Andras schiff plays bach for about an hour every morning. He continues to support new talent, primarily through his building bridges series which gives performance opportu. Sir andras schiff plays the welltempered clavier, book i youtube. Things in the welltempered clavier always come in pairs, but pairs that, unlike butterfly wings, display an essential asymmetry, if an asymmetry that will sound inevitable, even natural. A performance by american composer wendy formerly walter carlos of two of the prelude and fugue numbers from book i is noteworthy for having been played on a moog synthesizer switchedon bach, 1968. Pianist andras schiff has released a new recording of bachs complete welltempered clavier. Eminent bachspecialist sir andras schiff here performs book i concluding the.
The welltempered clavier, bwv 846893, is a collection of two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, composed for solo keyboard by johann sebastian bach. Of course this is a very personal interpretation and each of you may have a different opinion. All these years later i have finally purchased book two, featuring mr. As a young pianist, andras schiff earned wide esteem for his 1980s recordings of the major keyboard works of j.
Andras schiff teaches jeanselim abdelmoula duration. Book two of the welltempered clavier dates from 173842 some 20 years after book one and was assembled from both newly composed pieces and various existing. He played bachs complete welltempered clavier, all 48 preludes and fugues, at the 92nd street y book 1 on the first night, book 2 five days later. Schiff threw away his dreary workbooks and began playing bachs preludes and fugues from the well tempered clavier instead. The well tempered clavier book 1 2020 bluray 1080i avc dtshd. Schiffs bach sings and dances, and has a clarity derived from a mesmerising touch and an aversion to the sustain pedal. Bach carefully laid out the preludes and fugues in both books of his welltempered clavier. Andras schiff and the bach project the washington post. In february 2014, i saw a performance by schiff and the cappella andrea barca in cologne the second concert in schiffs mozart 1784 series. The final two programs of the bach project will be the partitas and the. The two books of preludes and fugues in alternately major and minor keys. Bachs welltempered clavier for london in the mid1980s, but the passage of time, personal reflection, and improvements in digital recording have contributed to making his second recording of the 48 a necessity, this time on ecm new series. I have just gotten my hands on andras schiffs 2012 rerecording of the entire welltempered clavier. To date, both volumes of the welltempered clavier have been edited in the henle original text with fingerings by schiff.
The welltempered clavier book i, bwv 846869 by johann. In addition to being outstanding pianists, each has recorded bachs well tempered clavier and received great praise. Sir andras schiff plays the welltempered clavier book 2. Sir andras schiff plays the welltempered clavier, book ii. Schiff imbued the welltempered claviers 24 preludes and fugues with a formidable sense of direction, writes martin kettle. Johann sebastian bach the welltempered clavier, bwv 846893.
His recording of the welltempered clavier for ecm released on september 25, 2012. Johann sebastian bach prelude and fugue in b minor, from the welltempered clavier, book i, bwv 869. Each of these 24 preludes and fugues encapsulates its own mood, and bach s delight in mixing technical strictness with freedom of expression has made. Bachs partitas, goldberg variations and welltempered clavier. Sir andras schiff plays the welltempered clavier book 2 bbc. The two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a wealth of musical invention, ingenuity and delight. Andras schiffs immaculatelytempered clavier at 92y by bachtrack. In bachs time clavier was a generic name indicating a variety of keyboard instruments, most typically a harpsichord or clavichord but not excluding an organ either the modern german spelling for the collection is. The crucial organic relationship he establishes between prelude and fugue, meanwhile, remains unimpeachable even when contrasting the french delicacy of book 2s c sharp minor prelude with the irresistible. Andras schiff prom 2018 well tempered clavier book ii c. Why i didnt buy book two i dont know, although i remember considering the account by andras schiff. Sir andras schiff plays the welltempered clavier, book i. Bachs the welltempered clavier represents one of western musics greatest achievements.
David greilsammer, andras schiff and other highlights. In a programme note, interviews, and successfully in performance. He discusses aspects of performance practice in a detailed preface. Highlights have included the complete beethoven piano sonatas recorded live in zurich, solo recitals of schubert, schumann and janacek, as well as j. Bachs sequences of preludes and fugues in every key a wealth of musical ingenuity. Andras schiff plays book two of the welltempered clavier at the music center at strathmore on oct. Chromatic fantasy and fugue in d minor, bwv 903 duration. The two concerts repertoire includes beethovens piano concerto nos. Schiff affectionately thinks of each piece as having not just a key but a particular character that he sees as color. Distinguished bach specialist sir andras schiff returned to the bbc proms in 2018 to present book ii of the well tempered clavier. Andras schiff performs the composers major works in the bach project.
Schiff is also an artist to make us recognize how so much of bachs music is song or dance. She made other recordings of baroque music on synthesizer. This prelude is an intentionally simple series of chord arpeggios, walking through some modulations in the vicinity of and returning back to c maj. If one likes andras schiff, and some of the other current bach practitioners, you will like kj. His most recent two disc set of schubert sonatas and impromptus were released in spring of 2019. Even though hard to believe, his interpretation has improved. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The well tempered clavier, bwv 846893 book i, bwv 846869 1722 sir andras schiff, piano helen scott, video director. As eloquent as ever, and always meticulous in execution, schiff plays the two books of preludes and. The two volumes of bachs the welltempered clavier together represent a.
It is stricter than the old decca recording, and even more transparent. Hear pianist andras schiff in concert on mondays performance today. Bach, andras schiff the welltempered clavier, book. Till fellner records bachs well tempered clavier book i. Pt host fred child sat down with andras schiff recently at the 92nd street y in new york to take a long look at the the subtleties, nuances and challenges of this music. Andras schiffs welltempered guide to bach classical mpr. The welltempered clavier book 1, schiff glorious solo voyage across bachs universe drama without fuss in a masterful journey through the keys. The welltempered clavier, book 2 johann sebastian bach. Andras schiff playing bachs welltempered clavier, book 1, at 92y. The worldfamous pianist andras schiff, a most familiar name to bach fans on account of his complete recordings of bachs piano works, has provided fingerings for both parts of the welltempered clavier. As a child, he studied piano with elizabeth vadasz, making his public debut at the age of nine. Order from your preferred classical music cd store arkivmusic.