THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER

The Well Tempered Clavier ^ | 07/19/2015 | Zeugma

[zeugma]

A non-political thread just for the heck and beauty of it.

I offer for your consideration Johann Sebastian Bach's Well Tempered Clavier.

From the Wikipedia Entry: The Well Tempered Clavier is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. He gave the title to a book of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, dated 1722, composed "for the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the pastime of those already skilled in this study". Bach later compiled a second book of the same kind, dated 1742, with the title Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues. The two works are now considered to make up a single work, The Well-Tempered Clavier, or "the 48", and are referred to as The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I and The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II, respectively.[2] This collection is generally regarded as being among the most influential works in the history of Western classical music.[2]
 

Kimiko Ishizaka ran a Kickstarter campaign to fund a professional recording of this work, which was released as a public domain recording, so you can download the entire thing for free on the internet (and purchase a CD of it as well if you'd like).

For those freepers out there who are musically inclined, it's worth the 1 hour 46 minutes it takes to listen to. It's beautiful stuff, written by a master. I'm jamming on the Bach now, which is what prompted me to post. :-)

 

[zeugma]

It's got to be weird for the pianist to play though all the different keys in one sitting.

[aposiopetic]

Thanks for the post.

Bump.

[ProudFossil]

It is my understanding that Bach said if someone could play all the pieces correctly then that person was an accomplished musician. I have been able to play only about six of them and so I can agree with him.

[beaversmom]

Thanks for the post. We just learned about this in Music Appreciation class. I’ll find my notes later and post the name of a lady that my teacher saw play both books during two, two hour shows. :)

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I love WTC

[Terry L Smith]

I have heard “The Well-Tempered Clavier” on harpsichord, piano, and the Carlos Moog synthesizer recordings, when they first came out on ‘LP’.

I feel that the pieces sound a little ‘stronger’ on the harpsichord, followed by the Carlos recordings.

When I write, I find there is an underlying connection of my fingers on the keyboard, (used to be typewriter), and the virtuoso recorded playing on the harpsichord.

[cornelis]

I can play the first two measures of all of them. :()

[oblomov]

This is supposedly what Glenn Gould did when he recorded his version of WTC I & II, and also his early and later versions of Goldberg Variations:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYN4SKdYIQ0&list=PLUSRfoOcUe4aD6ToW281QxhxUWUf5su1U

I really enjoy Gould’s interpretations, but they are controversial.

[aposiopetic]

The later Goldberg Variations is certainly a departure from the earlier one, which I had grown accustomed to and still hear in my mind’s ear.

[PubliusMM]

Ping.

[oblomov]

I like the 1955 version better, too. It has an astounding liveliness and briskness. I’ve turned several people on to classical music with that recording.

Live GV #3, 9, 15, 27:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ctyS6idwn8

[aposiopetic]

Thanks for the link. I will be listening to it some more as the evening continues.

[oblomov]

BTW, were you on Usenet newsgroups in the early 90s?

Your screenname, “aposiopetic”, makes me recall a fellow conservative who was a debating ally back then.

[Ray76]

Thanks

[aposiopetic]

No, but I am honored, and grateful, to have been considered amidst recollections of your debating ally. My use of networks was strictly limited to what I did as part of work from the second Reagan administration until well into the (regrettable) Clinton years. Regardless, I applaud your efforts over the course of the past quarter-century.

[oblomov]

Possibly of interest: a reflection on Bach by the late columnist, concert pianist, and music professor Balint Vazsonyi.

http://www.balintvazsonyi.org/washtimes/wt082200.html

I was fortunate to have crossed paths with Dr. Vazsonyi in my younger days. He was one of the most broadly educated and humane persons I have ever known. I worked on his campaign during his foray into politics.

[SunkenCiv]

Bach: The Well Tempered Clavier - Book 1 (Scrolling)

[SunkenCiv]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Well-Tempered_Clavier

The Well-Tempered Clavier (German: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier),[1] BWV 846–893, is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. He gave the title to a book of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, dated 1722, composed “for the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the pastime of those already skilled in this study”. Bach later compiled a second book of the same kind, dated 1742, with the title Twenty-four Preludes and Fugues. The two works are now considered to make up a single work, The Well-Tempered Clavier, or “the 48”, and are referred to as The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I and The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II, respectively.,This collection is generally regarded as being among the most influential works in the history of Western classical music.

[aposiopetic]

Music in Bloomington has typically been better than its politics, I suppose. It sounds as if he was an extraordinary person worthy of holding public office.

[wittyone]

I cut my eye teeth on Wanda Landowska... all others are but imitations.

Wanda Landowska plays WTC Bach The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Harpsichord)

Wanda Landowska plays WTC Bach The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 2 (Harpsichord)