Wait?? you are saying this is YOU playing all of these? PHENOMENAL my friend! Seriously... in these crazy times, these recordings are balm for the soul. Thank you so much. It is inspiring me to learn a whole bunch of these pieces now. Something about Bach's Preludes and Fugues, I don't know... they just feel... perfect. Your renditions would make him proud. Thank you!
Thanks !! Yes, it is me playing all these - actually my second integral recording of the WTC. I don't have such high opinion of these recordings myself, feeling they are adequate at best, but it seems a lot of people are very inspired by them, which is great ! Good luck with exploring this peerless music. Always time well spent !
I fully enjoyed your rendition, each one of them. Despite of some technical difficulties I can hear in some places, there is something extremely comfortable and relaxing about this recording, something most professional recordings are lacking. It's hard to put it into words, but "honesty" might be the one within my poor vocabulary...it doesn't force you to listen. A form of natural enjoyment that music always should be. It's extremely rare for me to listen to the whole WTC in one occasion, but I didn't mind at all this time..... I guess it's because you didn't try to stand out, to be unique, to sell your music whatever, the motivation that often makes listening experience exhausting....They sometimes put too much "extra values" into one piece. But you just tried your best to perform WTC pure and simple, and Bach is here most certainly. I feel very secure, so comfortable. Thank you so much.
Many thanks for your wonderful feedback ! I never expected so many people enjoying my recordings, but they seem to have a certain down-to-earth honesty that many listeners appreciate. And indeed, a technical vulnerability that makes people realize that this is not exalted music that can only be played by the greatest virtuoso musicians. And, an important point, that the music is so great that it does not need the self-conscious point-making you so often hear. Though having said that, I well understand why pianists may want to put their own unique stamp on it and stand out from the crowd.
Marvellous. I hope you got as much pleasure out of learning and playing these as I'm getting from listening to them. When you love Bach, he loves you right back.
Dear Chris, having (re-)heard recently many renditions of the WTK, eg Baremboim, Richter, Nikolayeva, Gould,... I was initially very surprised and skeptical by this (supposedly) pretentious amateur contribution... Having listened (by now) to all of book I, I'm even more surprised by the quality of your execution! I particularly appreciate the voicing of poliphonic lines, the sense of rithm, the phrasing, the musicality (eg a minor and b flat minor, among others...). Frankly, one would tell that (maybe) you aren't a professional just from a slight inequality in a few fast preludes, which simply adds to a general impression of genuinity and freshness. All in all, I'm deeply admired by your tremendous achievement, and as a piano and harpsichord amateur I feel really inspired! Thank you again (of course I did subscribe...) Samuele
Thank you very much Samuele ! Bringing out the different voices was my main goal here, but I don't feel it was always sufficient. And then there's these fast preludes which I sometimes find maddeningly difficult. Sometimes the amateur struggles a bit... But to hear that these recordings have some merit next to those of the greats (as more people have commented) makes me very happy ! I must be doing something right here 😊
If Chris is an “amateur”, 1) that makes it even more impressive, and 2) he’s kinda pro now that he has 61K views and I’m sure that will continue to grow!
This deserves praise. I cannot imagine how much time this must have taken. To someone like myself who plays intermediate, it really is encouraging to hear an amateur manage such a massive composition, although I'm sure these two books will always be beyond me. It really is a respectable and totally successful performance.
Many thanks Michael ! It sure does take a lot of time to get all these in an acceptable state, even when you know them inside out. Don't believe this music is beyond you, though ! If you really want to play it, and are willing to put in the hours, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Michael! Never ever get discouraged! I wrote all these --both books-- so that students, both of performance and of composition, can learn everything they need to know. So there are preludes and fugues of every complexity level. Just work your way through them and you'll be fine believe me! And of course, Chris here is an exemplary student! I give him A+, and encourage him to take the Advanced Counterpoint 410, which happens to be the highest level course I teach, wherein we study the Art Of Fugue and each student then is assigned with completing the last contrapunctus as a final exam!
@@johannsebastianbach3411 Dear Grand Master Bach, thank you so much for your positive assessment ! I did not see it until just now, so apologies for the belated reply. You are too kind. I feel like I would need to study and record Das Wohltemperierte Klavier at least three more times before it would be any good. As for Die Kunst der Fuge, I did study (and indeed) record it but I found my efforts to be hugely unsatisfactory and unworthy of publishing. I have to concede this work is either too difficult for me to bring off successfully, or there are not enough hours in a day (maybe both). And I would never be able to complete your unfinished final fugue. Nonetheless, thank you for the encouragement !
The sad part is that this video and your great effort must have trillions of view right now... My heartliest gratitude for letting us enjoy such a great piece of history so nicely... 🙏🏻
Trillions, that would be nice :) But really it's not *that* good, compared to all the excellent versions by the great names. I am already happy with all the encouraging reactions, and the fact that the average listing time on this video is 23 minutes which seems not al all bad.
Thank you for the big compliment ! Of course playing Bach on the piano is not very authentic, but Bach's music totally transcends any notions of authenticity. And I'll take the piano over a harpsichord or clavichord any time - as I'd like to think Bach would, had any good pianos been available in his time.
Having been a harpsichord builder for 15 years, I obviously love that instrument. But I love the works of Bach even more and firmly believe that his writing transcends instrumentation. Thank you for sharing this--well done!
Thanks for your feedback ! Indeed, Bach's music is so sublime and universal that it can sound great on (almost) every instrument. Even on a harpsichord 🤪
This is really wonderful! A few years ago I had this recording playing in my classroom every day for a semester. I just made the connection that you are the same guy that has so often brought me Haydn on the weekends. Bravo. Much respect and many thanks.
My life goal is to be able to play this entire piece by memory someday and listening to you play it helps me get through hours of practice-especially when I get frustrated. Also, you're an amazing pianist, absolutely incredible!
What impresses me most is how in slower passages, you capture the "etheral voice" on the piano. Our vulnerable yet resilient souls endure the passage of time, passing the beacon on and on. In Bach's time people were generally more conscious of this, because of course they had few ways to combat illness and death. The singing human voice, then, was a proclamation of life and the enduring spirit, weaving between optimism and melancholy. This is hard for most to reproduce authentically because the world they know is too far removed. I also like the neat layout of the books onscreen. I think you glide over small errors smoothly and I can't tell you what a great asset this skill is. If you get hung up on small details it can be suffocating. Anyway as many others have stated, a grand feat to be proud of.
