Richter plays Bach: WTC1 No. 6 in d minor BWV 851

[AcidicFatin]

i thought baroque style should not have a wide range of expression?

[Jetstar3000]

i love music! :p wooooooooooooooooooowwowwwwwwo­wowowowo!!!!!

[Amarelaoo1]

looooooooooooooooove d minor

[CYYZspotter]

i find it sad that tik tok by kesha (parody) is a suggestion to this video...

[pianodog81]

Richter really breathes life into these pieces. Many other piano greats make the WTC pieces sound like well-performed exercises, but with Richter you feel like he is playing what was in the composer's mind.

[mtv565]

@ dxpdxpdxp: there is so much things to analyse about this fugue! 1st, it utilises strettos (after exposition) in the development section. Somewhere midway, the fugue theme is turned upside down (ie; inversion) in the strettos.

[AndyMajia]

Does richter use pedal in the fugue or prelude? or is it just the audio?

[qwerty60000]

is it yahama your playing on?

[pianovirtuoso1000]

Richter is awesome! I'm learning this piece right now

[3FrenchFries]

Reminds me of the ending theme from season two of Victorian Romance Emma.

Putting this on my short list for grade 10!

[jordantrevayne]

lovely playing!

[PhysiqueQuantique]

The last three bars of that prelude came out of nowhere! I love Bach...

[Engraverwilliam]

loved this since i was a little kid of age 8

[MrAVE78]

Thank you so much for uploading these videos!! I just can't stop watching/listening them! Bach's music is mesmerizing and mindblowing; Richter's interpration is the very best I have listened until now. Placing the music sheets as a background just makes the experience completely astounding. Thank you.

[AhhThatGuy]

This sounds great - such a melodic and singing style I love it

[grandchase890]

Thisis proness XD

[PianoGirl555]

the tone is incredible.. so soft..

love it

[ultramagellan]

Absolutely sublime.

[eddhy]

I'm so gonna cover this song with my banjo

[ccen1]

the piano is slightly sharp.. great playing

[leonidas2956]

Thank you for yhe post!!

[3NUNS]

six part ending

[RaDi486]

That's great!!!!!!

[doodlahoo]

Fantastico!

[PianoPlayer004]

Rebe!!

[PianoPlayer004]

This is simply great...

Piano certainly is the king of all instruments.

THANKS!

[3NUNS]

@PianoPlayer004 : Yes, but on Tuesdays only.

[mrmolinodelahoz]

If you need a challenge then you may try to play this on a harpsichord, the instrument Bach had in mind.

Do you want to rewrite Bach´s intentions?

[DragstMan]

Funny enough, I wouldn't be so sure on the accuracy of your claim since "a well-tempered klavier" is something you could say a proto-type piano and not a harpsicord. I'm quite sure my harpsichord hasn't been called a klavier anywhere :)

[mrmolinodelahoz]

Klavier translates to keyboard.

Clavecin in French

Clave in Spanish,specifically indicated a harpsichord.

JS Bach never owned a paino and played one briefly at Sans Souci.

Chinese quote-- I don´t care if the cat is white or black, as long as it catches the rat. If one plays Bach on the piano beautifully enough, it can make the listener forget about the type of instrument. Gen Hirano for Example.

[DragstMan]

Despite the proto-intellectual chinese quotes, I think the point was missed. Yes, klavier in _general_ is any keyboard as you said even without the quasi-defined translations but the point was the _well-tempered_. HChord is hard, if not even impossible to tune into A440 (the so-called concert A) and those who know enough musical theory know that C# is different than Db even if it's the same damn key on the keyboard.

Other than that, I agree completely on beautiful music being more important!

[BaroqueComposer]

@DragstMan

Just because one tunes a HC to a well-tempered system does not mean one is using La at 440Hz. La could just as easily be tuned to 392 or 530 Hz. The 440 Concert A has only been around as a standard for perhaps less than a century. In order to play these pieces one must use a well-temp system, as unequal tunings break down after about 4 or more sharps or flats.

[BaroqueComposer]

@DragstMan

Oh and in 12-tone equal temperament, C# and Db are enharmonically the exact same thing.

