A Year through the Well-Tempered Clavier

[BWV 1080]

The C# Major is the only figuration prelude in Book 2 (where a figuration or pattern moves through a series of chords, like the C major in Book 1)

The prelude begins with a quiescenza  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en8mUwXlKqc&t=987s), which is a galant pattern you hear everywhere in classical period music (it is the B - A# - B# - C over the C# pedal)

[BWV 1080]

The C# fugue subject is a mere 4 notes, one of the shortest in either book, but nevertheless appears in stretto throughout the piece.  Siglund Bruhn calls the other two figures Motive 1 and Motive 2 rather than countersubjects likely as they appear with the subject in stretto

[prémont]

The C# Major is the only figuration prelude in Book 2 (where a figuration or pattern moves through a series of chords, like the C major in Book 1)

Yes, these two pieces are obviously related, confirmed by the fact that the C sharp major piece exists in an earlier version in C major.

[BWV 1080]

Yes, these two pieces are obviously related, confirmed by the fact that the C sharp major piece exists in an earlier version in C major.

The issue is more that while there are many figuration preludes in Book I (C,Cm,D,Dm,Em etc) there is only one in Book 2, which came out 20 years later and features more galant style pieces in binary form.  It reflects the general change in musical styles between the 1710s, when most of Book I was written, and the 1730s

[prémont]

By writing that the two pieces are related I also think of the fact that the C major version of the Cis major preludium just like the following fugue which was also originally in C major was written many years before the other parts of WTC II - maybe they are contemporary with WTC I, so they reflect an earlier time and fashion than WTC II.

[BWV 1080]

The C minor prelude is another 2-part invention in binary form, albeit with the harmony filled out at the cadences of each section.  The subject is a prinner (transposed to Am below)

[BWV 1080]

The C minor Book II Fugue has a relatively simple subject that Bach provides one countersubject that only appears in the exposition. 

[BWV 1080]

The 4-voice C major prelude begins with another Quiescenza

[BWV 1080]

So the first fugue of Book 2 has less voices (3) than its prelude.

The fugue is fairly straight forward with one countersubject and no stretto

 

[BWV 1080]

So moving on to Book I (in reverse order) the Bm Prelude strikes me as an odd duck, the scalar bass line supports a 3-part counterpoint but the bass never inverts and initially has a Dorian-type sound, with the ascending minor scale employing a raised sixth but natural, flat seventh.  The piece was unusual enough that Bach added a tempo indication - the reason he generally does not is that he expected the performer to understand genre and suitable tempo.

[atardecer]

My first post to say - very nice thread idea! The amount of theory discussed in this thread is impressive and interesting but also kind of intimidating. It almost feels like one would need a doctorate in music to add anything to the discussion. I don't discourage the theoretical discussion. But I wouldn't mind hearing some personal impressions and thoughts on the individual pieces as well. I also don't think one has to be a pianist (or any kind of specific instrumentalist) to discuss different recordings on piano/harpsichord etc. that they happen to like. Just my 2 cents, but again, thanks for the informative posts and this thread.   

[BWV 1080]

My first post to say - very nice thread idea! The amount of theory discussed in this thread is impressive and interesting but also kind of intimidating. It almost feels like one would need a doctorate in music to add anything to the discussion. I don't discourage the theoretical discussion. But I wouldn't mind hearing some personal impressions and thoughts on the individual pieces as well. I also don't think one has to be a pianist (or any kind of specific instrumentalist) to discuss different recordings on piano/harpsichord etc. that they happen to like. Just my 2 cents, but again, thanks for the informative posts and this thread.   

Thanks - as I said in the OP:

Hopefully can get some good input from others here. I plan on primarily focusing on form and style w/ a little bit of theory rather than comparing performances. Im not a piano player, so cant really discuss that aspect. it would be great if anyone wants to chime in on those topics or anything else pertinent to the topic

[BWV 1080]

On the recording above Asperen tasteful use notes inegales (slightly swung or unequal 8th notes) on the bass line.  Compare that to this Gould's mechanistic bass line here

[atardecer]

For me the B minor prelude and fugue from Book I, are among the best works in the WTC. One of the interpretations I like is this by Joanna McGregor. I have heard the criticism she does not bring the melody out enough, which to me is not really a valid criticism in the music of Bach. All of the parts are interesting and it is not really about a specific melody. Further, there are not a lot of dynamic instructions in Bach's music. Performers in my view should have the freedom to use dynamics in the ways they want.

[BWV 1080]

h. All of the parts are interesting and it is not really about a specific melody. Further, there are not a lot of dynamic instructions in Bach's music. Performers in my view should have the freedom to use dynamics in the ways they want.

Agreed, piano players in particular are too restrictive in their playing - period playing gave great freedom to the performer to not only ornament, but embellish the music.

[BWV 1080]

This is one of the more complex fugue subjects, in four voices, it includes all 12 notes and modulates in the middle of the three bar phrase.




Bach introduces a countersubject which then makes partial accompaniments on subsequent entries

[atardecer]

One thing I like about the final prelude and fugues in B minor from both books I and II, is they are very different in character, yet both manage to be very satisfying final pieces in the books in my view.

[BWV 1080]

One thing I like about the final prelude and fugues in B minor from both books I and II, is they are very different in character, yet both manage to be very satisfying final pieces in the books in my view.

Yes, and so different- 893 is one of the more galant pieces in the set with one of the lighter fugues

[BWV 1080]

Here is the B major prelude from Book 1, which is written in a 3-part contrapuntal texture

The piece opens with a pedal then moves to a sequence (transposed to C major, from this great book )




The fugue is in 4 voices



The subject is accompanied by a countersubject in the entries

[BWV 1080]

Here is Richter playing the Bb Minor Prelude & Fugue

After and opening pedal in the prelude, it moves to a 3-part imitative texture