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Love the Well-Tempered Clavier! I recommend listening to the harpsichord versions, which emphasize the individual notes and tempo, since (IMO) these were not re

Love the Well-Tempered Clavier! I recommend listening to the harpsichord versions, which emphasize the individual notes and tempo, since (IMO) these were not really meant as expressive, emotional pieces to be interpreted liberally on pianoforte. That doesn't mean they can't be played or enjoyed that way, but I think the harpsichord (which Bach would have composed and played for) is the better way to hear it first. So find a harpsichord version that works for you - there are still many styles to choose from, but the works are short so you can feel out an artist even with a 30-second preview. The very first track, BWV 846, is an excellent litmus test. I've listened to the whole thing in sequence many times and the pieces are paired (as the article notes) for actual reasons, but now I like to put it on random and see if I can remember how pieces go without being primed by their position. Wonderful collection of music.

jacquesm 4y ago
Harpsichord is not for everybody, listening to it for hours on end can be quite grating. Glenn Gould has a very nice version that seems to me to strike a nice balance between being true to the original and using an instrument that is a bit gentler on the ear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CVlBSgj0bk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CVlBSgj0bk
- olau 4y ago
  In my opinion, Gould had some things that worked for him, but also some that certainly didn't. Like the link you sent, the fact that he's staccatoing the broken chords in the first prelude... Why? It's horrible. If you want something on the rigid tempo/clear notes end, I would instead recommend this Thomas Schwan recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IImakFsEHL8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IImakFsEHL8 But actually if you don't know Bach, I would start with the gentle András Schiff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugc5FZsycAw&t=181s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugc5FZsycAw&t=181s I agree with the parent that listening to harpsichord recordings does give you something different from the piano recordings. I don't agree with the expressive pianoforte part, though. As far as I'm aware Bach never left any instructions to that end. Also as far as I'm aware, at the time musicians were expected to breath life into the pieces on their own, deciding tempo, dynamics (sound volume) etc. according to their abilities and the customs at the time. This idea of a piece being set in stone with only one correct interpretation, or at least only small variations allowed, is, I think, a much later idea. You can see it start in say a composition by Chopin that will have detailed execution instructions, and really set in with pop songs in the past 70 years. As I gather, around the time of Bach there were several different models of both harpsichords and clavichords around in addition to organs, all with relatively different tonal qualities. If you listen to harpsichord recordings, you'll note that they actually do customize the tempo locally (rubato) to infuse life into the pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNQ-sUvSiV8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNQ-sUvSiV8 You cannot vary the dynamics quickly on a harpsichord. Clavichords are much more expressive, though. You can even make a vibrato (Bebung): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCGNwDokT0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCGNwDokT0 I think Bach wrote these pieces so that people, including his own children, could play them at home, whether on a harpsichord or clavichord or something else, and I also think he intended the players to use their instrument to its fullest potential. Why wouldn't he? I have a hard time believing he wouldn't himself graduate the dynamics on a clavichord. I also think that part of what makes his music ethereal is that it actually does generalize over many instruments, even later instruments like the modern pianoforte, but also something like a guitar. You can find guitar players on Youtube delivering Bach that sounds great. He was a master of harmony.
