# How best to listen to Bach’s WTC?



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Although I often play them right through in the usual order of key signature, I suspect Bach never intended this. And such an approach may be off-putting to a lot of people. Even Count Keyserling, eyes wide because he couldn’t sleep, would call out, “Goldberg, please come and play me one of my variations!”

I’ve read that Shostakovich’s Op. 87 Preludes and Fugues were often programmed in a group of several during his lifetime as interior parts of a concert or a recital. So maybe 20- to 30-minutes worth, arranged in an order to give the best effect.

So how do you listen to the WTC? What would you recommend for others?


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

I listen straight-through. My recommendation for others would be that they do what they want - individualized plans for each individual.


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## Jacck (Dec 24, 2017)

The approach that would suit me: get the WTC or the DSCH Preludes and Fugues as mp3 files, where each mp3 file corresponds to each fugue, contrapuntus, etude, prelude etc. and then play it on shuffle mode


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Jacck said:


> The approach that would suit me: get the WTC or the DSCH Preludes and Fugues as mp3 files, where each mp3 file corresponds to each fugue, contrapuntus, etude, prelude etc. and then play it on shuffle mode


There's a couple of recordings just like that, by Oli Mustonen


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

From quite a good essay by Antti Hayraynen



> > Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) completed the 24 preludes and fugues of Book I of Das Wohltemperierte Klavier in 1722. Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) wrote his 24 preludes and fugues, Op. 87, in 1950-51.
> >
> > Bach's collection is organized by key in chro-matically ascending order, whereas Shostakovich -like Chopin in his preludes - follows the circle of fifths. It should be noted that 'well-tempered' as Bach meant it is not the same as 'equal-tempered'; for performance on a piano, however, the instru-ment should be equal-tempered.
> >
> > ...


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Why should anyone say this?



> It should be noted that 'well-tempered' as Bach meant it is not the same as 'equal-tempered'; for performance on a piano, however, the instru-ment should be equal-tempered.


It made me wonder how Shostakovich expected the piano to be tuned.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

Depends what I'm doing. If I'm working with music on in the background I let the entire thing run through. Even then there are certain parts that will catch my ear more than others.

If I sit down exclusively to listen I'm more likely to choose particular tracks. 

I do the same with Shostakovich's preludes and preludes/fugues. Also Debussy's.

It seems to me rather obsessive to insist on the entire thing at every sitting. Life is too short for that.


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## Blancrocher (Jul 6, 2013)

For me it can depend on the performer. For example: with Gould I'll often listen to an entire "book" since he plays at a relatively quick clip and with a consistent approach (with notable exceptions); Richter is my favorite performer of many of the show-stopper P&F's, though I find the whole set uneven, so I skip around more.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

I heard Angela Hewitt play the whole of book 2 in a recital. Must confess by the end my mind was wandering. Bach would have probably thought we were all nuts listening to them at one go.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

eugeneonagain said:


> It seems to me rather obsessive to insist on the entire thing at every sitting. Life is too short for that.


The WTC is my favorite music in the world. I'll keep doing it my way; you do what you want. However, I would appreciate you not making negative remarks about my listening regimen.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

Bulldog said:


> The WTC is my favorite music in the world. I'll keep doing it my way; you do what you want. However, I would appreciate you not making negative remarks about my listening regimen.


Are you joking? I wasn't specifically referring to you, or anyone in particular. I did say that I also let in run through, but I'm not of a mind that I think it should always be that way.

You can listen to it any way you like.


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## jegreenwood (Dec 25, 2015)

DavidA said:


> I heard Angela Hewitt play the whole of book 2 in a recital. Must confess by the end my mind was wandering. Bach would have probably thought we were all nuts listening to them at one go.


I heard Schiff play both books on separate nights in the same week. I was held. I've also heard Hewitt in several Bach recitals (not WTC). I preferred Schiff.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I listen to it sometimes in large chunks, sometimes individual pieces. I have not tried the Bulldog method, but may do so one day.

I think the best way to listen to it in terms of forming the deepest connection with the music, would be to play it oneself on a keyboard.


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