J.S. Bach - Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Buch I

Penguin Guide 3 Stars.

This album features Book I of Johann Sebastian Bach’s *Das Wohltemperierte Klavier* (The Well-Tempered Clavier), performed by Masaaki Suzuki on harpsichord. Composed in 1722, the collection comprises 24 pairs of preludes and fugues—one in each major and minor key—demonstrating Bach’s mastery of counterpoint and his imaginative approach to keyboard composition.

Originally intended as both an educational tool and a testament to the new tuning systems that allowed for music in all keys, this work has been called the “Old Testament” of piano literature. Suzuki performs on a harpsichord modeled after an enlarged Ruckers instrument, tuned in Werckmeister III temperament, which reflects historical tuning practices while bringing out the distinct character of each key.

The recording not only offers a deeply expressive interpretation but also invites listeners into the intellectual and spiritual world of Bach’s music, where architecture, emotion, and logic coexist in perfect harmony.