Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1

Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Robert Levin (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Robert Levin
• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
• Audio CD (July 25, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Hanssler Classics
• ASIN: B00004WJNI
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #188,889 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST for any student of Bach, April 7, 2007

By 

N. Andrew Walsh - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Audio CD)

I just received this in the mail, and I have to say that this recording is a fantastic feat of historical scholarship (not to mention that the performances are top-notch, and the pieces themselves are beautiful). For anybody who thinks that Bach's WTC wouldn't sound any different in the historical tunings, this will open your eyes. For example, the Prelude to No. 22, right near the end, lands on a diminished chord, and what you hear is WAH-WAH-WAH-WAH-WAH. It's like nothing you've heard on a modern piano.
The expressive variety that this affords far surpasses the bland, monochromatic quality that anachronistic equal-temperament recordings provide. I agree with the previous poster, that this should be required listening for every music history professor and student.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Historically COOL, January 25, 2005

By 

C. RUSSO "Music Mama" (Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Audio CD)

The music is set in the actual tuning for the instruments that J.S. Bach played - you really can hear subtle differences in this performance. I would requre this for all music history professors!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Top Tier, March 28, 2006

By 

Mike Simonsen (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (Audio CD)

This is about the best way to get into Bach's Well Tempered Clavier. The performances are top-notch, and the variety of different instruments are insurance against aural monotony. And as for the other reviewer's problem with occasional mechanical noise from the organ, it didn't bother me at all - that's what organs sound like.