Prelude and fugue in csharp minor, bwv 849 wikipedia. Strictly speaking it is a composition technique as well as a compositon or section of a compostion that uses such a. Compare the harmonies of the ending with those at the end of chopins c sharp minor study op. I purchased the welltempered clavier book one about 15 years ago, while taking piano lessons. The welltempered clavier is a great keyboard collection of preludes and fugues, which bach paired together. The wtc was written for the harpsichord, but is now mostly performed on its successor, the piano. Fugue in c minor from the welltempered clavier book one recording in the online reserves score a fugue is a strict form of counterpoint. While i couldnt play this music with any decency i was captivated by it in a way i hadnt been with other solo piano pieces. The well tempered clavier, book one, prelude and fugue no. Book 2 prelude in g sharp minor perky rhythm, interesting harmonies.
The prelude is steadily and earnestly flowing, producing a polyphonic aria of rare beauty, similar to what js bach has achieved in book 1 prelude f. Theres a prelude and fugue pair for each of the 24 keys on the piano major and minor. Perhaps it was because bach composed this music as instructional pieces for his son wilhelm friedemann. Second, the theme features a dramatic and expressive leap of a minor 9th the big jump upwards between the 2nd and 3rd notes. Fischer s ariadne musica neoorganoedum published in 1702 and reissued 1715 is a set of 20 preludefugue pairs in ten major and nine minor keys and the phrygian mode, plus five chorale based ricercars. The well tempered clavier is two books of music for solo keyboard by js bach, the first written in 1722, and the second twenty years later in 1742. It doesnt refer to any particular instrumental combination, length or style.
First, it is one of the rare fugues with five voices there are two in book 1 of the welltempered clavier, and none in book 2. In 1969, two years after he recorded the first eight preludes and fugues from book ii of bachs welltempered clavier, canadian pianist glenn gould recorded the next eight preludes and fugues. The cminor fugue, in three voices, is textbook material for learning what a fugue really is. The haunting fivevoice fugue in bflat minor has several characteristics which are notable.
The alteration in the answer, for the sake of tonality, is made from the first note to the second. Bach knew the collection and borrowed some of the themes from fischer for the welltempered clavier. It is interesting to hear how kimikos interpretation of the piece evolved from 20. The device of augmentation of the subject is used on two occasions, while that of inversion of the subject and answer is used four times. Bach composed a paired prelude and fugue in each of the 24 keys to demonstrate the viability of the new equal. Fugue c minor fugue book 1 c minor is an elegant and well balanced piece, which draws its fascination of its pure structure and the beauty of the interaction between the subject and the countersubjects. Prelude and fugue in c minor and well tempered clavier. Welltempered clavier book ii bwv 870893 discography. He turns now to book ii of the preludes and fugues in all twentyfour keys, assembled for publication in 1742. Bach well tempered clavier roger woodward 199225 dc. You can hear the later, studio recording of the same piece in this video. This fugue has a tonal answer, and would be called a tonal fugue.
Daveconservatoire uses a live performance by kimiko ishizaka from 20 to exemplify various fugal constructions in this video. Albert wong the welltempered clavier, book 2 preludes and fugues nos. Bach fugue in c major from the welltempered clavier, book 2. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. Fugue no 2 in cminor, bwv 847 the welltempered clavier. The welltempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the welltempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. The prelude and fugue in csharp minor, bwv 849, is a pair of keyboard compositions by johann sebastian bach. The well tempered clavier consists in its entirety of two books, each of 24 preludes and fugues, in which there is one for each major and minor key. From all the works written in the baroque era, no other work has been so wellcherished, frequently performed and. Fugue in c minor a threevoice fugue with invertible counterpoint. Bach set off on an unprecedented passage through all the tonalities available to him on the.
Bach fugue in c major from well tempered clavier book 2. Date of composition book one and two book 11722, book 21724. Fugue i in c major, bwv 846 well tempered clavier first. Reaching this point is a pinnacle in piano playing, and many famous composers enjoyed this collection including chopin, who loved to travel. The welltempered clavier, book i, bwv 846869 cd 1 bwv 846857 59. Well tempered clavier flashcards and study sets quizlet. S welltempered clavier the, book 1 landowska 19491951 wanda landowska, who continued to perform and record up to her death in 1959, was renowned as the greatest harpsichordist of the first half of the twentieth century, resurrecting the instrument and taking a scholarly approach to the performance of music from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Books i and ii pieterjan belder hpd period instruments brilliant 93892 4 cds. Woodward is more pianistic in this regard, but in his way just as involving and. Prelude and fugue in c minor from the welltempered clavier.
Shop and buy the welltempered clavier book ii, bwv 870893 sheet music. The solemn and expressive, recitative character of the melody is reminiscent of bachs passion music. Theres even one by yours truly of a 36cd brilliant classics collection containing the complete scarlatti keyboard sonatas. Blessedly, goulds producer andrew kazdin found a way to reduce the recorded impact of goulds unstoppable vocal obbligato, and the listener is. In bachs 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. Every version is rewarding including tilney and gulda who clock in at over 2 minutes. Welltempered clavier, book 1, bwv846869 various arrangements play streams in full or download mp3 from classical archives, the largest and best organized classical music site on the web. 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. It is the fourth prelude and fugue in the first book of the welltempered clavier, a series of 48 preludes and fugues by the composer. Hewitt, tureck, and richter are my preferred readings.
Preludes and fugues the welltempered clavier, by j. Such thoughts perhaps passed through bachs mind too when surveying his own keyboard output, and the profound differences in sensibility that distinguish the second volume of the. It explores the intricacies of each of the 12 major and 12 minor keys and constitutes the largestscale and mostinfluential undertaking for. Like thinkgreenlovepiano already said, i think all of them are very enjoyable to listen to, but some suggestions for the first book. Bach gave the present title to the work, which was composed for the use and practice of musical youth eager to learn and for the amusement of those already skilled in this study. Bach fugue in c major from the welltempered clavier, book 2 this fugue is fun to play.
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