This has scared me a little, I am honored to watch man. You've undertook something very flawlessly that most pianists, regardless of technical skill, wouldn't even dream of attempting! As a composer, I am inspired!!
Thank you Josh ! I guess most pianists ar wise enough to leave the WTC to those who can really make it speak, which indeed are not many. I still feel I should have done so, too, but I am a compulsive completist ;-) (Is that even a word ?)
The complete WTC is a major endeavour for any professional musician, almost impossible for sombody who calls himself an "amateur", but you did it! And quite convincingly! Indeed, in ocasions more transparently than more than one eminent pianist. Congratulations!
@@victoriakim1360 Many thanks for your feedback! Great to hear 🙂 Love your avatar btw. Maria was one of the great beauties in royal history IMO. Her tragic fate makes me sad... she and her siblings were not to blame for their father's mishaps.
Thank you too ! It would have been much more useful with the score following along though. I am a bit ashamed I did not want to spend that extra time back then.
Congratulations, not only for the effort and the enormous work that this musical monument requires, but also for the high level of your playing. As a professional pianist and teacher, all my respect and admiration for you. All of us who pray to the God of music who is Bach, we thank you!.
Thank you so much Pablo ! Such feedback means a lot to me, especially when coming from a professional musician. As you say, Bach is the God of Music. His greatness is awesome, incomprehensible and yet comforting.
Dear Chis, the truth is that I do not know what piano training you have, I do not even know your nationality, or your age, but after listening your recording, I have to tell you that I do not know the meaning of the word "professional" in a musician . Many of my students who whant to be "professionals" or many of my colleagues who say they are, should listen your recording. You play with love and respect to music, with rigor and musicality and with technical control of the instrument and the polyphonic structure ... if this is not to be a "professional pianist", I do not know what it is. Thank you for the gift that you give us playing the piano so well !!!!
Sure, having music as a profession does not guarantee great musicality, nor great love for the music. It's just their job, right ? In some ways it's better being an amateur, in the true sense of that word. As for myself, I have not had all that much real training at all. Piano lessons in my youth (long ago, I'm 65 now), and a couple of years lessons with two professional pianists some 10 years ago. I'd still say I am mostly autodidact though, and it still doesn't come easy, not having the rock solid technique of a professional. But it's great to hear my efforts being enjoyed and appreciated !
Chris - I can't thank you enough for this work of WTC. As a former piano player and organist, this musical collection always meant a great deal to me. I enjoy very much your tempo here and you communicate very well the spirit of the music (and Bach, don't you know . . . ). Your wonderful interpretation will provide me many hours of happy listening. Thank you ever so much!
Hi Carey, you are welcome and thanks for your reaction. It never ceases to amaze me that in such a crowded field, with so many outstanding versions by the great masters, and the music being so great and daunting, my humble and imperfect amateur recordings find such acclaim. Such feedback means a lot to me and is really motivating !
My goodness Chris, I had no idea you had performed and posted this monumental work - a work which is for me the pinnacle of all music! Allow me to listen to it ahead of further comment! So excited :)
I'd be very surprised if anybody can listen this through to the end.... I certainly can't listen to it for more than a couple of minutes. Although there's nothing really horrible, I don't think it came out very well. The many positive comments continue to amaze me.
Bach's voicing is so complex. I like your expressiveness you showed in this recording. The Urtext edition (the one I have) comes out an "improviser" on the contrapuntal skills and in piano techniques such as fingering, balanced legato, well-choiced pedaling etc. Good job!
Listening to BWV 883 - Prelude and Fugue No.14 in F sharp minor now. It is one of my absolute favourites and I can only say this is beautifully done, Chris! Thank you for uploading. This is a monumental achievement and I am thankful that I can share in your joy.
So far, I have been cherry-picking my favourite parts of the WTC as a rather sneaky means of introducing myself to your performance of this transcendent work. I'm sitting here with a big smile on my face, and the occasional tear. Smiles? Because there is something distinctly appealing about a skilful, non-professional performance. It communicates afresh: brings new enjoyment from a work which has become part of one's musical DNA. Tears? Well, I scarcely need to explain do I - suffice it to say that Bach's ability to evoke one's deepest emotions, combined with your dedication and talent as pianist in bringing it to us - all of a piece as it were - is pretty potent stuff! Sincerest congratulations Chris.
Thank you Anthony ! This sentiment sounds familiar from what other posters wrote. That a dedicated amateur can pull this off is apparently an inspiration for many. Bach can indeed, like few others, move me to tears also, by the sheer unsurpassed beauty and feeling he puts in his music. Though I have this more readily with his (selected) cantatas, masses, passions, and organ chorales (the latter I probably love most). Bach's religious output seems to resonate most with me.
Sir András Schiff has noted religious themes throughout the WTC, as you probably know. Even though my Faith is all but moribund, I remain a cultural Anglican. And even if I were a complete atheist, Bach's B Minor Mass would for me reign supreme in all of choral music.
I have many recordings of the WTC by many top pianists (Gould, Richter, Barenboim, Pollini, Aimard etc) and your interpretation is as good as theirs. This is great for an amateur pianist! Keep on the good work!
Why, that is a compliment if there ever was one ! Being my own worst critic I have some trouble believing my interpretation is anywhere near the level of that of these great artists.... but many thanks for suggesting it ! At least I do know that my recordings are good by amateur standards
Prima di ascoltare questa esecuzione, pensavo che il massimo fosse Richter. Adesso so che esiste anche un'altra interpretazione " superba". Bravo, grazie per averlo caricato.
Many thanks for your feedback ! I would have thought my amateur performances were adequate rather than superb, not coming anywhere near any of the the famous versions of the greatest pianists. But I'm happy to hear these are being appreciated !
Very well played, and I don't need visuals. I'm just thankful for an excellent version of this great work that can be heard without being interrupted by irritating ads without having to install spyware to block them.
Thanks for the feedback ! Surprising that there are no ads here, as I've monetized all my videos. I don't like doing it, but it's the only way to get some financial reward for my work.
