Extensive and informative booklet notes with this recording of the welltempered clavier reveal something of the history and content of the work, as well as a substantial section on approach to performance. Which book of bachs well tempered clavier is easier overall. Sir andras schiff plays the welltempered clavier, book ii prelude. Bachs welltempered clavier for london in the mid1980s, but the passage of time, personal reflection, and improvements in digital recording have contributed to making his second recording of the 48 a necessity, this time on ecm new series. Eminent bachspecialist sir andras schiff here performs book i. Is book 2 any easier, or should i just keep working on what i have. Piano solo sheet music book by johann sebastian bach 16851750.
Andras schiff on the recording of bachs the welltempered. Jun 19, 2014 bwv890 bwv893 andras schiff, piano oct 1985 prelude and fugue no. Bach carefully laid out the preludes and fugues in both books of his welltempered clavier. At the start of the cycle, however, bach bluffs us with simplicity. Book two of the well tempered clavier dates from 173842 some 20 years after book one and was assembled from both newly composed pieces and various existing preludes and fugues going back a number of years. His execution was masterly and this master pianists reputation as a standard bearer of this music was upheld beyond doubt. As a young pianist, andras schiff earned wide esteem for his 1980s. Chromatic fantasy and fugue in d minor, bwv 903 duration. Bach well temp butt linn records ckd463 dc classical. I own book 1, and was considering buying book 2 because some of the pieces were too dificult.
Schiff threw away his dreary workbooks and began playing bachs preludes and fugues from the well tempered clavier instead. Johann sebastian bachs the welltempered clavier, book 1. Initially it seemed extraordinary that schiff was playing all of book i from memory, but this is music he has lived with most of his life, and his ease of engagement with each prelude and each fugue, with endless. At times, this recital felt just plain wrong, almost voyeuristic. Wigmore hall diary january 2017 by wigmore hall issuu. Dec 24, 2012 going back to schiff s well tempered clavier. For example, the piece that ends the cycle of book 1, the great bminor fugue, is so chromatic and convoluted that it shocks the modern ear with its complexity. The welltempered clavier, book i andras schiff on allmusic 1986. Collectors seeking an attractive supplement to our reference harpsichord well tempered clavier cycles will find much to admire here.
Deceptive cadence the pianist has such an intimate relationship with the well tempered clavier, hearing him play its kaleidoscopic preludes and. Notable performances there are lots of recordings of the well tempered 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 well tempered clavier. Nov 27, 2012 twentyfive years ago, pianist andras schiff recorded the complete preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier by j. Schiff threw away his dreary workbooks and began playing bachs preludes and fugues from the welltempered clavier instead. Bach, andras schiff the welltempered clavier, book. It explores the intricacies of each of the 12 major and 12 minor keys and constitutes the largestscale and mostinfluential undertaking for.
All these years later i have finally purchased book two, featuring mr. Bach the welltempered clavier book 1 111 sir andras schiff piano. Andras schiff recorded most of bachs keyboard works in the 1980s, and has recently made a number of new recordings for ecm. 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. Never before has even half of the sublime and seminal 48 taken the royal albert hall stage in unmutilated form. In its whole, the welltempered clavier delves into some of the most complicated and compelling counterpoint ever written. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. In august 2011, schiff turned his focus to the 48 preludes and fugues of the well tempered clavier, making studio recording of both books in the auditorium radiosvizzera italiana, lugano. That schiff decca set remains a model of sovereign intelligence, limpid playfulness and pianism, but in revisiting the welltempered clavier he has said that he wants to eliminate touches of sentimentality.
The welltempered clavier, book i andras schiff songs. Andras schiffs parents were amateur musicians, although his father died when schiff was only five years old. Shop and buy the welltempered clavier book i, bwv 846869 sheet music. Sep 19, 2012 andras schiff has recorded the 48 preludes and fugues that make up the welltempered clavier before, in the mid80s as part of his complete survey of bachs keyboard music for decca. In a programme note, interviews, and successfully in performance, schiff has urged a rethinking of the well tempered clavier in terms of colours. Andras schiff teil i nr 1 bwv 846 cdur arpeggiertes kl. At the moment im leaning towards richters but feinbergs is a close second.
Particularly in the second half schiff s playing was more overtly emotional, slightly more idiosyncratic, and, remarkably given the. That schiff decca set remains a model of sovereign intelligence, limpid playfulness and pianism, but in revisiting the well tempered clavier he has said that he wants to eliminate touches of sentimentality. One such is hungaryborn british pianist andras schiff, whose previous recording of the welltempered clavier for decca in the 1980s won many admirers, but who now turns to them again with the. 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. The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. Voce pode causar terrivel dano a musica usando o pedal, destruindo o timbre. Peter hill is the latest to join the parade of pianists edwin fischer, glenn gould, angela hewitt, tatiana nikolayeva, sviatoslav richter, andras schiff and rosalyn tureck, to name just a few who have recorded js bachs the welltempered clavier. Over time, schiff says that this music that his relationship with this music that he performs every morning has changed slightly. Jan 16, 20 bach gives me that and much more, schiff told me while seated at a piano at the 92nd street y in new york.