  - jacquesm 4y ago
    There were Harpsichords with stops, much like those of an organ to try to give it more expressive character, as well as multi-clavier harpsichord models.
  - heresie-dabord 4y ago
    Bach owned two lute-harpsichords (lautenwerken) at the time of his death. It is a rare instrument but there are recordings that are worth hearing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EmXzQsiMu8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EmXzQsiMu8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lautenwerck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lautenwerck
- exceptione 4y ago
  Jacques, since you live in the Netherlands you are free to come play at my Harpsichord and change your mind. The richness of a good harpsichord is just in a class of its own. Mine has three stops. Note, in the early days of the revival (eighties) not the best kinds of instruments were made. Our understanding and artistic level has increased dramatically since then. If I listen to your link of the harpsichord, I hear a ton of problems indeed, so I can imagine that it drives you away. This music though is definitely not the most suitable for piano, the tone color of the harpsichord is so distinct, it lends itself to different types of music. To add, the interpretation of Gould is pretty outdated imho. If you want to hear the best version currently, listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AtOPiG5jyk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AtOPiG5jyk. For all of you, the Netherlands Bach Society is truly a marvel, look at their channel or at https://allofbach.com https://allofbach.com. Their quality is unmatched, they attract the best of the best of this world and put everything for free on the internet. Sometimes, I have to ask why we get the most beautiful treasures of the world for free. All of you, please, take their gift.
  - jacquesm 4y ago
    That's an offer I can't refuse :) Mail me? jacques@modularcompany.com I've never heard or played one live, only recordings and that may well make the difference.
    - exceptione 4y ago
      Sure, sent you one. :) Btw, if more people want to join, let me know. EDIT: hm google rejects the mail, will see if I can fix this.
      - jacquesm 4y ago
        That's odd... I double checked the address...
        exceptione 4y ago
        Problem is at my side. Your domain uses google and they are a bit picky about my spf-records, will fix them tomorrow :)
SAI_Peregrinus 4y ago
Unfretted clavichord also works very well for them. IMO even better than the harpsichord, the sound is less grating. There are a few bits that aren't playable on the fretted clavichords of Bach's day, but very few and it can be performed on these (and probably was given how common they were). There's also an excellent performance on the organ[1]. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQxfv7IZWA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQxfv7IZWA
- jacquesm 4y ago
  > There are a few bits that aren't playable on the fretted clavichords of Bach's day Is that because of the nature of the placement of the frets that makes certain combinations silent on one or more notes?
  - SAI_Peregrinus 4y ago
    The strings in clavichords vibrate from the bridge to the tangent (the metal hammer that strikes the string), the remaining distance to the tuning peg is covered in damping felt and so does not contribute to the sound. On a "fretted" clavichord, several notes strike the same course (of two strings) at different positions. Only one note can play at a time on each course, so some combinations of notes aren't possible. Unfretted clavichords have a course for each note, but weren't at all common in J.S. Bach's time.
    - jacquesm 4y ago
      Thank you.
- shadowofneptune 4y ago
  Clavicord was definitely the virtuoso instrument of the period. It allowed for a lot of control, more than a modern piano. Its biggest issue, lack of sound, made it great for students like the ones Bach addressed in Clavier.
  - wrycoder 4y ago
Synaesthesia 4y ago
If you like Harpsichord music, and bach, you must listen to Trevor Pinnock. He is IMO the greatest modern exponent of harpsichord for Bach and baroque, he also conducts a period orchestra which makes amazing recordings. (The English Concert)

