Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Prelude No.1 in C major, BWV846
2. Fugue No.1 in C major, BWV846
3. Prelude No.2 in C minor, BWV847
4. Fugue No.2 in C minor, BWV847
5. Prelude No.3 in C sharp major, BWV848
6. Fugue No.3 in C sharp major, BWV848
7. Prelude No.4 in C sharp minor, BWV849
8. Fugue No.4 in C sharp minor, BWV849
9. Prelude No.5 in D major, BWV850
10. Fugue No.5 in D major, BWV850
11. Prelude No.6 in D minor, BWV851
12. Fugue No.6 in D minor, BWV851
13. Prelude No.7 in E flat major, BWV852
14. Fugue No.7 in E flat major, BWV852
15. Prelude No.8 in D sharp minor, BWV853
16. Fugue No.8 in D sharp minor, BWV853
17. Prelude No.9 in E major, BWV854
18. Fugue No.9 in E major, BWV854
19. Prelude No.10 in E minor, BWV855
20. Fugue No.10 in E minor, BWV855
21. Prelude No.11 in F major, BWV856
22. Fugue No.11 in F major, BWV856
23. Prelude No.12 in F minor, BWV857
24. Fugue No.12 in F minor, BWV857

Disc 2:

1. Prelude No.13 in F sharp major, BWV858
2. Fugue No.13 in F sharp major, BWV858
3. Prelude No.14 in F sharp minor, BWV859
4. Fugue No.14 in F sharp minor, BWV859
5. Prelude No.15 in G major, BWV860
6. Fugue No.15 in G major, BWV860
7. Prelude No.16 in G minor, BWV861
8. Fugue No.16 in G minor, BWV861
9. Prelude No.17 in A flat major, BWV862
10. Fugue No.17 in A flat major, BWV862
11. Prelude No.18 in G sharp minor, BWV863
12. Fugue No.18 in G sharp minor, BWV863
13. Prelude No.19 in A major, BWV864
14. Fugue No.19 in A major, BWV864
15. Fugue No.20 in A minor, BWV865
16. Prelude No.21 in B flat major, BWV866
17. Fugue No.21 in B flat major, BWV866
18. Prelude No.22 in B flat minor, BWV867
19. Fugue No.22 in B flat minor, BWV867
20. Prelude No.23 in B major, BWV868
21. Fugue No.23 in B major, BWV868
22. Prelude No.24 in B minor, BWV869
23. Fugue No.24 in B minor, BWV869

Disc 3:

1. Prelude No.1 in C major, BWV870
2. Fugue No.1 in C major, BWV870
3. Prelude No.2 in C minor, BWV871
4. Fugue No.2 in C minor, BWV871
5. Prelude No.3 in C sharp major, BWV872
6. Fugue No.3 in C sharp major, BWV872
7. Prelude No.4 in C sharp minor, BWV873
8. Fugue No.4 in C sharp minor, BWV873
9. Prelude No.5 in D major, BWV874
10. Fugue No.5 in D major, BWV874
11. Prelude No.6 in D minor, BWV875
12. Fugue No.6 in D minor, BWV875
13. Prelude No.7 in E flat major, BWV876
14. Fugue No.7 in E flat major, BWV876
15. Prelude No.8 in D sharp minor, BWV877
16. Fugue No.8 in D sharp minor, BWV877
17. Prelude No.9 in E major, BWV878
18. Fugue No.9 in E major, BWV878
19. Prelude No.10 in E minor, BWV879
20. Fugue No.10 in E minor, BWV879
21. Prelude No.11 in F major, BWV880
22. Fugue No.11 in F major, BWV880
23. Prelude No.12 in F minor, BWV881
24. Fugue No.12 in F minor, BWV881

Disc 4:

1. Prelude No.13 in F sharp major, BWV882
2. Fugue No.13 in F sharp major, BWV882
3. Prelude No.14 in F sharp minor, BWV883
4. Fugue No.14 in F sharp minor, BWV883
5. Prelude No.15 in G major, BWV884
6. Fugue No.15 in G major, BWV884
7. Prelude No.16 in G minor, BWV885
8. Fugue No.16 in G minor, BWV885
9. Prelude No.17 in A flat major, BWV886
10. Fugue No.17 in A flat major, BWV886
11. Prelude No.18 in G sharp minor, BWV887
12. Fugue No.18 in G sharp minor, BWV887
13. Prelude No.19 in A major, BWV888
14. Fugue No.19 in A major, BWV888
15. Prelude No.20 in A minor, BWV889
16. Fugue No.20 in A minor, BWV889
17. Prelude No.21 in B flat major, BWV890
18. Fugue No.21 in B flat major, BWV890
19. Prelude No.22 in B flat minor, BWV891
20. Fugue No.22 in B flat minor, BWV891
21. Prelude No.23 in B major, BWV892
22. Fugue No.23 in B major, BWV892
23. Prelude No.24 in B minor, BWV893
24. Fugue No.24 in B minor, BWV893

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #89378 in Music
• Released on: 1999-09-14
• Number of discs: 4
• Formats: Box set, Import

Customer Reviews

Sublime Performances at a wonderful price!
Once again Nimbus Records goes the distance and gives us a boxed set of the complete Well Tempered Clavier with what can only be described as a sublime performance by Bernard Roberts, but at a price that can be afforded by many. If you already own a copy of his recording of the Complete Beethoven Sonatas then you will want to add this recording to your listening shelf. I would even go so far as to say that this recording can stand up to the ones by Gould and Schiff. The Performances and the price make it a clear first choice.

Consummate performance
If you can get hold of this please do. It is simply an outstanding performance. It mixes contrapuntal clarity, balance and perfect phrasing with a musical integrity, and a mastery of the keyboard that comes from not only a great technique but more importantly mature judgement.

Arguably Best Ever 48 on record.
This is possibly the best ever performance of the WTC on record. Perhaps only Edwin Fisher or Ralph Kirkpatrick on harpsichord (LP, used only) is in the same league. Comparisons with them are not to his disadvantage either.
Owning over 50 performances of these pieces sometimes drives me crazy. Which one to listen to? However, this set immediately became my favorite. Direct communication of the holly spirit leaps off the keys with this set. In no other set is the voice and spirit of Bach more clearly related.
Comparisons with Hewitt show that Roberts possesses greater depth and coherence, with much more emotion. Compared to Schiff, which is wayward, heavy, lacks tension and momentum and stalls, and is unacceptable (D grade,) Roberts is direct, articulate, stylish and musical. For all you Gould fans, listen to this set to see how insensitive, lacking in depth, frustrating and ultimately, boring Gould is. Comparisons with Kirkpatrick on Clavichord in Book II are closer, though the still prefer Roberts for greater spirituality & inwardness. Compared to Landowska, who is romantic, heavy handed, wayward and perhaps lacking in depth & true understanding, Roberts is structurally clearer with greater sensitivity to Bachs's spirit. Gilbert, usually good, is just plain boring, dull, lifeless. Jarrett, technically perfect, is unmusical and sounds like a computer next to Roberts. No depth at all. Richter, typically, lacks depth and comprehension. Jando, romantic, lightweight, lacks any intensity at all. Tureck is great, almost matching Roberts in depth, but plays to slowly which can be problematic for some-Noisy recordings too. Roberts is tighter, playing with greater integrity, and still greater spirituallity.
Play this, then play any other after and you will see just how good Roberts is and just how great the work is.