricate style of composition. The two books of preludes and fugues in alternately major and minor keys twentyfour in each were not written in sequence or as a single concerted effort. The well tempered clavier book 2 scrolling youtube. From all the works written in the baroque era, no other work has been so wellcherished, frequently performed and. Analysis of bachs fugue bwv 871 in c minor wtc, book ii. Usage public domain topics music, bach, piano, prelude, wtc. Bach wtc book 2, bb major through b minor, don freund, piano. Then have a look at the two books and do the cmaj, amin, gmaj, emin, fmaj, dmin and so on.
He completed book i in 1722 and book ii a generation later in 1742. The piano forums are an online community of piano lovers including piano industry professionals, concert artists, recording artists, technicians, dealers, manufacturers, and thousands of enthusiastic amateur pianist. Bach expands some of the preludes to even greater proportions and writes others in binary form. They occupied bach across most of his creative life, from his late twenties to about sixty. Prelude and fugue in f major, bwv 856 from wtc i a guide to. Prelude and fugue in eflat major, bwv 876 bach, johann sebastian. Prelude in c major from wtc book 1 by bach internet archive.
Bach s prelude in c major from wtc book i, written in sed. Don freund continues his composers approach to performing bachs well tempered clavier on the piano with this installment of the last four. From all the works written in the baroque era, no other work has been so wellcherished, frequently performed and thoroughly studied than this work of bach s. Jul 18, 2010 while some fugues c sharp minor, d sharp minor, b minor, g sharp minor book 2 are definitely much harder than others, its not really possible to say that any one fugue is the easiest.
But, you can say that the collection goes from the simple and clear in the c major prelude, to the complexity of the last fugue in b minor. Prelude in c major from wtc book 1 by bach by nick thomas. Walter gieseking plays bach wtc the well tempered clavier. Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j. Book two of the welltempered clavier dates from 173842 some 20 years after book one and was assembled from both newly composed pieces and various existing preludes and fugues going back a number of years. Bachs great inquiry into so many nuances, of touch, of interplay between hands and between contrapuntal lines. It is the first prelude and fugue in the first book of the welltempered clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer. Bach loved numbers, symbolism, and symmetry, so this is very likely his way of showing that. Johann sebastian bach 1685 1750 the well tempered clavier book 2 bwv 870 893 00. The 14 notes long subject is said to be related to bachs name. The welltempered clavier, book 2 preludes and fugues nos. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The well tempered clavier book 2 scrolling youtube bernstein, the greatest 5 min.
I first noticed e major fugue from goulds interpretation. Bach loved numbers, symbolism, and symmetry, so this is very likely his way of showing that he intended to write 24 fugues altogether. Preludes and fugues the welltempered clavier, by j. Prelude and fugue in aflat major from welltempered clavier. Bach the well tempered claiver book 2 feinberg youtube. Bach s second collection of twentyfour preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys was composed and compiled two decades after the first. Johann sebastian bach the welltempered clavier, book 2, bwv 870 893. A detailed guide that analyzes the structural, harmonic and thematic frame of the prelude and the fugue. Welltempered clavier book 2 bernard lagace on allmusic.
While for wtc 1 we have bachs definitive fair copy, there is. As with these other works, it exemplifies bachs inexhaustible musical appetite for different styles, old and new, french, german and italian. Prelude and fugue in eflat major, bwv 876 bach, johann. Bachs second collection of twentyfour preludes and fugues in all major and minor keys was composed and compiled two decades after the first. Areas of focus include contrapuntal techniques, articulation, melodic shaping, interpretation including varying interpretation on the repeats, long lines, ornamentation, and baroque stylistic elements to help you become as efficient as possible in. It is also said that the subject appears exactly 24 times in this fugue representing the 24 fugues in the first book of the welltempered clavier. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, is a collection of two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, composed for solo keyboard by johann sebastian bach. Js bach, the welltempered clavier book 1, detailed comments. A detailed guide that analyzes the structural, harmonic and thematic frame of. The final stretto, for a brief moment, creates the impression of a technique that js bach puts into play later in wtc book 2, e. Bach wtc book 2 e major fugue fingering piano world piano. Prelude d major the prelude book 1 d major is composed in the style of a velocity exercise for the right hand, with the left hand contributing simple 4th note lines to accompany the flow of the 16th notes and emphasize the modulations. An exceptionally great welltempered clavier played with deep expressiveness and intelligence, danielben pienaar blends the gentle with the strong in this recording for a brilliant interpretation of johann sebastian bachs solo piano music.
Bach wrote the second set of 24 preludes and fugues some sixteen years after the first one. While for wtc 1 we have bachs definitive fair copy, there is no comparable source for wtc 2. Continue from part 1 donald satz wrote may 31, 2000. The c major prelude from book 1 the first one is probably the easiest for a beginner its actually one of the harder ones to do really well. Some authors propose various numerological symbolism.
Prelude and fugue d major, bwv 850 well tempered clavier book i. Prelude, a song by edwin fischer on spotify we and our partners use cookies to personalize your experience, to show you ads based on your interests, and for measurement and analytics purposes. Prelude and fugue in d major, bwv 874 index of book 2. The welltempered clavier, book 2 johann sebastian bach. Bach bwv 988, with score, kimiko ishizaka piano duration. This is a sign of returning to a tonic f major key. Bach fugue in e major from the wtc book 2 bwv 878 glenn. Bachs prelude in c major from wtc book i, written in sed. In bach s time clavier was a generic name indicating a variety of keyboard instruments, most typically a harpsichord or clavichord but not excluding an organ either the modern german spelling for the collection is. But, you can say that the collection goes from the simple and clear in the c major prelude, to the complexity of the last fugue in b minor, where all of the scales 12 notes are present in the subject. Bach, andras schiff the welltempered clavier, book.
Wish i could play violin or cello so that i can play in a quartet like that. Ranking of difficulty of well tempered clavier preludes. Analysis of bachs fugue bwv 871 in c minor wtc, book ii jose rodriguez alvira j. Book 2 was written during a period of bachs life when many keyboard works appeared, the clavierubungen parts 2 and 3, the goldberg variations of 1741 and the first version of the art of fugue. The welltempered clavier wtc book i, from 1722 bwv 846869. But i feel theres much more going on in the details of the music which only gould and tureck examine. The pianists warm sonority and genuine affinity for the music are never in doubt, although a few old habits crop up, such as her tendency to let her lighter, faster, and most characterful playing become slightly heavier and slower as a piece progresses the g major and a major fuguesor.