Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Books 1 & 2, BWV 846-893

Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Books 1 & 2, BWV 846-893

2007

Bach’s two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 keys, The Well-Tempered Clavier—are a rite of passage for pianists. Angela Hewitt makes them sound like a pleasure. While there’s not a whiff of educational or technical process here, Hewitt does use every expressive device available to clarify and explain Bach’s tireless imagination in the fugues. Her mission in the preludes is one of contrast, celebrating their vividly differing personalities. There’s no empty, self-conscious striving for profundity or spurious spirituality here; overall, it is the unmannered elegance of Hewitt’s playing which draws us in. Without ever overstating her case, she reveals more of the music’s many layers than many other interpreters, who often superimpose their own personalities. Hewitt is a natural performer, and this impressive studio recording exudes the atmosphere of her captivating live concerts.

Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846/1

2:08

Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846/2

1:56

Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 847/1

1:31

Fugue No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 847/2

1:45

Prelude No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 848/1

1:24

Fugue No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 848/2

2:14

Prelude No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849/1

2:31

Fugue No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 849/2

5:27

Prelude No. 5 in D Major, BWV 850/1

1:21

Fugue No. 5 in D Major, BWV 850/2

2:09

Prelude No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 851/1

1:42

Fugue No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 851/2

2:34

Prelude No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 852/1

3:34

Fugue No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 852/2

1:42

Prelude No. 8 in E-Flat Minor, BWV 853/1

3:40

Fugue No. 8 in E-Flat Minor, BWV 853/2

5:36

Prelude No. 9 in E Major, BWV 854/1

1:27

Fugue No. 9 in E Major, BWV 854/2

1:07

Prelude No. 10 in E Minor, BWV 855/1

2:19

Fugue No. 10 in E Minor, BWV 855/2

1:10

Prelude No. 11 in F Major, BWV 856/1

1:02

Fugue No. 11 in F Major, BWV 856/2

1:35

Prelude No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 857/1

1:52

Fugue No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 857/2

4:38

Prelude No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 858/1

1:31

Fugue No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 858/2

2:19

Prelude No. 14 in F-Sharp Minor, BWV 859/1

1:01

Fugue No. 14 in F-Sharp Minor, BWV 859/2

3:16

Prelude No. 15 in G Major, BWV 860/1

0:55

Fugue No. 15 in G Major, BWV 860/2

3:00

Prelude No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 861/1

2:01

Fugue No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 861/2

1:45

Prelude No. 17 in A-Flat Major, BWV 862/1

1:26

Fugue No. 17 in A-Flat Major, BWV 862/2

3:06

Prelude No. 18 in G-Sharp Minor, BWV 863/1

1:29

Fugue No. 18 in G-Sharp Minor, BWV 863/2

2:22

Prelude No. 19 in A Major, BWV 864/1

1:27

Fugue No. 19 in A Major, BWV 864/2

2:00

Prelude No. 20 in A Minor, BWV 865/1

1:03

Fugue No. 20 in A Minor, BWV 865/2

5:38

Prelude No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 866/1

1:20

Fugue No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 866/2

1:51

Prelude No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 867/1

4:01

Fugue No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 867/2

3:10

Prelude No. 23 in B Major, BWV 868/1

1:03

Fugue No. 23 in B Major, BWV 868/2

2:24

Prelude No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 869/1

4:47

Fugue No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 869/2

6:48

Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 870/1

2:34

Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 870/2

1:36

Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 871/1

2:29

Fugue No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 871/2

2:48

Prelude No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872/1

1:56

Fugue No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872/2

1:52

Prelude No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 873/1

4:48

Fugue No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 873/2

2:14

Prelude No. 5 in D Major, BWV 874/1

5:34

Fugue No. 5 in D Major, BWV 874/2

2:57

Prelude No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 875/1

1:30

Fugue No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 875/2

2:10

Prelude No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 876/1

2:30

Fugue No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 876/2

1:48

Prelude No. 8 in D-Sharp Minor, BWV 877/1

4:03

Fugue No. 8 in D-Sharp Minor, BWV 877/2

4:32

Prelude No. 9 in E Major, BWV 878/1

4:53

Fugue No. 9 in E Major, BWV 878/2

3:28

Prelude No. 10 in E Minor, BWV 879/1

4:13

Fugue No. 10 in E Minor, BWV 879/2

2:47

Prelude No. 11 in F Major, BWV 880/1

3:22

Fugue No. 11 in F Major, BWV 880/2

1:39

Prelude No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 881/1

4:44

Fugue No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 881/2

1:52

Prelude No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 882/1

3:28

Fugue No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 882/2

2:32

Prelude No. 14 in F-Sharp Minor, BWV 883/1

3:06

Fugue No. 14 in F-Sharp Minor, BWV 883/2

3:42

Prelude No. 15 in G Major, BWV 884/1

2:40

Fugue No. 15 in G Major, BWV 884/2

1:13

Prelude No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 885/1

3:39

Fugue No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 885/2

2:37

Prelude No. 17 in A-Flat Major, BWV 886/1

4:08

Fugue No. 17 in A-Flat Major, BWV 886/2

3:39

Prelude No. 18 in G-Sharp Minor, BWV 887/1

4:11

Fugue No. 18 in G-Sharp Minor, BWV 887/2

3:20

Prelude No. 19 in A Major, BWV 888/1

2:10

Fugue No. 19 in A Major, BWV 888/2

1:13

Prelude No. 20 in A Minor, BWV 889/1

4:27

Fugue No. 20 in A Minor, BWV 889/2

1:29

Prelude No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890/1

7:22

Fugue No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890/2

2:36

Prelude No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 891/1

3:09

Fugue No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 891/2

4:36

Prelude No. 23 in B Major, BWV 892/1

2:05

Fugue No. 23 in B Major, BWV 892/2

3:27

Prelude No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 893/1

2:13

Fugue No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 893/2

1:44

Johann Sebastian Bach

Composer
Béla Fleck

Composer
Franz Liszt

Composer
Angela Hewitt

Piano

Simon Perry

Executive Producer
Ludger Bockenhoff

Producer
Edward Perry

Executive Producer
Ludger Bockenhoff

Engineer
Angela Hewitt

Liner Notes
Nick Flower

Booklet Editor
Terry Shannon

Graphic Design
Eleanor Wilson

Booklet Editor