The welltempered clavier book i, bwv 846869 by johann. The well tempered clavier, book ii to enjoy in your home or car, or gift it to another music lover. Is it permitted to play bach on an instrument that he couldnt have known. The one exception is the aminor fugue in book 1 of the wtc. In august 2011, schiff turned his focus to the 48 preludes and fugues of the welltempered clavier, making studio recording of both books in the auditorium radiosvizzera italiana, lugano. They also said that the problem was not with amazon only, and that most likely the same poor quality files were provided by the label to itunes. Andras schiffs welltempered guide to bach classical mpr.
He hears different nuances and colors than he did as a young man. It had a purgative, deeply personal flavour to it that had been absent from andras schiffs performance of the first book of the well tempered clavier, five days and hurricane sandy prior. How to book wigmore hall box office 36 wigmore street, london. Collectors seeking an attractive supplement to our reference harpsichord welltempered clavier cycles will find much to admire here. Bach gives me that and much more, schiff told me while seated at a piano at the 92nd street y in new york. Bach welltempered clavier complete andras schiff pn ecm 001733702 4 cds. Only a few pedestrian selectionsthe book 1 b minor, book 1 a minor, and book 2 bflat minor fuguesfall below schornsheims generally high standard of inspiration. 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. Book two of the welltempered clavier dates from 173842 some 20 years after book one and was assembled from both newly composed pieces and various existing preludes and fugues going back a number of years.
Comparisons and contrasts occupy sir andras schiff in his series of concerts. Andras schiff plays welltempered clavier, at 92nd street y. Bachs welltempered clavier which collection to buy. Deceptive cadence the pianist has such an intimate relationship with the welltempered clavier, hearing him play its kaleidoscopic preludes and. Andras schiff surmounts beethovens sonatas the thoughtful pianist describes the joys and pitfalls of spending the past few years playing all 32 of.
Bwv890 bwv893 andras schiff, piano oct 1985 prelude and fugue no. Andras schiff returned to the proms for a late night recital of js bachs well tempered clavier, book i. 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 solo keyboard of the baroque era. Bachs welltempered clavier thursday, september 07, 2017 royal albert hall. Andras schiff bio, albums, pictures naxos classical music.
The result feels more like an evolution than a rejection of his youthful preoccupations. Sep 07, 2017 the two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a wealth of musical invention, ingenuity and delight. Bachs welltempered clavier thursday, september 07, 2017 royal albert hall, london written by peter reed. The 48 bachs welltempered clavier the idea of two books of preludes. As a child, he studied piano with elizabeth vadasz, making his public debut at the age of nine. Shop and buy the well tempered clavier book i, bwv 846869 sheet music. The clavichord, the harpsichord, the organ, the pedalharpsichord. Introduction to music the 48 bachs welltempered clavier the idea of two books of preludes and. Which book of bachs well tempered clavier is easier. Im looking at purchasing a cd of the wtc book 1 and maybe 2. Johann sebastian bach js bachs welltempered clavier consists of two collections book i ii of preludes and fugues pf, each book going through all tones and semitones, thus climbing the 12 semitones from c to b, and presenting a pf for each tone in both major and minor key, making it 24 pf per book, and in total 48 pf the 48. Bach, andras schiff the welltempered clavier, book 2 music. It gives me emotional, intellectual and physical pleasure and satisfaction. Bach, andras schiff the welltempered clavier, book 2.
Distinguished bach specialist sir andras schiff returned to the bbc proms in 2018 to present book ii of the welltempered clavier. Angela hewitt or andras schiff 2011 recording are my favourites to recommend. Spring 2017 wigmore series brochure by wigmore hall issuu. Jan 16, 20 andras schiffs welltempered guide to bach. Schiff s progression from the white innocence of c major to the black chromaticism and schoenbergian labyrinth of b minor makes good sense particularly in drawing the comparison between the final. As eloquent as ever, and always meticulous in execution, schiff plays the two books of preludes and fugues. This boxed set of the two books of the welltempered clavier is his latest such release, and shows schiff as a much more mature pianist. The well tempered clavier, bwv 846893, collection of 48 preludes and fugues by johann sebastian bach, published in two books 1722 and 1742. 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.
The well tempered clavier, book ii by andras schiff. Oct 29, 2012 when the pianist andras schiff took a break halfway through his magnificent performance of bachs welltempered clavier, book i, on saturday night at the 92nd street y, the intermission. As a young pianist, andras schiff earned wide esteem for his 1980s recordings of the major keyboard works of j. Amazingly, last night sir andras schiff scored a proms first with his performance of book one of bachs the welltempered clavier. Ferenc rados piano sir andras schiff piano denes varjon piano. Sep 07, 2017 eminent bach specialist sir andras schiff, whose discography includes bachs complete keyboard repertoire, here performs book i embarking upon a cycle that he will conclude next year with book 2. Andras schiffs immaculatelytempered clavier at 92y by. Twentyfive years ago, pianist andras schiff recorded the complete preludes and fugues of the welltempered clavier by j. The two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a wealth of musical invention, ingenuity and delight. Only a few pedestrian selections the book 1 b minor, book 1 a minor, and book 2 bflat minor fuguesfall below schornsheims generally high standard of inspiration. Sir andras schiff plays the welltempered clavier, book i youtube.
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