[DragstMan]

@BaroqueComposer

Enharmonically, yes, but not in musical theory as I stated before. No matter though.

[BaroqueComposer]

@DragstMan

You have contradicted yourself. Enharmonic tones *are* theoretical.

"Notes that are spelled differently but sound the same are said to be enharmonic." quoted from "Tonal Harmony," Sixth Edition, S. Kostka & D. Payne.

As this is found in the leading *music theory* textbook, your assertion is incorrect.

[DragstMan]

@BaroqueComposer

Congratulations, a winrar is you, you gets them medals and feel great for the rest of the day. English is hardly my primary language so I made a mistake.

Whatever it is called in english, in musical theory G# and Ab (for example) are not the same and has some meaning in diatonics, or whatever the right word is.

[hedones]

elle est retrouvée

quoi?

l'éternité

c'est la mer allée avec le soleil

Rimbaud.

[chunnnli]

beautiful

[frederickfrederikfre]

Fantastic

[chaiyah17]

Reverb made it very melodious and haunting. Effects plus playing made it superb. Thanks.

[sumirei001]

Yeah I agree with darkkerrigan, very melodious, very musical. Beautiful playing:)

[laurensbon]

bach or scarlatti?

[ryab55]

do you think you could upload bach goldberg varitations?

[francescaemc2]

capolavoro. sviatolslav rulz.

[maribavou]

it sad....because we hate them because we have to learn them for exams...but if you listen to them...relaxed..then you can see...or hear the greatness of a composer

[bergeronf]

we hate them because we have been conditioned to hate challenges instead of understanding that only challenges can make us better at anything in life. we must change this perspective and become a new human.

[florryworry]

@maribavou They practically learn the exams for me, I can't concentrate without music, and I sing along with the normal music. This enhances my brain

[MusicPredominates]

@maribavou : don't do examinations

[Bruce88keys]

@maribavou learning vs. hate kinda suggests re evaluation

[squash012]

I think that this piano is a very good level of "brightness", meaning that it is not to bright and not too dull

[PianoGirl555]

@squash012 i agree

[TwoWoods13]

j'adore bach au piano !.....Si JS vivait à notre époque il serait forcement subjugué par les possibilités orchestrales de notre piano moderne et il adapterait surement un procédé nouveau de composition pour exploiter cet instrument.......donc arretons ce conservatisme stupide qu'il faut jouer bach au clavecin ou à l'orgue !!!!!! Richter est magnifique mais ça ce n'est pas un scoop !

[MyLordLoke]

I listen to this music every day befoer I begin yo play pino!

[MyLordLoke]

Amazing! Fast and perfect! =D

[Thebookguy1]

Not fast enough for my taste :S

[darkkerrigan]

I thought so also intially, but if you listen to how he plays, I love that he didn't turn it into a technical exercise and tookt he time to really be musical and bring everything out. Very nice tone and touch

[bayanista]

*****

[evaniax]

I love the timbre. Richter's control of the emotional nuances of the song is amazing.

My only complaint is the lack of a trill on the Picardy third.... lol

[xrevenantwings]

gah i hafta play this for my recital

[BeammeupSpotty]

nice piece. Thanks for posting.

[MyLordLoke]

That was so good!

[pianojeans]

I just love ALL of these - Please try and complete the whole set VERY SOON - And thanks for all the very hard work you have put in to make these truly magical pieces become even more entertaining.

[sailingforde04]

someone marked you as spam ... god knows why!

[dzeljpiano]

I love this :)

[debartzen]

Que gran intérprete Hoy tan olvidado.!!

[oceanboy1993]

(i speak mainly about the prelude when i say this) ppl think this is a romantic recording? yikes. sounds like its being played on harpsichord. theres so much more potential for it than that. it can still sound mechanical without being devoid of character. the fugue was better, but it was still a forgettable interpretation, in my opinion.

[PoopShitMario]

Harpsichord sounds better than Piano.

[hornuser]

Fugue starts at 1:27

[indigoblue555]

I've got Richter's WTC recording,so I wonder

if he did ever record some more Bach-

Thx for infos.

