Bach - WTC I Prelude and fugue no. 1 in C major BWV 846 - Henstra | Netherlands Bach Society

The Prelude and fugue in C major, performed by Siebe Henstra for All of Bach. Composing 48 keyboard pieces in all 24 keys was the sort of challenge Bach enjoyed. In each of the two parts of the Wohltemperirte Clavier, he brought together the musical couple prelude and fugue 24 times; twelve in minor keys and twelve in major.

Siebe Henstra, harpsichordist
Harpsichord: Titus Crijnen after Henri Hemsch, 1736

0:00 Prelude
2:14 Fugue

[clairewonderfullife]

I especially love the prelude, its simplicity and elegance astounds me. Bach's work don't have to sound hard and complicated to be beautiful.

[purpurina]

What can one say… this is the height of beauty, the most excellent version of human existence. That prelude is so deceptively simple it almost betrays itself. And I have always loved that fugue, full of sweetness. I believe it was Casals who said Bach experienced, and was able to write, every noble emotion known to man.

[bigl]

That is a magnificant harpsichord. The clarity produced by harpsichords is unparalleled by any other keyboard instrument.

[TurbojugendJoe]

Superb gespielt. Leider hört man dieses Meisterwerk nur selten mit dem Cembalo gespielt, Danke!

[wolkowy]

Bravo! People tend to underestimate well-known pieces, or think (wrongly) that there is no another new performance which can renew them. Here I heard well-balanced performance which didn't harm the natural flow of the music, and managed to transfer the ideas of the prelude and the fugue, without falling to the trap of frame-stiffness, and without loosing pure musicality. Thanks for this beautiful upload.

[Blancherive]

Ce morceau de musique est absolument divin. Je ne me lasse pas de l'entendre et particulièrement au clavecin. Absolument magnifique. Personnellement j'ai toujours tenu en haute estime Jean Sébastien Bach et ceux plus que Mozart ou Beethoven. Merci beaucoup pour cette magnifique interprétation

[ridvanergun]

Bach’s music is both technically brilliant and marked by a simplicity that speaks to the soul.
It’s like a leaf in nature: seemingly simple at first glance, but within it lies mathematics, aesthetics, and the essence of life

[marcussfebruary]

Beautiful tonal quality from your harpsichord sir.

[JuergenMotog]

The eyes are listening with the ears. The cameraman or camerawoman understands a lot of making pictures and light of this music ...
And the playing by Siebe Henstra sounds like that he is at home in this music since many, many years.

[emilalbazi]

We owe Mr Bach forever...
He definitely is the Lord of the Chords 😍😍😍

[violjohn]

Oh the prelude just sings. Wonderful performance

[GrotrianSeiler]

What a rich-sounding harpsichord, and a lovely performance or a lovely piece. Thank you.

[stephenfurches]

Utterly perfect. The great man as he should be: Himself.

[benedictamadeusscrivener]

Utterly sublime and like visiting heaven on earth

[olgakviatkovskaia]

💖💖 Bravo! So beautiful ! Thank You Master Siebe Henstra!

[ruperttmls]

That harpsichord sounds great!!
Que sonido tan hermoso tiene ese clavecin.

[macanudo]

grandioso no te cansas de escucharlo. hypnotic, majestic, mystical, magna. great, you don´t get tired of listening

[HDougMatsuoka]

Wonderful! Beautiful piece played with serene clarity.

[roberkonstig]

Siebe Henstra is my favourite harpsichordist. I wish he would record the whole WTC.

[mariacelinachavarriagonzal]

you transported me to a dimension of sacredness... Merci