J.S. Bach - The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Preludes and Fugues (performed by Sviatoslav Richter)

The Well-Tempered Clavier, BWV 846–893, is two sets of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys for keyboard by Johann Sebastian Bach. In the composer's time clavier, meaning keyboard, referred to a variety of instruments, most typically the harpsichord or clavichord but not excluding the organ.

The modern German spelling for the collection is Das wohltemperierte Klavier (WTK; German pronunciation: [das ˌvoːlˌtɛmpəˈʁiːɐ̯tə klaˈviːɐ̯]). Bach gave the title Das Wohltemperirte Clavier to a book of preludes and fugues in all 24 keys, major and minor, dated 1722, composed "for the profit and use of musical youth desirous of learning, and especially for the pastime of those already skilled in this study". Some 20 years later Bach compiled a second book of the same kind, which became known as The Well-Tempered Clavier, Part Two (in German: Zweyter Theil, modern spelling: Zweiter Teil).

Modern editions usually refer to both parts as The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I (WTC I) and The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II (WTC II), respectively. The collection is generally regarded as one of the most important works in the history of classical music.

J.S. Bach - The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: Preludes and Fugues (performed by Sviatoslav Richter):
0:00 – Prelude No. 1 in C major
1:56 – Fugue No. 1 in C major
4:29 – Prelude No. 2 in C minor
5:47 – Fugue No. 2 in C minor
7:28 – Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp major
8:43 – Fugue No. 3 in C-sharp major
10:50 – Prelude No. 4 in C-sharp minor
14:03 – Fugue No. 4 in C-sharp minor
20:26 – Prelude No. 5 in D major
21:35 – Fugue No. 5 in D major
23:30 – Prelude No. 6 in D minor
24:56 – Fugue No. 6 in D minor
27:32 – Prelude No. 7 in E-flat major
31:13 – Fugue No. 7 in E-flat major
32:43 – Prelude No. 8 in E-flat minor
37:08 – Fugue No. 8 in E-flat minor
43:35 – Prelude No. 9 in E major
44:40 – Fugue No. 9 in E major
45:48 – Prelude No. 10 in E minor
47:41 – Fugue No. 10 in E minor
48:50 – Prelude No. 11 in F major
49:45 – Fugue No. 11 in F major
51:04 – Prelude No. 12 in F minor
53:14 – Fugue No. 12 in F minor
58:39 – Prelude No. 13 in F-sharp major
1:00:03 – Fugue No. 13 in F-sharp major
1:02:21 – Prelude No. 14 in F-sharp minor
1:03:11 – Fugue No. 14 in F-sharp minor
1:07:30 – Prelude No. 15 in G major
1:08:18 – Fugue No. 15 in G major
1:10:44 – Prelude No. 16 in G minor
1:12:42 – Fugue No. 16 in G minor
1:15:35 – Prelude No. 17 in A-flat major
1:16:46 – Fugue No. 17 in A-flat major
1:19:43 – Prelude No. 18 in G-sharp minor
1:21:07 – Fugue No. 18 in G-sharp minor
1:24:35 – Prelude No. 19 in A major
1:25:46 – Fugue No. 19 in A major
1:28:25 – Prelude No. 20 in A minor
1:29:20 – Fugue No. 20 in A minor
1:33:30 – Prelude No. 21 in B-flat major
1:34:36 – Fugue No. 21 in B-flat major
1:36:08 – Prelude No. 22 in B-flat minor
1:38:34 – Fugue No. 22 in B-flat minor
1:42:56 – Prelude No. 23 in B major
1:43:48 – Fugue No. 23 in B major
1:46:23 – Prelude No. 24 in B minor
1:54:14 – Fugue No. 24 in B minor

[jannasaslaw]

Thanks to those who started this - I got obsessed. Richter is wonderful. Bach is amazing.
0:00 – Prelude No. 1 in C major
1:56 – Fugue No. 1 in C major
4:29 – Prelude No. 2 in C minor
5:47 – Fugue No. 2 in C minor
7:28 – Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp major
8:43 – Fugue No. 3 in C-sharp major
10:50 – Prelude No. 4 in C-sharp minor
14:03 – Fugue No. 4 in C-sharp minor
20:26 – Prelude No. 5 in D major
21:35 – Fugue No. 5 in D major
23:30 – Prelude No. 6 in D minor
24:56 – Fugue No. 6 in D minor
27:32 – Prelude No. 7 in E-flat major
31:13 – Fugue No. 7 in E-flat major
32:43 – Prelude No. 8 in E-flat minor
37:08 – Fugue No. 8 in E-flat minor
43:35 – Prelude No. 9 in E major
44:40 – Fugue No. 9 in E major
45:48 – Prelude No. 10 in E minor
47:41 – Fugue No. 10 in E minor
48:50 – Prelude No. 11 in F major
49:45 – Fugue No. 11 in F major
51:04 – Prelude No. 12 in F minor
53:14 – Fugue No. 12 in F minor
58:39 – Prelude No. 13 in F-sharp major
1:00:03 – Fugue No. 13 in F-sharp major
1:02:21 – Prelude No. 14 in F-sharp minor
1:03:11 – Fugue No. 14 in F-sharp minor
1:07:30 – Prelude No. 15 in G major
1:08:18 – Fugue No. 15 in G major
1:10:44 – Prelude No. 16 in G minor
1:12:42 – Fugue No. 16 in G minor
1:15:35 – Prelude No. 17 in A-flat major
1:16:46 – Fugue No. 17 in A-flat major
1:19:43 – Prelude No. 18 in G-sharp minor
1:21:07 – Fugue No. 18 in G-sharp minor
1:24:35 – Prelude No. 19 in A major
1:25:46 – Fugue No. 19 in A major
1:28:25 – Prelude No. 20 in A minor
1:29:20 – Fugue No. 20 in A minor
1:33:30 – Prelude No. 21 in B-flat major
1:34:36 – Fugue No. 21 in B-flat major
1:36:08 – Prelude No. 22 in B-flat minor
1:38:34 – Fugue No. 22 in B-flat minor
1:42:56 – Prelude No. 23 in B major
1:43:48 – Fugue No. 23 in B major
1:46:23 – Prelude No. 24 in B minor
1:54:14 – Fugue No. 24 in B minor