[LaserZoom]

this displays such concinnity as i was taught

[vcupiano]

I think I like this rendition better than Gould's, however I can't decide whether or not the fugue should be played faster or slower. I guess it's just a matter of taste

[GorbyGwapoh]

Lovely!

[shivdas99]

i agree bach's beauty is more in his intellect, than romanticism. he dictates a different kind of emotion, one in the sheer mathematics and interdependancy of each notes, as well as their sequences and the syncopation. it truly is essential genius at work. chopin on the other hand a different kind of genius, as many of his peices were more romantic, jazzy and kind of gave the idea its more improvised. both bach and chopin were technical masters

[2009xellos]

@shivdas99 Bach may sound "romantic" to you, but I don't think it's "Romantic" in terms of the proper definition of it. (dynamics, rubato etc) And you're right in saying Chopin loved Bach - actually it's one of the two masters Chopin admired without reservation, the other being Mozart. Mozart adored JC Bach and his sons, CPE Bach, JC Bach. But it was JS Bach who "made" the "Mozart we know today". The miraculous 5-subject fugal ending of Mozart's Jupiter Symphony epitomizes his admiration for JS

[2009xellos]

@2009xellos I made a typo there, when JC Bach is first mentioned, it's supposed to be JS* Bach

[bubblykings]

I LOVE THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am totally a Bach fanatic...omg love this prelude and fugue!

thanks for posting

[AGLMIL]

This is fantastic!!! 10 points!!!

[rcgtec]

I play this one! I love it!

[3NUNS]

Hey this fugue shares common material with one of the chatechismal organ preludes on the Trinity.

[3NUNS]

Such good control

[diebsound]

I like this version of d minor prelude. But there is one thing I dont like: Richter uses the pedal too much, I think. Thats why I prefer Glenn Gooulds way of playing this wonderfull prelude.

[Glagolitus]

According to me, music is all about making an interpretation of a piece. Richter chose to interpret the music of Bach in a romantic way and I just want to say that it's nothing wrong with that. It's all about expression. You all have to stop thinking that some music must be played in a certain way. Gould is famous for his interpretation of Bach, but he also change a lot in the written music...

[prismsmiles]

it could well be the recording.

[matkishacro12]

why couldn't bach make one fugue to sound like first five seconds...cause first five seconds are so inspiring :)

[ilshatt]

Because Bach´s beauty is more itellectual than musical, but you should try the flute sonatas, they are very musical, respecting flute´s capalibilites.

[Pianoplayer002]

Hmmm... I think it is equally beautiful, both musically and intellectually ;)

[ROCKGUITARMEM]

yust loved every note!!!

[kingstravinsky101]

bach was a totally badass! we need men like bach today to lead us!

[pdembers]

Nobody could have put it better!

[sam0xin]

Great Idea...To see "sources" of Genius and hear at the same time R I C H T E R.

[FREEASTHESTARS]

very nice!

[jowillkit]

the music is very good.

[go6go6go6]

äh...ich hör ja lieba metal...

aber leider müsssen wir diese fuge analysieren.^^ und ich habe keine ahnung von kontrapunkten und irgendwelchen sopran, alt oder sonstwas stimmen. ;)

[Pianoplayer002]

Lol, this is what I got from google translator (and that made more sense than yahoo!):

"uh ... I hear yes lieba metal ...

but unfortunately we have to do this analysis. ^ ^ and I have no ahnung of kontrapunkten and any sopran, old or whatever vote"

Could someone translate this correctly? :P

[go6go6go6]

hihi i can try with three years of school english, maybe you will understand (but sorry it is not a good english^^)

well..i love to hear heavy metal at all...but unfortunatey we have to interpret this weird play at school(Fuge?)

and i have not any knowledge about stuff like that (either i dont know anything about contra points, topics, sopran, old, bass and things like that)

your comments soounds strange and professionel to me. ;-) when i hear my music, i just enjoy it.not interprete :-)

[xxh3llfir3xx]

ah i see what you mean. But once you interpret the music, it becomes a thousand times more beautiful.

[go6go6go6]

yes i can imagine, but actually it sounds strange to me. ;-)

but bach has been a geniee, hasn*t he?

