Bach - WTC I Prelude and fugue no. 24 in B minor BWV 869 - Van Asperen | Netherlands Bach Society

Arriving at the Prelude and fugue in B minor, performed by Bob van Asperen for All of Bach, Bach had already put his students to the test 23 times. Just one more key to go and the circle of unprecedented contrapuntal inventions would be complete. What would Bach do, now he had arrived at the last couple of pieces? Would he surpass himself by combining yet more techniques or finish off in simplicity and thus conquer the heart of the listener? Bach succeeded in doing both, of course, even though the technical ingenuity in this piece is a little less obvious.

Bob van Asperen, harpsichordist
Harpsichord: Michael Johnson, Fontmell Magna, Engeland 1979, after Pascal Taskin/Johannes Goermans

0:00 Prelude
5:30 Fuga

[gertmuller]

You can truely sense, how calm and peaceful his mind is during the performance. So inspiring!

[ttwiligh]

I usually don't like lots of ornaments and rubato, but this is so uniquely beautiful, especially fugue. It sounds sad, delicate, and transparent. So sensitive and incredibly beautiful. I felt like I heard this piece for the first time.

[thomasm]

There are many excellent performances of this Prelude and Fugue on piano, but this rendition on the harpsichord is truly sublime. Thank you for uploading.

[pagorami]

out of all the recordings there are of the fugue, this is the one i keep coming back to the most. so wonderful!!

[wietseouwejan]

I Rembember this being posted on AoB: In heaven for 12.40 minutes! My mother asked me if I was still alive since I was not moving of whatsoever. It just grabbed my heart and made me feel like going into eternity! Thanks to Mr. Van Asperen and the NBS for this most touching performance!

[ulmestrat]

For me the best Bach interpreter on harpsichord ! I think Bach himself would agree.

[Iliyasseitpenbetov]

Big love for your organization! Video and musicians, so amazing. Love from Kazakhstan 🇰🇿 🤝

[HerrMichaelKohlhaas]

One of the most sublime, inspiring performances from the WTC I have ever heard.

[athos]

What an intimate and delicate interpretation! Thank you very much!

[Racosz]

Excellent rendition and performance here and in the whole series.

I've just realized that there's no interpretations of BWV 850, BWV 864 and BWV 868 in these outstanding series. It would be such a gift having them in order to complete the first WTC book with these magnificiebt versions by Netherlands Bach Society.

Greetings from Bogotá, Colombia.

[Chrismacleod]

A magnificent performance! I really like the slower tempo in the fugue. Bach is wonderful - thank you Mr Van Asperen! 😀👍

[biberfan]

Great performance, love ornamentation. So cool to see inside this master’s workshop

[MyGustavo]

INDESCRIBABLE...! Ideas and emotion sprouting out of one single flame...! One of the major mysteries in that unfathonable mystery called J. S. Bach...Thanks a lot to you, Master, for your unparallel rendition of this gorgeous music... (bs. as.)

[lewisschultz]

Enjoyable to see artist . His recordings of the Well Tempered Clavier on Harpsichord and clavichord are great.

[notaire]

Wunderschöne und detaillierte Aufführung dieses logisch konstruierten und perfekt komponierten Meisterwerks im relativ langsamen Tempo mit schimmerndem Klang des Cembalos und mit angenehmer Dynamik. Echt gelehrter Cembalist!

[joshuafruend]

Beyond words. Thank God for J. S. Bach

[mbogletcheke]

Can someone tell me how this piece of music can speak to people of different cultures, young and old, male or female, learned and unlearned, modern and outdated? I was attracted by the sound of harpsichord the very first time I came accross it. Thank you for sharing.

[gloriasmith]

Absolutely beautiful and so calming! We surely need music like this during these days! Thank you so much.

[jamallabarge]

Very mature and sincere interpretation! He starts with the piece and goes beyond it.

[hallerj]

Hauntungly unique recording, it has so much heart to it