Das wohltemperierte Klavier I, BWV 846-869

Historical context

Part I of ‘The Well-tempered Clavier’ was finished in 1722, containing twenty-four Preludes and twenty-four Fugues in every key. As ‘the book’ states, the work was composed ‘for the profit and use of young musicians desirous of knowledge, as also for those who are skilled already in this studio.’ Its fundamental pedagogical status is underscored by the fact that Heinrich Nikolaus Gerber, a pupil of Bach, was required to ‘study thoroughly’ the ‘Wohltemperirte Clavier’. While some pieces in the first part are somewhat inferior to the rest, and several preludes were not coupled to their fugues with the expected homogeneity, Bach generally adhered to a limited compass of c to c’‘’ in these works.

Forkel notes that certain Preludes and Fugues in Part I bear marks of immaturity and were probably included only to complete the series. However, Bach eventually corrected whatever seemed lacking in finish, altering or rewriting entire passages so that in later texts, few movements are not perfect. Forkel recounts that Bach revised the C major and C sharp minor Preludes so drastically as to cut them down by one-half, sacrificing passages he thought redundant. He also regrets having foolishly preferred an older, harsher reading of the E major Fugue, which had an unorthodox but more pleasing harmony in Bach’s amended version. The preludes of the ‘Wohltemperirte Clavier’, such as the C major from Part I, find their only worthy precursor in the beginning and end of Georg Bohm’s prelude and fugue in G minor.

Drawn from Forkel, Johann Nikolaus, 1749-1818; Terry, Charles Sanford, 1864-1936, Johann Sebastian Bach; his life, art, and work, tr. from the German of Johann Nikolaus Forkel, with notes and appendices (1920); Spitta, Philipp, 1841-1894, Johann Sebastian Bach : his work and influence on the music of Germany, 1685-1750 (1899); Spitta, Philipp, 1841-1894, Johann Sebastian Bach : his work and influence on the music of Germany, 1685-1750 (1899) — public domain, archive.org.