[CMario]

Bach + Richter = Beyond space and time

[andreaposellaa]

Bach played by Richter is absolutely gorgeous! He's one of the best pianists this world has ever had!

[Schubertd]

The C#m fugue was heartstoppingly beautiful. Richter's tone and patience are out of this world.

[dgollaher]

B minor was a signature key for Bach. Having struggled with them for decades, I find Richter's approach to the prelude and fugue -- straightforward, modest, unassuming and translucent -- the most persuasive reading of what the master had in mind.

[kasperkat]

There are many great pianists and I think Richter is one of the finest.

[benjamMin]

It's the extravagant interpretation, so masterful and tasteful. Only Trifinov and Kissin have ever come so close to the true rendering herein. And even Evgeny Kissin is more of a fine Chopin/Rachmaninov interpreter. To my ear, this is the best of the best in JS Bach.

[bachouvenn]

10:48 my god that prelude, the immense nostalgic feeling and just pure sadness made me cry

[Murphy]

'"The interpreter is really an executant, carrying out the composer's intentions to the letter. He doesn't add anything that isn't already in the work. If he is talented, he allows us to glimpse the truth of the work that is in itself a thing of genius and that is reflected in him. He shouldn't dominate the music, but should dissolve into it." Just heavenly. Thank you for posting

[paulkatz]

Beautiful and so dfifferent from Gould.

[Shoshanna]

0:00 - Prelude No.1 in C major
1:56 - Fugue
4:29 - Prelude No.2 in C minor
5:47 - Fugue
7:28 - Prelude No.3 in C-sharp major
8:43 - Fugue
10:50 - Prelude No.4 in C-sharp minor
14:03 - Fugue
20:26 - Prelude No.5 in D major
21:35 - Fugue
23:30 - Prelude No.6 in D minor
24:56 - Fugue
27:32 - Prelude No.7 in E-flat major
31:13 - Fugue
32:43 - Prelude No.8 in E-flat minor
37:08 - Fugue
43:35 - Prelude No.9 in E major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.10 in E minor
- Fugue
- Prelude No.11 in F major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.12 in F minor
- Fugue
- Prelude No.13 in F-sharp major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.14 in F-sharp minor
- Fugue
- Prelude No.15 in G major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.16 in G minor
- Fugue
- Prelude No.17 in A-flat major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.18 in G-sharp minor
- Fugue
- Prelude No.19 in A major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.20 in A minor
- Fugue
- Prelude No.21 in B-flat major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.22 in B-flat minor
- Fugue
- Prelude No.23 in B major
- Fugue
- Prelude No.24 in B minor
- Fugue

[theoe]

0:00 - Prelude No.1 in C Major
1:56 - Fugue No.1 in C Major
4:29 - Prelude No.2 in C minor
5:47 - Fugue No.2 in C minor
7:28 - Prelude No.3 in C-sharp Major
8:43 - Fugue No.3 in C-sharp Major
...

[carloshumbertocacaofiguero]

Highest achivements of music. Thanks Dear Herr Bach, I owe you much. I could get over sadness, loneliness, and low-selfsteem thnaks to yous music.

[mjcoronel]

The sweetness in all of Bach is felt throughout all his pieces. He's an absolute genius!!!

[Emday_Mario]

Richters Bach is absolutely amazing. This lightness, these colours, feels like dreaming❣

[Argentarius]

Glenn Gould heaped the highest praise on this guy. Rightly so, he is awesome.

[c.nelson]

I really appreciate you for posting this, whoever you are. Listened to almost the entire thing while grinding out schoolwork this afternoon, Richter's playing is very soulful in these recordings. I'm only starting to appreciate Bach now after years of avoiding him, his reputation was too daunting and his music too complex for me to easily latch onto in the past. The other day I really listened to both his Prelude and Fugue No 1 in C Major and had my mind blown, and now I don't think I can ever go back.

[scmassa]

I have asked that Prelude 1 in C Major BWV 846 be played at my funeral. It's music that covers life's journey. Up and down, recovery and living again.

[arvopart]

That Fuga, BWV 849, played by Sviatoslav, is something incredibly, unbeliaveble. I always hear how slowly male chorus rises, draws an sculpture statue through a whole sky, that eyes aren't able to see her all, and statue rise and grow and grow, and slowly in a beginning gently through fuga when it grows he joins female chorus, that is proliferating still more... and grows grows rises in an enormous statue and a statue is live for herself, itself and create Something … here are frontiers of our language, where we don't know how to simply describe, how to tell with words. Thanks to creation, we have Johann... And Johann was something over genius...

[sanojh]

this just got recommended and it is the best interpretation ive heard so far. how was bach able to create one of the most beautiful things that were ever created by human it cant fit in my brain.