Performer

Charlene Farrugia

Programme

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)          

The Well-Tempered Clavier – Book I

BWV 846-869 (1722)

No. 1: Prelude and Fugue in C major, BWV 846

No. 2: Prelude and Fugue in C minor, BWV 847

No. 3: Prelude and Fugue in C sharp major, BWV 848

No. 4: Prelude and Fugue in C sharp minor, BWV 849

No. 5: Prelude and Fugue in D major, BWV 850

No. 6: Prelude and Fugue in D minor, BWV 851

No. 7: Prelude and Fugue in E flat major, BWV 852

No. 8: Prelude and Fugue in E flat minor, BWV 853

No. 9: Prelude and Fugue in E major, BWV 854

No. 10: Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV 855

No. 11: Prelude and Fugue in F major, BWV 856

No. 12: Prelude and Fugue in F minor, BWV 857

INTERVAL

No. 13: Prelude and Fugue in F sharp major, BWV 858

No. 14: Prelude and Fugue in F sharp minor, BWV 859

No. 15: Prelude and Fugue in G major, BWV 860

No. 16: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, BWV 861

No. 17: Prelude and Fugue in A flat major, BWV 862

No. 18: Prelude and Fugue in G sharp minor, BWV 863

No. 19: Prelude and Fugue in A major, BWV 864

No. 20: Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 865

No. 21: Prelude and Fugue in B flat major, BWV 866

No. 22: Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor, BWV 867

No. 23: Prelude and Fugue in B major, BWV 868

No. 24: Prelude and Fugue in B minor, BWV 869

Programme Notes

Bach's Well-tempered Clavier (the WTC) has come to be regarded as the "Old Testament" of the pianist's repertoire (Hans von Bülow) and the "daily bread" (Robert Schumann).  

The two books of preludes and fugues, each with twenty-four pieces, were not composed sequentially or as the result of a single coordinated effort. They occupied Bach for the majority of his life and by 1722 Book I was finalised. The title's significance comes from Bach's desire to demonstrate the viability of a new method of tuning the clavier. He did this by artificially dividing the scale into twelve equal semitones, which replaced the scale's natural acoustic divisions which had led to serious intonation issues.

The term "clavier" did not specifically refer to any keyboard instrument during Bach's time; rather, it could refer to a harpsichord, clavichord, spinet, virginal, or even an organ. He owned a wide variety of instruments, according to an inventory made at the time of his death. Despite its extreme delicacy, the clavichord is said to have been Bach's favoured instrument. Gottfried Silbermann, the renowned organ and harpsichord builder began developing a fortepiano which Bach tried prior to his passing. He reportedly thought it was intriguing but weak in the high register and difficult to play. His compositions in this Book call for a great deal of vivacity, clarity, velocity, warmth, and strength, all of which must be represented by the instrument and the performer.