[wcbroccoli]

Based on my 3 years of high school German, he said something like:

"Uh, I'd rather hear metal...

but unfortunately we must analyze this fugue, and I have no idea about counterpoint and (sic) any soprano, alto or other such voices."

[CodyNelsonMusic]

@Pianoplayer002

He says I love this, but it's unfortunate that we have to analyze anything. I don't know anything about counterpoint or soprano, alto, etc.

[gerhold101]

@Pianoplayer002 "I most like (this is youth argot - should be 'lieber') heavy metal - but unfortunately we have to analyse this fugue and I have no knowledge/awareness of counterpoint and any soprano (?), ancient or any other sounds (forms)" . This is kid's talk.

[animumaurarium]

@Pianoplayer002

After 2 years if you'd still mind I can do that :)

Ah... I'd rather listen to metal...

But unfortunately we must analyse these fugues.^^ And I don't know anything about counterpoint and sopranos, altos or such voices. ;)

lol I'm too late :)

[Martel211996]

@Pianoplayer002 with pleasure

ahh....bach is such a great composer.

I think that this is a beautiful piece because it shows the beauty of polyphony trans

[changchubdorje]

@Pianoplayer002

It's been years, but here's my best effort. "Uh, I prefer to listen to metal... but unfortunately we must analyze these fugues and I have no idea about counterpoint and any soprano, alto or whatever voices."

[dxpdxpdxp]

@Pianoplayer002 : Ah... I prefer to listen to metal... but, unfortunately, we must analyze this fugue, and I have no Idea of counterpoint or whatsoever soprano, alto, or any other voice ....

LOL

[dxpdxpdxp]

@Pianoplayer002 : Ah... I prefer to listen to metal... but, unfortunately, we must analyze this fugue, and I have no Idea of counterpoint or whatsoever soprano, alto, or any other voice ....

LOL

[arturanna2000]

I like it! Amazing! Wonderful! Thank you for this piece!!!

[indigoblue555]

Listening to him since I was 6........and on one day you find out that Bach does never let you alone.

Just empty words?Emotional excess?Not really. Words coming from a 50years exp.-

You can believe me.

[sb0090]

The best Prelude of Book 1, But I think it sounds better when the voice in the left hand will be played more legato, Richter plays every note (except the last 3 lines of course) staccato! A bit boring...

[JarusYarus]

Not so. I think the contrast between the short, punchy bass and legato upper voice gives the piece depth and dialogue.

[elenanthi]

you found the correct words to express what I think and feel about Bach's music

[IIPianista]

Thank you so much for posting pieces from wtc with the score.

[dubaiforty]

I love this piece. thank you for posting.

[palcsi]

Thank you for posting these Bach/Richter pieces with the score.

[Jibejibe]

i usually listen to Richter play big stuff by rach or chopin, this is the first time i listen to him play Bach's WTC.

Intense.

[Rapier686]

I was prejudiced that Bach meant intricate, formal and boring. Richter has set me straight with this prelude.

It grabs the attention in the very first bar, and keeps a firm hold of it all the way through with energy and varied delights poking out of unexpected places.

Your putting it up here has persuaded me to go out and buy Richter's whole well tempered clavier. Thank you.

[TheLoneSergeant]

Picardy Third FTW!!!!!

[smithsherman]

Although the tone has a lovely balnced contrast between milky wet and wooden dry,I

think that the metronomic unvaried placement on the beat undermines what he achieves with it.There is a pattern here...an interesting tone,some nice sforzandi and a judicious general tempo...but that really is a diet, compared to what this piece really can and should hold in terms of ideas.

[znanto]

I don't think this tone is a novelty for Richter, this is without a doubt a rewarding listen, but have you heard the E minor prelude of Book 1 as he plays it?

[Pianoplayer002]

I'm not the one who is playing... You've never heard of Sviatoslav Richter?

[starrylis]

wow...u play very clear n very bach!!!

Im playing this piece rite now~~~

wish I could play as good as you~~~^^

[z556]

Wonderfull recording! Very clear lines and simple phrasing, without overdoing. Please post more of Richter. Thank you very much

[mltube]

You can probably get all of Richter's 48 for about $20 - $30. Peerless performances, especially Book I.