Christophe Rousset – Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 (2016) [FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Recording ‘The Well-tempered Clavier’ is a bit like climbing Everest, and this new recording by Christophe Rousset devoted to Book I has been eagerly awaited. With modesty and rigour, he gives a rich, varied interpretation of this monument to Art, revealing its secrets to us in a highly informative introductory text. Performed on the magnificent Rückers harpsichord at the Château of Versailles, Nicolas Bartholomée’s recording ideally reproduces the full, fruity savour of this instrument that has miraculously been preserved.

„[Rousset’s] is a grounded, incontestably considered reading, exuding a quiet, unflappable authority reminiscent of Gustav Leonhardt…he untangles Bach’s protean polyphony with the informed illumination of a seasoned tour guide steeped in his subject…particularly compelling are the massive fugues in A minor and B minor, magisterial, and plotted with long-limbed structural sophistication.“ (BBC Music Magazine)

„[Rousset places] a reliance on good fingers, very occasional well-chosen ornaments and canny but subtle agogic shaping governed by an underlying sense of steady but continuous flow…[it] makes a sound guide to these wonderful and varied works.“ (Gramophone Magazine)

Tracklist:
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

CD1
01. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 1. Prelude en Ut, BWV 846
02. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 2. Fugue en Ut, BWV 846
03. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 3. Prelude en Do Mineur, BWV 847
04. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 4. Fugue en Do Mineur, BWV 847
05. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 5. Prelude en Do Dièse, BWV 848
06. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 6. Fugue en Do Dièse, BWV 848
07. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 7. Prelude en Do Dièse Mineur, BWV 849
08. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 8. Fugue en Do Dièse Mineur, BWV 849
09. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 9. Prelude en Ré, BWV 850
10. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 10. Fugue en Ré, BWV 850
11. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 11. Prelude en Ré Mineur, BWV 851
12. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 12. Fugue en Ré Mineur, BWV 851
13. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 13. Prelude en Mi Bémol, BWV 852
14. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 14. Fugue en Mi Bémol, BWV 852
15. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 15. Prelude en Ré Dièse Mineur, BWV 853
16. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 16. Fugue en Ré Dièse Mineur, BWV 853
17. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 17. Prelude en Mi, BWV 854
18. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 18. Fugue en Mi, BWV 854
19. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 19. Prelude en Mi Mineur, BWV 855
20. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 20. Fugue en Mi Mineur, BWV 855
21. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 21. Prelude en Fa, BWV 856
22. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 22. Fugue en Fa, BWV 856
23. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 23. Prelude en Fa Mineur, BWV 857
24. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 24. Fugue en Fa Mineur, BWV 857

CD2
01. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 25. Prelude en Fa Dièse, BWV 858
02. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 26. Fugue en Fa Dièse, BWV 858
03. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 27. Prelude en Fa Dièse Mineur, BWV 859
04. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 28. Fugue en Fa Dièse Mineur, BWV 859
05. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 29. Prelude en Sol, BWV 860
06. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 30. Fugue en Sol, BWV 860
07. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 31. Prelude en Sol Mineur, BWV 861
08. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 32. Fugue en Sol Mineur, BWV 861
09. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 33. Prelude en La Bémol, BWV 862
10. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 34. Fugue en La Bémol, BWV 862
11. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 35. Prelude en Sol Dièse Mineur, BWV 863
12. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 36. Fugue en Sol Dièse Mineur, BWV 863
13. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 37. Prelude en La, BWV 684
14. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 38. Fugue en La, BWV 684
15. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 39. Prelude en La Mineur, BWV 865
16. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 40. Fugue en La Mineur, BWV 865
17. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 41. Prelude en Si Bémol, BWV 866
18. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 42. Fugue en Si Bémol, BWV 866
19. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 43. Prelude en Si Bémol Mineur, BWV 867
20. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 44. Fugue en Si Bémol Mineur, BWV 867
21. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 45. Prelude en Si, BWV 868
22. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 46. Fugue en Si, BWV 868
23. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 47. Prelude en Si Mineur, BWV 869
24. The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1: No. 48. Fugue en Si Mineur, BWV 869