Wow. Great music. Thank you for making this available. I am not very knowledgable so I won't try to sound like I am, but I listened to book 1 and have enjoyed it, enjoyed your very human musicality, and am grateful that you are generous enough to share this with people. If I find book 2 when I look later I'll happily listen to that, also. Others I have heard include Gould, Jarrett, Richter and a piano teacher in the DallasTX area who posted his own little concert presentation of book 1. Yours is not like the others, yours has humanity throughout, something I'm really enjoying. Thanks, again.
Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed it, this is great feedback. I guess the WTC can be a little overbearing in the pristine and perfect versions of the great masters, whereas my humble and fallible interpretations (or humanly musical, as you so kindly put it) make people realize that an amateur can actually do this. I think that is the main reason my video is so well received by so many. Not the quality per se, but the fact that people can relate to it.
Thank you ! Clarity is what it's all about with Bach. Yes I'd like to think Bach would have been appreciative of my recordings - but his standards were high and I don't think he was easy to please.
This is absolutely beautiful music! Definitely one of my favorite interpretations of the WTC besides Gould's, which is saying something! The clarity and articulation is top notch, one can tell you put your heart and soul into this recording and for that I congratulate and thank you!
Whoooaaaa!!! That's a HUGE work. Congratulations on achieving this ENORMOUS milestone!!! I'm sure it was really rewarding. Of course it makes no sense to upload an amateur recording of these if they're to be compared with any professional recording, but it has enormous value as it is a great inspiration for us your fellow amateur pianists! Again, congratulations! I wish my English was better so that I could describe what I'm thinking more effusively/
Looks like I forgot to reply to your post... A belated thanks ! Your English is perfectly adequate. Great to hear my recordings are an inspiration for other amateur pianists. Yes it was (and is) really rewarding to study and play the WTC. Any pianist should be encouraged to do so. It's a hefty task, but the rewards are enormous. I can't think of any single work in all piano literature that contributes so much to musicality and technique. Bach is simply awesome.
Thanks ! Bach's music is so great and universal that it all but sounds good on any instrument. But I admit much preferring the piano to the harpsichord for this music.
You're quite humble to suggest that you're an amateur (at the time of uploading the video) for being able to play through all of these works. I am a second year student of a bachelor of music majoring in classical Piano in Australia, and we have to study a prelude and fugue for the first semester of this year. Even that very first fugue is revered as amongst the most challenging choices to play out of all of them. My teacher advised against taking it on at this stage, for which I am impressed that you could play through all of them in the first place, let alone the first book or fugue. Truly well done.
Thank you ! I am truly an amateur by definition. It's just a just a fact, nothing humble about it. Possibly a good amateur, yet still light years behind any professional pianist. But my Bach WTC cycle seems to strike a chord with many people, which never ceases to amaze me. The first fugue is quite difficult indeed. But most of them are, and it's a A minor fugue from Book I that takes the biscuit.
@@ChrisBreemer When you say you're an amateur, do you mean to say that you didn't take a path to professional playing? Like going to a college or university? I suppose that makes sense then. And yet pulled off a pretty big feat. I agree with you there, most of them would be hard! 😂 All the best!
@@andreasvandieaarde Sorry for the late reply. Sometimes YT does not notify me of comments. Indeed I do not have any professional training, except for taking some lessons with two good concert pianists (already a long time ago).
I am working on a couple of these from Book II, and it is very useful and enlightening to hear a gifted amateur perform them. These are not flashy, but they are grounded and intelligent. Thank you for posting this...I'm quite sure I will return to it in the future as a valuable reference.
Thanks David, I'm glad you appreciate this and find it useful. Good luck with your study ! It seems very wise to single out certain pairs and work them to perfection. I can never do that, being a compulsive completist :)
Wow! helemaal geweldig. Respect!! Ik ben er als amateur ook aan begonnen. De eerste 3 pr.&fug. zitten in de vingers. Jouw opname geeft inspiratie om daar lekker mee door te gaan. Bach verveelt nooit.
Dank ! Voor een vastberaden amateur is veel mogelijk, en als je fuga 3 al in de vingers hebt komt het zeker helemaal goed ! Veel succes en speelplezier gewenst.
Monumental! I stand in awe! I often choose the 48 (or Shostakovich's masterpiece inspired by them) to accompany me as I do my translation work: there's something about the counterpoint that seems to stimulate the brain in just the right way. Your wonderful performance will be added to my list.
Thank you ! I don't think I would play these works faster/more brilliant even if I had the technical means for it. But what a pity we have no clue how JSB himself would have played them.
Very good, it's inspiring! I've started to learn the piano 3 months ago because of Bach and my goal is to play the whole well tempered Clavier just like you did! I'm 30 now and been training at least 1 hour every day. How long do you thing I can make it? I guess at least 10 years...I came from a solid amateur musical background of bass and guitar. Right now I can play the first preludium well and the second very badly. By the way, I'm really enjoying your interpretation. Right now I'm listening to the second fugue and it sounds great! The 2nd preludium is very good too! It's my favorite so I always get it as my reference to decide if I like the pianist or not. thanks, Chris!
Thanks for your praise ! Happy to hear my work is an inspiration. Interesting that you started the piano because of Bach, and some lofty goal you have ! Normally one would start with the smaller pieces (Notenbuchlein, Little Preludes and Fugues), then move on the 2-part inventions, then to the 3-part Sinfonias and the French Suites. Only when all these hold no secrets and terrors one is anyway near ready to start the WTC. But sheer determination can make all the difference. If you are totally committed to and focused on the WTC and are prepared to dedicate several hours every day to it, then who knows where you can be in 10 years !
@@ChrisBreemer Thanks for you answer and tips! Yep, I know i'm not in the tradicional straighfoward way. But as my main objective is have fun and pleasure, I think it's ok! As long as I am enjoying and learning I'll keep on it. I've been listening the easyest bach themes also so if I fell in love for one of them I'll learn it too. 10 years is sure the minimum time required for this lofty ambitious goal. Actually I think I'll take way more or maybe even die before completing it all! Cheers
As a amateur musician, I would like to express my great admiration for the efforts you may have made with these recordings. They are all professional level, in my opinion. This, and other recordings from yours, are really a fountain of inspiration for us to follow learning, hearing and loving great music. Bravo and thank you very much!
Thank you Márcio ! It's really great to hear my recordings are an inspiration to fellow amateurs - even if they fall short (at least in my opinion) of professional standards.
