Re: the well-tempered clavier

["Mark Williamson" <mwilliamson@alston.com>]

     You will certainly get a lot of responses on this; it's a 
     favorite subject for many.  WTC 1 was written (a) to 
     demonstrate the modulatory advantages of equal temperament 
     (b) as an instructional work presenting pieces of many 
     different levels of difficulty in all the major and minor 
     keys (c) as instruction in the art of composition, 
     counterpoint, and fugue and (d) to some extent an 
     instructional work for people learning to play as you 
     suggest.  If you are learning how to play yourself, you 
     might like the Notebook for A.M. Bach.  WTC 2 was written 
     much later and is along the same lines.
     
     But both of these works go far beyond their didactic 
     intentions and that is why you will find so many different 
     opinions about them.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: the well-tempered clavier
Author:  "JOHN O'BRIEN" <OBRIEN@fis.utoronto.ca> at internet
Date:    6/6/97 9:26 AM


Was Bach's Well tempered clavier written as an instructional piece 
intended to teach individuals learning how to play?
john