Bach's Well-tempered Clavier: The 48 Preludes and Fugues

Bach’s Well-tempered Clavier (or the 48 Preludes and Fugues) stands at the core of baroque keyboard music and has been a model and inspiration for performers and composers ever since it was written. This invaluable guide to the 96 pieces explains Bach’s various purposes in compiling the music, describes the rich traditions on which he drew, and provides commentaries for each prelude and fugue.

In his text, David Ledbetter addresses the main focal points mentioned by Bach in his original 1722...