Thank you so much @chrisbreemer! Kudos and commendations on a heck of an undertaking and accomplishment :) This is helping me immensely as I've been studying Human Anatomy in a summer class
Cheers ! Which goes to prove that Bach can offer inspiration and help with anything at all. I think had he chosen for another career than music, he would have been the best in his field also.
Great work! I hope to learn the whole WTC at some point as well. I especially love BWV 852. It was one of the last pieces I worked on with my piano teacher, and the prelude is my favorite of them all.
I have a CD from Glenn Gould - too hard, maybe an attempt to simulate the harpsichord. Your performance, Mister Breemer, I have much, much better. It is tender, much more kind to the Immortal Soul. Unfortunately, a change against an older note - I can not download such a long recording. Please can you put it here on UA-cam once again? But divided into two separate ones - Book I + Book II? Thank you for your willingness.
Nice to hear my performances are "better" than those of GG ;-) I have neither the immense insight nor the flawless technique of Gould but I agree my versions may sound warmer and kinder. Personally I find Gould's recordings very illuminating, but often irritating and pedantic. Not sure how downloading things from UA-cam works, but I have not heard of this issue before. What exactly is the problem ? Perhaps you can try a different browser ? I do not want to put up another video just for this, but I could upload all the mp3 files in two zip files if you wish. For this I need your email address.
Yes !! - GG is irritating and pedantic. Your performanec are much more beneficial to sensitive souls (I live with intense spiritual life). My email address is slavekx@centrum.cz. Please put each file individually into two emails. Thank you in advance for your willingness. Slavek Safranek
Well he's not always that - check out his Prokofiev Seventh Sonata ! I've uploaded the archives for you on WeTransfer (you should get emails with the links). You may need to download 7-Zip to unpack them.
Do you do anything besides piano playing? You are very gifted! I wouldn't be surprised to hear you play two to three hours per day. Congrats on this accomplishment.
Thanks for your feedback ! I am retired now but when I recorded these I was still working a day job with 2-3 hours commuting time every day. Two to three hours playing a day sounds about right, but even now I don't always get those.
Really good job ! .......The 2nd book is defenitly a more complex and abstract thing. it s always amazing to think that s just a fragment of Bach Work... Passions, Cantates, Suites, Partitas...etc....how does this is possiblle ??????
Thank you ! Not to forget what are for me his crowning achievements, i.e. the great organ chorales. Indeed it defies imagination how Bach could write all that, including a full cantata each week, with beauty and intellect perfectly matched, and could also be a singer, conductor, violin, harpsichord and organ player, and an expert in organ building and the fathering of children ! IMO a completer human being has never lived, and maybe never will.
Amazing work!! I chanced upon The Piano Society website several years ago, knowing precisely nothing about classical music. And It was a revelation. I couldn't believe the amount of fantastic piano music available. It soon became clear that there was this guy, Chris Breemer (ie. you) , who seemed to be methodically working his way through every piano piece known to Man. Goodness knows how you do it, but it's really inspirational! So thank you!
Haha yes, I used to be like that. I am still re-posting most of my recordings from that era here on YT, except the really crappy ones (the worst couple of hundred I had already deleted from Piano Society some years before, and done a lot of re-recording since). These days I try to put quality over quantity, and recording is very slow indeed. Glad to hear it's inspirational :D
Thanks ! Crisper trills could indeed be wished for. The sluggish instrument does not help. Now that I've gone digital, things might improve. I feel I'll need to revisit the WTC at some point.
Thank you your non-defensive reply. Actually, I find that there are many types of and ways to play trills (I am a pianist and cellist.) Ending one indistinctly could be a valid aesthetic choice - for example as a final note in a sad, romantic piece, morendo.
Haha that is on my mind. I'd love to do it but life may be too short. Already it's been over a year since I recorded no.1. So much to do, so little time....
What is the difference between an "amateur "who is able to play the most challenging music ever written and a "professional" who cannot (the majority of them) Congratulations for your Titanic labour Chris!
Well, the fact that not so many professional pianists play the WTC is probably not because they cannot. Surely they all have the required technique and education, and they all had the WTC drilled into them during their studies. The problem for them is they have to live up to the exalted performances of the great masters. I understand how this can be scary, because they'll immediately be compared to Gould, Hewitt, Schiff, Richter... A happy-go-lucky amateur like me is not bothered at all by this, because I can always say "Hey, I'm just an amateur, what do you expect ?" 😁 But I *do* get the meaning of what you write. It's a great compliment, many thanks for that !
Hi Chris. I am an Italian pianist graduated in the conservatory. I must congratulate your work done on this immense work of Bach. Incidentally, apart from the integral of this work by Bach you have uploaded other piano compositions on youtube channel? I know in my little video I made of the piano of different compositions including the Prelude No. 16 from Vol 1° in G minor. My channel has my same name (Renato Terzo). I would love if I share what I have achieved. Best wishes and vivid accessories. I apologize for my imperfect Englis Goodbye.
Hi Renato, thanks for the feedback. yes I do have some more stuff on my channel. And so have you, good playing there ! A pity that your upright piano does not sound very nice. Mine is out tune sometimes, too. I somewhat envy the people with a digital piano. Best wishes to you too !
No, in the end there isn't. But you have to admit that some high-end digitals (especially those with sampled sounds from Bosendorfer etc.) sound extremely rich and believable. And never a note out of tune, which is a huge advantage that makes me jealous... But still, I'll not trade in my cranky old Gaveau for one of those.
Pleasant interpretation of some of these difficult Pieces...but there are deep lacks in the voicing, and in style...i think honestly that Bach' s Well- Tempered Clavier must be played only by the so- called specialists (in public environment, i mean)....in every case, bravo Chris, these works are among the Highest results in the Output for the keyboard of all Times...so, thanks for this attempt and work.
Well, you could say that about a lot of music. Why should an amateur with limited technique and schooling attempt to record anything at all that has been played to perfection by many great masters ? Is it any different with e.g. the Goyescas ? But yes, I agree this could have been better and I am well aware of the flaws. The voicing is not good enough in many places, and there are signs of strain and effort throughout. Not sure about the style... I don't subscribe to any particular style, just play things like I feel them.
