![Le Clavecin Bien Tempéré Ou Preludes Et Fugues Dans Tous Les Tons Et Demitons(The Well-Tempered Clavier)
Johann Sebastian Bach. Vienna: Hoffmeister & Comp (And Leipzig: Bureau De Musique), [1801]
…I […Ii] Parthie, (The “48”, Books 1 & 2); Bwv 846-893), 2 volumes, 87 & 97 pages, oblong 4to, engraved throughout, plate numbers 53 and 91, contemporary green half calf, green-gilt titles to covers and spine, early ownership inscription (“Bischoff”), some foxing, [Hoboken 96 & 99; RISM B 501]
B-A Note:
Per Northern Arizona University:
The Well-Tempered Clavier, by J. S. Bach, is one of the world’s great intellectual treasures. Each of its two volumes contains a prelude and fugue in every major and minor key of the chromatic scale. Book I, which was completed in 1722, was the first cycle of compositions in this conception. Book I begins with a prelude in C Major, followed by a fugue in the same key. These are followed by a prelude and fugue in C minor, C#/Db major/minor, D major/minor, etc. Each pair moves up the chromatic scale until every key has been represented. In Book II, which was completed in 1744, Bach effects another complete transversal of the chromatic cycle. One of Bach’s primary purposes in composing these cycles was to demonstrate the feasibility of the “well tempered” tuning system that would allow for composition in every key.
NAU has a very cool interactive player, where you can hear each piece, see a visual representation of the composition, and read informative text about it. Uses Shockwave. May take a few minutes to install but worth it.](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_luig1ijAiT1qabm59o1_400.jpg)
Le Clavecin Bien Tempéré Ou Preludes Et Fugues Dans Tous Les Tons Et Demitons
(The Well-Tempered Clavier)
Johann Sebastian Bach. Vienna: Hoffmeister & Comp (And Leipzig: Bureau De Musique), [1801]
…I […Ii] Parthie, (The “48”, Books 1 & 2); Bwv 846-893), 2 volumes, 87 & 97 pages, oblong 4to, engraved throughout, plate numbers 53 and 91, contemporary green half calf, green-gilt titles to covers and spine, early ownership inscription (“Bischoff”), some foxing, [Hoboken 96 & 99; RISM B 501]
B-A Note:
Per Northern Arizona University:
The Well-Tempered Clavier, by J. S. Bach, is one of the world’s great intellectual treasures. Each of its two volumes contains a prelude and fugue in every major and minor key of the chromatic scale. Book I, which was completed in 1722, was the first cycle of compositions in this conception. Book I begins with a prelude in C Major, followed by a fugue in the same key. These are followed by a prelude and fugue in C minor, C#/Db major/minor, D major/minor, etc. Each pair moves up the chromatic scale until every key has been represented. In Book II, which was completed in 1744, Bach effects another complete transversal of the chromatic cycle. One of Bach’s primary purposes in composing these cycles was to demonstrate the feasibility of the “well tempered” tuning system that would allow for composition in every key.
NAU has a very cool interactive player, where you can hear each piece, see a visual representation of the composition, and read informative text about it. Uses Shockwave. May take a few minutes to install but worth it.
