jan 1, 1722 - The Well-Tempered Clavier

Description:

D. The “Well-Tempered Keyboard”
1. Bach wrote two series of preludes and fugues in every key (major and minor) for
keyboard known as the Well Tempered Keyboard, Das wohltemperirte Clavier.
2. The C-major prelude from Book One is famous for a number of reasons.
a. As an example of a teaching piece, it follows in the prelude tradition.
b. The repetitive arpeggiation is representative of French “broken” technique, borrowed from the lute.
3. The B-minor fugue differs in almost every way from the Prelude in C.
a. The chromatic subject grows in intensity as the work progresses, heightened by
the disjunct theme’s inherent properties.
b. The polyphonic intensity is severe.