@@ChrisBreemer oh well, i think you play absolutely in a good manner for a very advanced- amateur as you are, but I have remarked my point of view ( and i couldn' t do this about all other pieces i' ve listened from you) only because WTC Is THE WORK for antonomasia ... In front of Bach all others Authors are only ...children playing around...so, we Can' t make any rebate... In every case WTC Is the most complex and valuable work of Art in Music that we have , so...let's work It all our lives long! ; )
Wonderful humble yet skillful performance of my favourite music of all times! Only sad you added ornaments of BWV 847 fugue😥 (I have a thing for this piece wanting it untouched) Curious but why WTC and not Beethoven or Liszt (or any composer that's famous you know) for example? Or maybe you played them too but, would you choose over the other?
Many thanks for your feedback ! I have not listened to these recordings in years, I think they are rather workmanlike and unsophisticated. Humble, probably :) Not sure I get your point about ornamentation in the 847 fugue. There are only a handful of trills, in what I think are key moments. I played a lot of Liszt in my time, but never got around to seriously practicing or recording. These days I seem to have other priorities - Chopin, Schumann to name but to in the same vein. Would love to record more Beethoven, a sonata cycle is on my wish list... but life is short and choices have to be made even though I cannot choose one composer over another.
It took me on average 2 to 4 weeks to learn one set of prelude and fugue.The A minor in Book 2 is a nightmare for me and also for my piano teacher as well. You seems to play it effortlessly. You have a very great gift Chris !
First, congratulations for your daring: few amateur have the bravery to tackle the Well Tempered Clavier and even less feel secure enough to record it integrally and publish it on UA-cam. Second: I still only have listened to some preludes and fugues, but I have to say that I still haven't heard a single piece that doesn't work, a thing I can't say of many others recordings! Is your piano tuned to an unequal temperament? In the second prelude and fugue of book 1 I could hear some resonances typical of well temperaments, but not enough to determine if it really isn't equal. Also, your piano sounds like it's from the end of the XIX century, am I right?
Hi Miguel, thanks for your feedback. I've lived with the WTC for a long time and actually this is my second complete recording, the first one not being very good. I'm glad to hear the current version seems to work. My piano is a Gabriel Gaveau the date of which I'm unsure about. It may be from the 1920's or so. It says "Maison fondee 1911" so it's definitely not from the XIX century :) To be honest I've no idea about the tuning. The tuner comes, does his thing, and I'm happy for a couple of months again :D
To be honest, there is not much difference from the end to the XIX century to the 1920's in sound, at least in the pianos I've heard. If you want to experiment, ask your tuner to tune your piano in Neidhart temperament or (better but less historical) in Equal Beating Victorian Temperament III: Bach plays with tonality in ways that equal temperament can't really represent, you would feel even more beauty and wit in this pieces!
Possibly so. But I do not play only Bach and I'm not sure historic temperaments would do anything for romantic or 20th century music. I would not be surprised if only selected baroque tuners could do these specialized tunings.
I think this tunings help a lot with romantic composers and even atonal: Schoenberg in EBVT was revelation for me! Neidhart is a bit heavy but EBVT is very close to equal. But you are right about the tuners not knowing them. (Sorry if I'm being pedantic. I'm listening to your recording right now and it is amazing)
Wait?? you are saying this is YOU playing all of these? PHENOMENAL my friend! Seriously... in these crazy times, these recordings are balm for the soul. Thank you so much. It is inspiring me to learn a whole bunch of these pieces now. Something about Bach's Preludes and Fugues, I don't know... they just feel... perfect. Your renditions would make him proud. Thank you!
Thanks !! Yes, it is me playing all these - actually my second integral recording of the WTC. I don't have such high opinion of these recordings myself, feeling they are adequate at best, but it seems a lot of people are very inspired by them, which is great ! Good luck with exploring this peerless music. Always time well spent !
I fully enjoyed your rendition, each one of them. Despite of some technical difficulties I can hear in some places, there is something extremely comfortable and relaxing about this recording, something most professional recordings are lacking. It's hard to put it into words, but "honesty" might be the one within my poor vocabulary...it doesn't force you to listen. A form of natural enjoyment that music always should be.
It's extremely rare for me to listen to the whole WTC in one occasion, but I didn't mind at all this time.....
I guess it's because you didn't try to stand out, to be unique, to sell your music whatever, the motivation that often makes listening experience exhausting....They sometimes put too much "extra values" into one piece.
But you just tried your best to perform WTC pure and simple, and Bach is here most certainly. I feel very secure, so comfortable.
Thank you so much.
Many thanks for your wonderful feedback ! I never expected so many people enjoying my recordings, but they seem to have a certain down-to-earth honesty that many listeners appreciate. And indeed, a technical vulnerability that makes people realize that this is not exalted music that can only be played by the greatest virtuoso musicians. And, an important point, that the music is so great that it does not need the self-conscious point-making you so often hear. Though having said that, I well understand why pianists may want to put their own unique stamp on it and stand out from the crowd.
Bravo! This is a lifetime accomplishment that I for one can only dream of. I bow in deep respect. David
Thank you David !
Marvellous. I hope you got as much pleasure out of learning and playing these as I'm getting from listening to them. When you love Bach, he loves you right back.
Thank you ! Indeed I have had many golden hours with Bach. He is both a hard task master and a dear friend.
Dear Chris, having (re-)heard recently many renditions of the WTK, eg Baremboim, Richter, Nikolayeva, Gould,... I was initially very surprised and skeptical by this (supposedly) pretentious amateur contribution...
Having listened (by now) to all of book I, I'm even more surprised by the quality of your execution! I particularly appreciate the voicing of poliphonic lines, the sense of rithm, the phrasing, the musicality (eg a minor and b flat minor, among others...). Frankly, one would tell that (maybe) you aren't a professional just from a slight inequality in a few fast preludes, which simply adds to a general impression of genuinity and freshness.
All in all, I'm deeply admired by your tremendous achievement, and as a piano and harpsichord amateur I feel really inspired!
Thank you again (of course I did subscribe...)
Samuele
Thank you very much Samuele ! Bringing out the different voices was my main goal here, but I don't feel it was always sufficient. And then there's these fast preludes which I sometimes find maddeningly difficult. Sometimes the amateur struggles a bit... But to hear that these recordings have some merit next to those of the greats (as more people have commented) makes me very happy ! I must be doing something right here 😊
If Chris is an “amateur”, 1) that makes it even more impressive, and 2) he’s kinda pro now that he has 61K views and I’m sure that will continue to grow!
