Re: the well-tempered clavier

[Rob Haskins <rh@wozzeck.esm.rochester.edu>]

On Fri, 6 Jun 1997, JOHN O'BRIEN wrote:

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

The stuff I've read indicates that the WTC was part of
a kind of graded program of instructional pieces (beginning
with exercises to acquire proper touch, going through the
LIttle preludes and Inventions, French Suites, then
 -- perhaps -- the Sinfonias and WTC I, then bigger suites
and WTC II).  But it's pretty clear Bach was teaching
his students examples of composition in addition to
teaching them how to play.  

Rob