The welltempered clavier confirms a multitude of popular theories in an episode marked by bleak revelations and tragic results. At the moment im leaning towards richters but feinbergs is a close second. Composed about 20 years apart, the two sets of 24 preludes and fugues that constitute the two books of johann sebastian bachs welltempered clavier didnt start off as one huge collection of 48 works in fact, the set of 24 preludes and fugues composed in 1742 were not issued as a sequel to the original wtc of 1722. But, in fact, theyre not and the simple reason for it is that richters performances sound like they were taped in a drafty castle in austria using a. I was listening on headphones the first few times i listened to the set and never did i have the smarts to figure out that keeping my distance might well improve matters. Articulate playing makes for authoritative bach, writes andrew clements. The melchizedek software has identified it as sviatoslav richters performance of book i from the well tempered clavier. The welltempered clavier, book 1 bwv 846869 the welltempered clavier 1 is a collection of educational pieces with exceptionally high artistic contents. The welltempered clavier, book 1 by sviatoslav richter, j.
Which published edition of this work would you all recommend for me so that i can get the fingering right. Bach demands that you give it the best part of yourself. In july and august of 1973 sviatoslav richter played bachs welltempered clavier over the course of four concerts in innsbruck big boxes. The welltempered clavier book ii richter with richter, sviatoslav on cd. Tom service picks ten of his essential performances that introduce you to. Here you find 3 complete recordings and several single preludes and fugues of the welltempered clavier by johann sebastian bach. Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic. Bachs collection of twentyfour preludes and fugues from 1722 constitutes the first truly persuasive application of a keyboard tuning with. Richter s welltempered clavier is characterized by its intellectual rigor and spiritual austerity and one can hear the voice of infinity singing in his playing. The well tempered clavier book 1 scrolling youtube mozart violin concerto n.
Sviatoslav richters recording of the welltempered clavier is my favourite rendition i prefer it to even that of glenn gould. That rca was really horrible, not sure how they managed to kill richters piano sound on it so effectively. This is especially true for the longer pieces, only few can really understand those in detail merely based on musical instinct and talent i, for instance, cant. Well tempered clavier how to start read 14101 times fleetfingers. The episode has an 89% score on rotten tomatoes and has an average rating of 8. Such is the music in book ii of the welltempered clavier, and roger woodward reinforces all of my feelings about this as pure music, as well as making it vibrant and alive and in some intangible way bringing it right up to date as music for now, not as a beautiful but extinct fossil to be preserved under glass in a museum. 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. 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. A great book about a great man the welltempered clavier better transliterated as the well trained keyboard player in richters recording actually make all these essentially exercises sound like another goldberg variations in other words, all of a piece. The well tempered clavier, book 1 sviatoslav richter 1969.
Bach is at his best as he often is here, implying four or more parts out of two voices. Glenn gould 1932 1982 bach the welltempered clavier. I dont find this sviatoslav richter recording of js bachs welltempered clavier book i to be quite in the same class as his superb book ii, but several. Amazons choice for bach well tempered clavier book 1. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Well tempered clavier, book 1 with harmonic pedal duration.
Like all richter s other bach recordings, everything about richter s performance is unsurpassed in the repertoire. So, this is not only a fivestar performance, but amongst the very finest that exist, and the best that i know of. Music full of temperament flows through the church. With its magnificent and magisterial performances by sviatoslav richter, one would have imagined that this 1970 recording of the first book of bachs welltempered clavier would be on the shelf of everyone who reveres richter and worships bach. He also learned and memorized the second book of bachs welltempered clavier in a month, an astonishing feat. Im looking at purchasing a cd of the wtc book 1 and maybe 2. From all the works written in the baroque era, no other work has been so wellcherished, frequently performed and. The prelude is a quasiinvention, so not a bad transition for you. Bach well tempered clavier roger woodward 199225 dc. Free sheet music for the complete 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j.
The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. Bach the well tempered clavier book 1 feinberg youtube. Recently i listened to angela hewitts live performance of the work and was amazed by the supefaciality of her playing. Recently i listened to angela hewitts live performance of the work and was amazed by. Notable performances there are lots of recordings of the welltempered clavier available, and one can find them easily either through itunes and amazon, or in the more specialist eshops, such as presto one can find even rare records, such as giesekings or pollinis recordings of the welltempered clavier. I had reported that richters wtc book 1 on russian revelation was an outstanding performance in poor sound. Sviatoslav richter, enigmatic pianist, playing with. 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. In thomas manns novel lotte in weimar an old goethe muses on the achievements of his youth and of his maturity the former the work of genius, the latter the work of greatness. The well tempered clavier book 1 scrolling youtube. Johann sebastian bach the welltempered clavier, book 1. Download a free and public domain recording and musical.
Weve begun with the well tempered clavier the prelude and fugue in cminor from book 1. The balance between romantic playing, with considerable pedal use throughout, and gripping concentration yield a particularly special sound. Sviatoslav richter, enigmatic pianist, playing with contradictions. A proper analysis of js bachs welltempered clavier is therefore simply a must for anybody who takes playing the 48 seriously. Russian pianist sviatoslov richters performance of one of western civilizations greatest musical. Discover more music, concerts, videos, and pictures with the largest catalogue online at. The welltempered clavier, or preludes and fugues through all tones and semitones, relating to the major third, that is, ut re mi, as well as those related to the minor third, that is, re mi fa. In some of the areas, the fingering is driving me crazy. Richters rca recording of welltempered klavier still remains as one of the most aweinspring recording in his entire discography, and no other pianists can match the depth and the intense beauty richter captures. Even more amazing is the fact that richter learned the second book of this musical collection by heart in only one month. For most arrangements, see the separate pages for the individual preludes and fugues. 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.
His art was of an encyclopedic nature, drawing together a. It explores the intricacies of each of the 12 major and 12 minor keys and constitutes the largestscale and mostinfluential undertaking for. Plays book 1 of the welltempered clavier, and the goldberg. Right after that i was given a recording of the b minor mass by karl richter. Thank you to the reivewers on this site, and elsewhere, who pointed me in richters glowing direction. Essential richter recordings the legendary russian pianist would have been 100 this week. A year for navigating the keyboards with bach the new york times. But that doesnt make her very solid welltempered clavier the top choice for me. But so were some other previous remasterings, too, like the 20bit japanese release that was part of that now outofprint deluxe richter collection box that was put out some ten years or so ago by japan victor.
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