@@Windycityduelingpianos Belated thanks for your comment ! I guess I am sort of half way between a dilettante and a professional 😃
This deserves praise. I cannot imagine how much time this must have taken. To someone like myself who plays intermediate, it really is encouraging to hear an amateur manage such a massive composition, although I'm sure these two books will always be beyond me. It really is a respectable and totally successful performance.
Many thanks Michael ! It sure does take a lot of time to get all these in an acceptable state, even when you know them inside out. Don't believe this music is beyond you, though ! If you really want to play it, and are willing to put in the hours, you will be amazed at what you can achieve.
Michael! Never ever get discouraged! I wrote all these --both books-- so that students, both of performance and of composition, can learn everything they need to know. So there are preludes and fugues of every complexity level. Just work your way through them and you'll be fine believe me!
And of course, Chris here is an exemplary student! I give him A+, and encourage him to take the Advanced Counterpoint 410, which happens to be the highest level course I teach, wherein we study the Art Of Fugue and each student then is assigned with completing the last contrapunctus as a final exam!
@@johannsebastianbach3411 Dear Grand Master Bach, thank you so much for your positive assessment ! I did not see it until just now, so apologies for the belated reply. You are too kind. I feel like I would need to study and record Das Wohltemperierte Klavier at least three more times before it would be any good. As for Die Kunst der Fuge, I did study (and indeed) record it but I found my efforts to be hugely unsatisfactory and unworthy of publishing. I have to concede this work is either too difficult for me to bring off successfully, or there are not enough hours in a day (maybe both). And I would never be able to complete your unfinished final fugue. Nonetheless, thank you for the encouragement !
The sad part is that this video and your great effort must have trillions of view right now... My heartliest gratitude for letting us enjoy such a great piece of history so nicely... 🙏🏻
Trillions, that would be nice :) But really it's not *that* good, compared to all the excellent versions by the great names. I am already happy with all the encouraging reactions, and the fact that the average listing time on this video is 23 minutes which seems not al all bad.
oh my God this is incredible, so much respect to you for attempting such a huge work...wow!!!!!!
¡ Congratulations !
I don't know why so many people don't like Bach being played on the piano. It sounds so wonderful, and your interpretation is flawless. Thank you.
Thank you for the big compliment ! Of course playing Bach on the piano is not very authentic, but Bach's music totally transcends any notions of authenticity. And I'll take the piano over a harpsichord or clavichord any time - as I'd like to think Bach would, had any good pianos been available in his time.
Having been a harpsichord builder for 15 years, I obviously love that instrument. But I love the works of Bach even more and firmly believe that his writing transcends instrumentation. Thank you for sharing this--well done!
Thanks for your feedback ! Indeed, Bach's music is so sublime and universal that it can sound great on (almost) every instrument. Even on a harpsichord 🤪
This is like knowing the Old Testament by heart😍. Lovely playing. A life’s work.
Thank you very much ! I don't know them by heart though :)
This is really wonderful! A few years ago I had this recording playing in my classroom every day for a semester. I just made the connection that you are the same guy that has so often brought me Haydn on the weekends. Bravo. Much respect and many thanks.
Thanks ! Same guy, different day :)
My life goal is to be able to play this entire piece by memory someday and listening to you play it helps me get through hours of practice-especially when I get frustrated. Also, you're an amazing pianist, absolutely incredible!
What impresses me most is how in slower passages, you capture the "etheral voice" on the piano.
Our vulnerable yet resilient souls endure the passage of time, passing the beacon on and on. In Bach's time people were generally more conscious of this, because of course they had few ways to combat illness and death. The singing human voice, then, was a proclamation of life and the enduring spirit, weaving between optimism and melancholy. This is hard for most to reproduce authentically because the world they know is too far removed.
I also like the neat layout of the books onscreen.
I think you glide over small errors smoothly and I can't tell you what a great asset this skill is. If you get hung up on small details it can be suffocating.
Anyway as many others have stated, a grand feat to be proud of.
Many thanks for your perceptive comment ! I love your poetic second paragraph. And great you like my video still 😀
This has scared me a little, I am honored to watch man. You've undertook something very flawlessly that most pianists, regardless of technical skill, wouldn't even dream of attempting!
As a composer, I am inspired!!
Thank you Josh ! I guess most pianists ar wise enough to leave the WTC to those who can really make it speak, which indeed are not many. I still feel I should have done so, too, but I am a compulsive completist ;-) (Is that even a word ?)
What kind of piano did you play for the recording?
:)
@@benjammin6692 I see your question only just now. It's a refurbished Gabriel Gaveau grand from ca.1920.
The complete WTC is a major endeavour for any professional musician, almost impossible for sombody who calls himself an "amateur", but you did it! And quite convincingly! Indeed, in ocasions more transparently than more than one eminent pianist.
Congratulations!
Thank you !!!
Your performance is so crisp. I thoroughly enjoyed your unique touch in Bartok's For Children. Thank you.
@@victoriakim1360 Many thanks for your feedback! Great to hear 🙂 Love your avatar btw. Maria was one of the great beauties in royal history IMO. Her tragic fate makes me sad... she and her siblings were not to blame for their father's mishaps.
I appreciate this publication very much. Thank you
Thank you too ! It would have been much more useful with the score following along though. I am a bit ashamed I did not want to spend that extra time back then.
Congratulations, not only for the effort and the enormous work that this musical monument requires, but also for the high level of your playing. As a professional pianist and teacher, all my respect and admiration for you. All of us who pray to the God of music who is Bach, we thank you!.
Thank you so much Pablo ! Such feedback means a lot to me, especially when coming from a professional musician. As you say, Bach is the God of Music. His greatness is awesome, incomprehensible and yet comforting.
Dear Chis, the truth is that I do not know what piano training you have, I do not even know your nationality, or your age, but after listening your recording, I have to tell you that I do not know the meaning of the word "professional" in a musician . Many of my students who whant to be "professionals" or many of my colleagues who say they are, should listen your recording. You play with love and respect to music, with rigor and musicality and with technical control of the instrument and the polyphonic structure ... if this is not to be a "professional pianist", I do not know what it is. Thank you for the gift that you give us playing the piano so well !!!!
