The Well-Tempered Clavier, composed by Johann Sebastian Bach, is a landmark collection of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys. BWV 848, in C-sharp major, showcases Bach's mastery of counterpoint. Book I (1722) was revolutionary for demonstrating equal temperament tuning, enabling modulation between distant keys and influencing Western music for centuries. The lively prelude features intricate two-part writing, while the fugue's three-voice structure exemplifies Baroque complexity.
This prelude and fugue from Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier exemplifies Baroque counterpoint, with the prelude's flowing arpeggios contrasting the fugue's rigorous thematic development.
The Well-Tempered Clavier revolutionized music by demonstrating the possibilities of equal temperament tuning, enabling composition in all 24 keys. This prelude and fugue showcases Bach's mastery of counterpoint and harmonic exploration.
This prelude and fugue from Book 1 of The Well-Tempered Clavier showcases Bach's contrapuntal genius, with the fugue being a rigorous three-voice structure demonstrating perfect balance between melodic independence and harmonic unity. The C-sharp major key was considered exotic in Bach's time, making this work particularly innovative.
A collection of 48 preludes and fugues demonstrating the possibilities of equal temperament, widely used for keyboard technique and theoretical study.
