1722: The Well-Tempered Clavier
1722, Köthen. In a palace music room, Bach carefully tunes a harpsichord. The result is a revolutionary approach to sound, one that allows music to move freely through all 24 keys.
1722, Köthen. In a palace music room, Johann Sebastian Bach is busy making adjustments to the royal harpsichord; setting it, quite deliberately, out of tune.
Bach's newest work is an ambitious cycle of pieces in every one of the 24 major and minor keys - a feat that's simply not possible on a keyboard instrument tuned in the traditional way. His revolutionary new tuning system brings together the latest thinking in science, music and philosophy to dramatically extend the variety of keys and harmonies available to composers. The 24 preludes and fugues of Bach's Well Tempered Clavier will become the first significant steps into this new era of expanded possibilities - pointing the way for generations to come.
Gillian Moore is joined by a roster of distinguished historians for this major new Â鶹Éç Radio 3 series, charting a course through 1000 years of classical music history. For Episodes 9 to 16, Gillian welcomes Suzannah Lipscomb to help her explore the fascinating stories and rich sound worlds of the Late Renaissance and Baroque.
Producer: Chris Taylor
Academic Consultant: Professor Laura Tunbridge, University of Oxford
Story Consultant: Kate Leys
Series Editor for Â鶹Éç Audio: Emma Harding
Key Changes theme tune composed by Joseph Howard and performed by the Â鶹Éç National Orchestra of Wales, conducted by Kerem Hasan.
MUSIC DETAILS
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1, Prelude No. 3 in C sharp major (BWV 848/1)
Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord)
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1, Fugue No.3 in C sharp major (BWV 848/2)
Trevor Pinnock (harpsichord)
Johann Sebastian Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1, Prelude and Fugue No.22 in B flat minor (BWV 867)
Angela Hewitt (piano)
Johann Sebastian Bach: St Matthew Passion – Opening Chorus
Bach Collegium Japan
Masaaki Suzuki (conductor)
Jean-Philippe Rameau: Hippolyte et Aricie, Act III, Prelude and Chaconne
Les Talens Lyriques
Christophe Rousset (conductor)
Muir and Tracey: Play That Barbershop Chord
After Hours
Frédéric Chopin: Prelude in E flat major, Op. 28 No. 19
Maurizio Pollini (piano)
Johann Sebastian Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No. 4
Concerto Italiano
Rinaldo Alessandrini (conductor)
To listen to this programme using most smart speakers, just say "Ask Â鶹Éç Sounds to play Key Changes."
On radio
Broadcast
- Next Saturday 13:00Â鶹Éç Radio 3