Sure, having music as a profession does not guarantee great musicality, nor great love for the music. It's just their job, right ? In some ways it's better being an amateur, in the true sense of that word. As for myself, I have not had all that much real training at all. Piano lessons in my youth (long ago, I'm 65 now), and a couple of years lessons with two professional pianists some 10 years ago. I'd still say I am mostly autodidact though, and it still doesn't come easy, not having the rock solid technique of a professional. But it's great to hear my efforts being enjoyed and appreciated !
Восхитительно!!! Душа отдыхает... Браво!!!♥️
Спасибо !
Chris - I can't thank you enough for this work of WTC. As a former piano player and organist, this musical collection always meant a great deal to me. I enjoy very much your tempo here and you communicate very well the spirit of the music (and Bach, don't you know . . . ). Your wonderful interpretation will provide me many hours of happy listening. Thank you ever so much!
Hi Carey, you are welcome and thanks for your reaction. It never ceases to amaze me that in such a crowded field, with so many outstanding versions by the great masters, and the music being so great and daunting, my humble and imperfect amateur recordings find such acclaim. Such feedback means a lot to me and is really motivating !
Your interpretation brought me to cry. Love it!
Great to hear ! Just curious, any prelude or fugue in particular ?
My goodness Chris, I had no idea you had performed and posted this monumental work - a work which is for me the pinnacle of all music! Allow me to listen to it ahead of further comment! So excited :)
I'd be very surprised if anybody can listen this through to the end.... I certainly can't listen to it for more than a couple of minutes. Although there's nothing really horrible, I don't think it came out very well. The many positive comments continue to amaze me.
Bach's voicing is so complex. I like your expressiveness you showed in this recording. The Urtext edition (the one I have) comes out an "improviser" on the contrapuntal skills and in piano techniques such as fingering, balanced legato, well-choiced pedaling etc. Good job!
Thank you !
The clarity of this performance is outstanding. Bravo
Thank you for the compliment ! I think the voicing leaves much to be desired yet., but I did my best :)
Great job! It is not GOULD, but kind of GOLD.
Works for me, thanks ! :)
Listening to BWV 883 - Prelude and Fugue No.14 in F sharp minor now. It is one of my absolute favourites and I can only say this is beautifully done, Chris! Thank you for uploading.
This is a monumental achievement and I am thankful that I can share in your joy.
Many thanks for your feedback George ! Much appreciated.
So far, I have been cherry-picking my favourite parts of the WTC as a rather sneaky means of introducing myself to your performance of this transcendent work. I'm sitting here with a big smile on my face, and the occasional tear. Smiles? Because there is something distinctly appealing about a skilful, non-professional performance. It communicates afresh: brings new enjoyment from a work which has become part of one's musical DNA. Tears? Well, I scarcely need to explain do I - suffice it to say that Bach's ability to evoke one's deepest emotions, combined with your dedication and talent as pianist in bringing it to us - all of a piece as it were - is pretty potent stuff! Sincerest congratulations Chris.
Thank you Anthony ! This sentiment sounds familiar from what other posters wrote. That a dedicated amateur can pull this off is apparently an inspiration for many. Bach can indeed, like few others, move me to tears also, by the sheer unsurpassed beauty and feeling he puts in his music. Though I have this more readily with his (selected) cantatas, masses, passions, and organ chorales (the latter I probably love most). Bach's religious output seems to resonate most with me.
Sir András Schiff has noted religious themes throughout the WTC, as you probably know. Even though my Faith is all but moribund, I remain a cultural Anglican. And even if I were a complete atheist, Bach's B Minor Mass would for me reign supreme in all of choral music.
Excellent! I hacked away at the B Major Prelude, book 1, and the C major fugue, book 2. I am in awe!
Thank you ! I hope my recordings inspire you to explore more of these priceless pieces.
I have many recordings of the WTC by many top pianists (Gould, Richter, Barenboim, Pollini, Aimard etc) and your interpretation is as good as theirs. This is great for an amateur pianist! Keep on the good work!
Why, that is a compliment if there ever was one ! Being my own worst critic I have some trouble believing my interpretation is anywhere near the level of that of these great artists.... but many thanks for suggesting it ! At least I do know that my recordings are good by amateur standards
Prima di ascoltare questa esecuzione, pensavo che il massimo fosse Richter. Adesso so che esiste anche un'altra interpretazione " superba". Bravo, grazie per averlo caricato.
Many thanks for your feedback ! I would have thought my amateur performances were adequate rather than superb, not coming anywhere near any of the the famous versions of the greatest pianists. But I'm happy to hear these are being appreciated !
Very well played, and I don't need visuals. I'm just thankful for an excellent version of this great work that can be heard without being interrupted by irritating ads without having to install spyware to block them.
Thanks for the feedback ! Surprising that there are no ads here, as I've monetized all my videos. I don't like doing it, but it's the only way to get some financial reward for my work.
Wow. Great music. Thank you for making this available. I am not very knowledgable so I won't try to sound like I am, but I listened to book 1 and have enjoyed it, enjoyed your very human musicality, and am grateful that you are generous enough to share this with people. If I find book 2 when I look later I'll happily listen to that, also. Others I have heard include Gould, Jarrett, Richter and a piano teacher in the DallasTX area who posted his own little concert presentation of book 1. Yours is not like the others, yours has humanity throughout, something I'm really enjoying. Thanks, again.
Thank you ! Glad you enjoyed it, this is great feedback. I guess the WTC can be a little overbearing in the pristine and perfect versions of the great masters, whereas my humble and fallible interpretations (or humanly musical, as you so kindly put it) make people realize that an amateur can actually do this. I think that is the main reason my video is so well received by so many. Not the quality per se, but the fact that people can relate to it.
oh wow! Thank you so much for that! This is a treasure for humanity and the future.
It is not *that* good.
@@ChrisBreemer I guess it is!
love the clarity of your touch - delicate but positive. Bach would be proud of you :)
Thank you ! Clarity is what it's all about with Bach. Yes I'd like to think Bach would have been appreciative of my recordings - but his standards were high and I don't think he was easy to please.
This is absolutely beautiful music! Definitely one of my favorite interpretations of the WTC besides Gould's, which is saying something! The clarity and articulation is top notch, one can tell you put your heart and soul into this recording and for that I congratulate and thank you!
Thank you very much ! This is great praise indeed. These recordings must be better than I thought they were :)
Congratulations! This is just AMAZING!
Thank you !
bravo. this is a monumental achievement. thank you for sharing
Thanks and you are welcome !
