Classical Music | Piano Music

Recorded on 12/12/2008, uploaded on 03/12/2009

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Prelude and Fugue C# sharp minor, from Book I, Well-Tempered Clavier   Johann Sebastian Bach

The forty-eight preludes and fugues that make up the two books of the Well-Tempered Clavier were compiled at two different times-the first book in 1722 while Bach was in Köthen and in 1742 in Leipzig. In each book, the first prelude and fugue set is in C major, followed by the next in C minor and so they ascend chromatically in major-minor pairs. The preludes for the most part exhibit simple binary or ternary forms;  a few (Nos. 9 and 12 in Book II) use the old Baroque sonata form well-known in the works of Scarlatti. Quite exceptionally, the Prelude in D of Book II nearly approaches the requirements of the modern sonata form. The fugues range from two to five voices, with three and four being the preferable choices, and employ a wide range of contrapuntal techniques.

The title page of Bach's autograph fair copy (in the possession of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Preußischer Kulturbesitz) states that the Well-Tempered Clavier is a set of preludes and fugues "for the Use and Profit of the Musical Youth Desirous of Learning." Although not published during his lifetime, Bach made use of the Well-Tempered Clavier with his own students, usually lending his manuscript to them and letting them make their own personal copy. These copies were slowly spread across Europe and several later influential composers, most notably Mozart and Beethoven, obtained their own manuscripts of the Well-Tempered Clavier. During the course of the nineteenth century, this remarkable set of preludes and fugue became a cornerstone in the piano literature, a position which it still holds today. As proof of its importance in the literature, the famous nineteenth century music critic, Hans von Bülow, called the the Well-Tempered Clavier the "Pianists' Old Testament."

Interesting is Bach's rather general statement on the title page: "for the Use and Profit of the Musical Youth Desirous of Learning." Bach was not specific concerning the subject of his instruction, so it can only be left to assume it is not one specific element, but music in all its aspects that he wished to teach. In the Well-Tempered Clavier, the music student has the most comprehensive and practical instructional manual to harmony and counterpoint, far surpassingly any textbook written on these subjects. From these two disciplines comes the foundation needed for a complete understanding of music of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. In assuming Bach's only intention was to teach keyboard technique, we fail to recognize the full potential of these forty-eight preludes and fugues.

Set in the mournful key of C sharp minor, the fourth Prelude of Book I begins with a woeful melodic motif that descends from dominant to tonic. A brief turn back up to the mediant before the final descent creates an emotional stab to the heart. Next follows a three-note rhythmic motif. Another important melodic idea appears later over a descending bass line that nearly mimics the opening motif. The two melodic ideas are combined together and punctuated by the deep sighs of the rhythmic motif.

Following the Prelude is a colossal five-voice Fugue. The subject, though different in key, is derived from the first notes of the choral Nun komm der Heiden Heiland (Come Savior of the Heathen). Exclusive attention is given to the subject during the first part of the fugue. However, starting in measure thirty five a new melodic idea, a running eighth-note line, is introduced. It would not be correct to call it a new subject as it is never given its own exposition. Despite this, it becomes an important accompaniment to the subject throughout the remainder of the fugue. Likewise, a third melodic idea, this time a repeated note figure ending in a stereotypical cadential turn, is introduce in measure forty-nine. The running eighth-note figure is ultimately abandoned, but the third melodic idea occurs with more frequency as the fugue progresses. In fact, by the closing portion of the fugue it this third melodic idea that is heard more often than the actual subject itself. Finally, the subject and the third melodic idea are combined one last time to bring the fugue to its final cadence.        Joseph DuBose