jacquesm 4y ago

Harpsichord is not for everybody, listening to it for hours on end can be quite grating. Glenn Gould has a very nice version that seems to me to strike a nice balance between being true to the original and using an instrument that is a bit gentler on the ear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CVlBSgj0bk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CVlBSgj0bk

olau 4y ago
In my opinion, Gould had some things that worked for him, but also some that certainly didn't. Like the link you sent, the fact that he's staccatoing the broken chords in the first prelude... Why? It's horrible. If you want something on the rigid tempo/clear notes end, I would instead recommend this Thomas Schwan recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IImakFsEHL8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IImakFsEHL8 But actually if you don't know Bach, I would start with the gentle András Schiff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugc5FZsycAw&t=181s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ugc5FZsycAw&t=181s I agree with the parent that listening to harpsichord recordings does give you something different from the piano recordings. I don't agree with the expressive pianoforte part, though. As far as I'm aware Bach never left any instructions to that end. Also as far as I'm aware, at the time musicians were expected to breath life into the pieces on their own, deciding tempo, dynamics (sound volume) etc. according to their abilities and the customs at the time. This idea of a piece being set in stone with only one correct interpretation, or at least only small variations allowed, is, I think, a much later idea. You can see it start in say a composition by Chopin that will have detailed execution instructions, and really set in with pop songs in the past 70 years. As I gather, around the time of Bach there were several different models of both harpsichords and clavichords around in addition to organs, all with relatively different tonal qualities. If you listen to harpsichord recordings, you'll note that they actually do customize the tempo locally (rubato) to infuse life into the pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNQ-sUvSiV8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNQ-sUvSiV8 You cannot vary the dynamics quickly on a harpsichord. Clavichords are much more expressive, though. You can even make a vibrato (Bebung): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCGNwDokT0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oCGNwDokT0 I think Bach wrote these pieces so that people, including his own children, could play them at home, whether on a harpsichord or clavichord or something else, and I also think he intended the players to use their instrument to its fullest potential. Why wouldn't he? I have a hard time believing he wouldn't himself graduate the dynamics on a clavichord. I also think that part of what makes his music ethereal is that it actually does generalize over many instruments, even later instruments like the modern pianoforte, but also something like a guitar. You can find guitar players on Youtube delivering Bach that sounds great. He was a master of harmony.
- jacquesm 4y ago
  There were Harpsichords with stops, much like those of an organ to try to give it more expressive character, as well as multi-clavier harpsichord models.
- heresie-dabord 4y ago
  Bach owned two lute-harpsichords (lautenwerken) at the time of his death. It is a rare instrument but there are recordings that are worth hearing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EmXzQsiMu8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EmXzQsiMu8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lautenwerck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lautenwerck
exceptione 4y ago
Jacques, since you live in the Netherlands you are free to come play at my Harpsichord and change your mind. The richness of a good harpsichord is just in a class of its own. Mine has three stops. Note, in the early days of the revival (eighties) not the best kinds of instruments were made. Our understanding and artistic level has increased dramatically since then. If I listen to your link of the harpsichord, I hear a ton of problems indeed, so I can imagine that it drives you away. This music though is definitely not the most suitable for piano, the tone color of the harpsichord is so distinct, it lends itself to different types of music. To add, the interpretation of Gould is pretty outdated imho. If you want to hear the best version currently, listen to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AtOPiG5jyk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AtOPiG5jyk. For all of you, the Netherlands Bach Society is truly a marvel, look at their channel or at https://allofbach.com https://allofbach.com. Their quality is unmatched, they attract the best of the best of this world and put everything for free on the internet. Sometimes, I have to ask why we get the most beautiful treasures of the world for free. All of you, please, take their gift.
- jacquesm 4y ago
  That's an offer I can't refuse :) Mail me? jacques@modularcompany.com I've never heard or played one live, only recordings and that may well make the difference.
  - exceptione 4y ago
    Sure, sent you one. :) Btw, if more people want to join, let me know. EDIT: hm google rejects the mail, will see if I can fix this.
    - jacquesm 4y ago
      That's odd... I double checked the address...
      - exceptione 4y ago
        Problem is at my side. Your domain uses google and they are a bit picky about my spf-records, will fix them tomorrow :)

SAI_Peregrinus 4y ago

Unfretted clavichord also works very well for them. IMO even better than the harpsichord, the sound is less grating. There are a few bits that aren't playable on the fretted clavichords of Bach's day, but very few and it can be performed on these (and probably was given how common they were). There's also an excellent performance on the organ[1]. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQxfv7IZWA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBQxfv7IZWA

jacquesm 4y ago
> There are a few bits that aren't playable on the fretted clavichords of Bach's day Is that because of the nature of the placement of the frets that makes certain combinations silent on one or more notes?
- SAI_Peregrinus 4y ago
  The strings in clavichords vibrate from the bridge to the tangent (the metal hammer that strikes the string), the remaining distance to the tuning peg is covered in damping felt and so does not contribute to the sound. On a "fretted" clavichord, several notes strike the same course (of two strings) at different positions. Only one note can play at a time on each course, so some combinations of notes aren't possible. Unfretted clavichords have a course for each note, but weren't at all common in J.S. Bach's time.
  - jacquesm 4y ago
    Thank you.
shadowofneptune 4y ago
Clavicord was definitely the virtuoso instrument of the period. It allowed for a lot of control, more than a modern piano. Its biggest issue, lack of sound, made it great for students like the ones Bach addressed in Clavier.
- wrycoder 4y ago

Synaesthesia 4y ago

If you like Harpsichord music, and bach, you must listen to Trevor Pinnock. He is IMO the greatest modern exponent of harpsichord for Bach and baroque, he also conducts a period orchestra which makes amazing recordings. (The English Concert)