Greatest of Bach's '48 Preludes & Fugues". or Well-Tempered Clavier.

[theodopolis]

... or Das Wohltemperierte Klavier.


What is the single highest point of the two books, for you?
Mine would be the E-Flat/D-Sharp Minor BWV 853 of Book 1.

The melancholy chords of the Prelude remind me of a rocking chair, steadily rocking back and forth. Then the Fugal subject is calm, with the same air of melancholy from the preceding movement.
Pure Genius.

[aquariuswb]

My favorite is the prelude No. 21 from book 1 (I think Bflat major), as played by Glenn Gould (I love how he takes the liberty of slowly rolling the chords instead of just playing them as written -- not that it sounds bad as written, obviously... Keith Jarrett plays the chords as written, and it's still wonderful, but I personally find Gould's way more exciting and organic).

Prelude No. 15 in Book 2 is another favorite of mine. Actually, Prelude No. 15 in Book 1 is also fabulous.

My favorite fugues... No. 10 from Book 1, No. 2, from Book 1, No. 7 from Book 1.

But they're all so good anyway!

[dmk]

This is hard, there are so many excellent ones....

For favourite preludes i love #20 bk2 in a minor (this is beautiful ), #21 bk 1 in Bb major and #17 bk 1 in Eb major (just because this was the first P & F i learnt!)

For favourite fugues #24 bk 2 in B minor, #20 bk 2 in aminor and #24 bk1 in B minor.


I guess my favourite has to be the A minor one by default!!....Its not that its particular hard.  I jlove the strident subject in the fugue....short and sweet!

[Anton]

I agree the aminor P&F of book is very beautyfull I`m currently working on that one but no 1 in c maj and no 6 in dmin are also very nice to play although the fuge of the cmaj P can be a pregnant dog

[zemos]

This is hard, there are so many excellent ones....

For favourite preludes i love #20 bk2 in a minor (this is beautiful :)), #21 bk 1 in Bb major and #17 bk 1 in Eb major (just because this was the first P & F i learnt!)

For favourite fugues #24 bk 2 in B minor, #20 bk 2 in aminor and #24 bk1 in B minor.


I guess my favourite has to be the A minor one by default!!....Its not that its particular hard.  I jlove the strident subject in the fugue....short and sweet!

I loves the Am prelude&fugue from the 2nd book!! amazing... (:

[johnnypiano]

This is an almost impossible task but, in order of liking (though I have probably overlooked some) are:

Book2  E major Fugue.  This is a hymn tune.  Very clever imitations.  It is like a 16th century motet and full of suspensions (50 in all).   Very moving.

Book2  D minor Prelude & Fugue.  The Prelude is unstoppably quick.
The Fugue’s subject and counter-subject are extremely expressive and so contrasted.  This is what really good counterpoint is all about.

Book2  E flat Fugue.  The prelude is a seriously massive three-section piece with lots of combining of themes.  The Fugue is light hearted but has lovely episodes and interesting modulations, and one very extended phrase half-way through.  I often wish I had composed this piece myself.

Book 1 Prelude & Fugue in B flat minor  Very expressive throughout.

Book 2 Prelude in G sharp minor  Perky rhythm, interesting harmonies.  Compare the harmonies of the ending with those at the end of Chopin’s C sharp minor Study Op.25!

.Book1 C sharp minor Fugue  A very grim triple fugue.  Menacing, discordant.

[quasimodo]

Book2  E major Fugue.  This is a hymn tune.  Very clever imitations.  It is like a 16th century motet and full of suspensions (50 in all).   Very moving.

It's probably my favorite as well, though I can't decide there are so many masterworks in the WTC...

Fugues in D major, C" major and Eb Major from book II are quite great. Same for the Fugue in C from book I (and its prelude is nice also, although it's "overplayed" but I don't care about that kind of consideration).

By the way, I strongly recommend Dutch pianist Ivo Janssen's recording of the WTC. He's more or less unknown and I think it's a big shame.

[nivyehuda]

At first, I belive the preludes and fugues should be considered solely as pairs, unparted, for regarding a specific prelude means regarding its companioning fugue, and vice-versa.
The h moll (or b minor) of book I is, in my opinion, unequally complex in content and scale, showing full development of a chromatic subject (of the fugue) and of many sequences appearing in both the prlude and the fugue.
The prelude, written in trio sonata form, contains a "walking bass" and a two-part invention in the upper voices. The fugue, quite revolutionary for his time, with its subject containing all 12 tones of the chromatic scale , and contrasubject which develops throughout the different expositions just like a schoenberg theme.
studying the piece enables us to look deeper into ot and enjoy the masterpiece even more!

[awesom_o]

In my opinion, each and every work from the WTC is equally wondrous. There are no duds. All of them are the greatest!

We must not single out any in particular! The truly responsible keyboard player must familiarize herself with all 48!

[coda_colossale]

Prelude: G# minor Book II
Fugue: C# minor Book I

[nivyehuda]

In my opinion, each and every work from the WTC is equally wondrous. There are no duds. All of them are the greatest!

We must not single out any in particular! The truly responsible keyboard player must familiarize herself with all 48!

That's true! Each Prelude and Fugue has its own unique taste, being perfect in its own way!

[ahinton]

I'm with awesom_o here; the best of them - and my favourites among them - are the first 48...

Best,

Alistair

[schumaniac]

Book 1:
1, 3, 4, 7, 10

Book 2:
f-sharp minor

But yeah, a good pianist should know all of them

[kevonthegreatpianist]

I like his c# minor Fugue and the c minor Prelude. It's hard to believe Bach even composed these pieces.