The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, BWV 846-869, comprises a set of preludes and fugues written for keyboard by Johann Sebastian Bach, covering all 24 major and minor keys. In Bach's era, the term "clavier" referred to various keyboard instruments, predominantly the harpsichord or clavichord, though not excluding the organ.
Bach's title implies composition for a well-tempered tuning system, where all keys resonate in tune, often known as "circular temperament." While it's commonly assumed that "well-tempered" refers to equal temperament, the prevalent modern keyboard tuning post Bach's era, contemporary scholars propose an alternative interpretation-suggesting a form of well temperament.
The initial compilation occurred in 1722 during Bach's tenure in Koethen. Bach repurposed some preludes and fugues from earlier works; for instance, the 1720 Klavierbüchlein für Wilhelm Friedemann Bach includes versions of eleven preludes from the first book of The Well-Tempered Clavier.
Regarded as one of the most significant collections in classical music history, The Well-Tempered Clavier showcases Bach's mastery of diverse musical keys. Pianist Giovanni Mazzocchin, renowned for his expertise in the Baroque and Classical repertoire, approaches works from Bach to Beethoven with a distinctive piano technique. His deliberate avoidance of the pedal renders the piano a more aseptic instrument, preserving and even accentuating its rhythmic and passionate character.
The recording, capturing this nuanced interpretation, utilized a pair of Sennheiser microphones (8000 series) in conjunction with Prism Sound pres/converters.