Track Listing

Disc 1:

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 2:

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. Fugue No. 20 in A minor, BWV889
16. Prelude No. 21 in B flat major, BWV890
17. Fugue No. 21 in B flat major, BWV890
18. Prelude No. 22 in B flat minor, BWV891
19. Fugue No. 22 in B flat minor, BWV891
20. Prelude No. 23 in B major, BWV892
21. Fugue No. 23 in B major, BWV892
22. Prelude No. 24 in B minor, BWV893
23. Fugue No. 24 in B minor, BWV893

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #77695 in Music
• Released on: 2001-01-16
• Number of discs: 2

Customer Reviews

Fischer's 'New Testament'
What, nobody has reviewed this marvelous transfer of Edwin Fischer playing the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II, Bach's so-called 'New Testament'? Well, I couldn't let that pass, even though it's been, four years since it was issued. This set, along with its companion set of the Book I, has often been in my CD player. Fischer was one of the great pianists of the first half of the twentieth century and this transfer is wonderful. Only five of the Preludes and Fugues from Book II appear in the Philips 'Great Pianists of the 20th Century,' so even if you own that, you don't have the whole kahuna.

Fischer's was the first integral recording of both Books and it remains one of the great recordings of the century. Fischer's control of line and individual voices has to be heard to be believed. Further, unlike post-Gouldian Bach players, his piano seems not to have hammers. His pianissimo passages are simply ravishing. He does, at times, double the bass line as was customary in his day. This doesn't bother me at all, but I suppose some purists might sniff. We have to realize that this was a different time and for all that the advances in knowledge of historically-informed practices have grown apace, there is still a good deal of room, at least as far as I'm concerned, for playing like Fischer's. If you disagree with that, then this set is not for you. But if, like me, you respond to great playing and musicianship such as Fischer's, you won't want to be without this set and its old testament companion.

Strongly recommended.

Scott Morrison