Whoooaaaa!!! That's a HUGE work. Congratulations on achieving this ENORMOUS milestone!!! I'm sure it was really rewarding.
Of course it makes no sense to upload an amateur recording of these if they're to be compared with any professional recording, but it has enormous value as it is a great inspiration for us your fellow amateur pianists!
Again, congratulations! I wish my English was better so that I could describe what I'm thinking more effusively/
Looks like I forgot to reply to your post... A belated thanks ! Your English is perfectly adequate. Great to hear my recordings are an inspiration for other amateur pianists. Yes it was (and is) really rewarding to study and play the WTC. Any pianist should be encouraged to do so. It's a hefty task, but the rewards are enormous. I can't think of any single work in all piano literature that contributes so much to musicality and technique. Bach is simply awesome.
this is impressive and definitely a very proud achievement! congratulations! you've accomplished what I only dream of. very tastefully done, too!
Thank you Erik ! I think there still is a lot to learn and improve for me though. One is never done with this music.
Bach sounds so perfect on piano ♡
Very good, thank you for the music, Chris!
Thanks ! Bach's music is so great and universal that it all but sounds good on any instrument. But I admit much preferring the piano to the harpsichord for this music.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I DON'T REMEMBER HAVING LISTENED TO A PERFORMANCE EMITING SUCH FRESHNESS AND ENTHOUSIASM!
Many thanks for your kind comment ! I'm happy to hear my enthusiasm is coming across :)
You're quite humble to suggest that you're an amateur (at the time of uploading the video) for being able to play through all of these works. I am a second year student of a bachelor of music majoring in classical Piano in Australia, and we have to study a prelude and fugue for the first semester of this year. Even that very first fugue is revered as amongst the most challenging choices to play out of all of them. My teacher advised against taking it on at this stage, for which I am impressed that you could play through all of them in the first place, let alone the first book or fugue. Truly well done.
Thank you ! I am truly an amateur by definition. It's just a just a fact, nothing humble about it. Possibly a good amateur, yet still light years behind any professional pianist. But my Bach WTC cycle seems to strike a chord with many people, which never ceases to amaze me. The first fugue is quite difficult indeed. But most of them are, and it's a A minor fugue from Book I that takes the biscuit.
@@ChrisBreemer When you say you're an amateur, do you mean to say that you didn't take a path to professional playing? Like going to a college or university? I suppose that makes sense then. And yet pulled off a pretty big feat. I agree with you there, most of them would be hard! 😂 All the best!
@@andreasvandieaarde Sorry for the late reply. Sometimes YT does not notify me of comments. Indeed I do not have any professional training, except for taking some lessons with two good concert pianists (already a long time ago).
Awesooome work =) ! Enjoying it as a fellow Bach and WTC student
Splendid! Thanks for the upload!
Thanks and you're welcome !
I am working on a couple of these from Book II, and it is very useful and enlightening to hear a gifted amateur perform them. These are not flashy, but they are grounded and intelligent. Thank you for posting this...I'm quite sure I will return to it in the future as a valuable reference.
Thanks David, I'm glad you appreciate this and find it useful. Good luck with your study ! It seems very wise to single out certain pairs and work them to perfection. I can never do that, being a compulsive completist :)
WONDERFUL! Nicht maniriert, sondern eine schlichte und menschliche Interpretation, die ohne Firlefanz für einen Amateur absolut bewundernswert ist!!
Vielen dank 😎
Wow! helemaal geweldig. Respect!! Ik ben er als amateur ook aan begonnen. De eerste 3 pr.&fug. zitten in de vingers. Jouw opname geeft inspiratie om daar lekker mee door te gaan. Bach verveelt nooit.
Dank ! Voor een vastberaden amateur is veel mogelijk, en als je fuga 3 al in de vingers hebt komt het zeker helemaal goed ! Veel succes en speelplezier gewenst.
Thanks John and Barjozz !
Monumental! I stand in awe! I often choose the 48 (or Shostakovich's masterpiece inspired by them) to accompany me as I do my translation work: there's something about the counterpoint that seems to stimulate the brain in just the right way. Your wonderful performance will be added to my list.
Thank you Aaron ! I am also in awe of Shostakovich's Op.87 cycle, but alas I have not got the technique to play all of them.
My admiration to you for this undertaking. I am now a subscriber.
Excellent. ..people often confuse virtuosity n speed as a hallmark of good music...your version is very beautiful n relaxed .thanks for the upload.
Thank you ! I don't think I would play these works faster/more brilliant even if I had the technical means for it. But what a pity we have no clue how JSB himself would have played them.
Very good, it's inspiring! I've started to learn the piano 3 months ago because of Bach and my goal is to play the whole well tempered Clavier just like you did! I'm 30 now and been training at least 1 hour every day. How long do you thing I can make it? I guess at least 10 years...I came from a solid amateur musical background of bass and guitar. Right now I can play the first preludium well and the second very badly.
By the way, I'm really enjoying your interpretation. Right now I'm listening to the second fugue and it sounds great! The 2nd preludium is very good too! It's my favorite so I always get it as my reference to decide if I like the pianist or not.
thanks, Chris!
Thanks for your praise ! Happy to hear my work is an inspiration. Interesting that you started the piano because of Bach, and some lofty goal you have ! Normally one would start with the smaller pieces (Notenbuchlein, Little Preludes and Fugues), then move on the 2-part inventions, then to the 3-part Sinfonias and the French Suites. Only when all these hold no secrets and terrors one is anyway near ready to start the WTC. But sheer determination can make all the difference. If you are totally committed to and focused on the WTC and are prepared to dedicate several hours every day to it, then who knows where you can be in 10 years !
@@ChrisBreemer Thanks for you answer and tips! Yep, I know i'm not in the tradicional straighfoward way. But as my main objective is have fun and pleasure, I think it's ok! As long as I am enjoying and learning I'll keep on it.
I've been listening the easyest bach themes also so if I fell in love for one of them I'll learn it too.
10 years is sure the minimum time required for this lofty ambitious goal. Actually I think I'll take way more or maybe even die before completing it all!
Cheers
Greatest music!👏👏👏
You got that right !
Muchas gracias!!! Es un Tesoro que conservaré el resto de mi vida!
You are welcome 😊
As a amateur musician, I would like to express my great admiration for the efforts you may have made with these recordings. They are all professional level, in my opinion. This, and other recordings from yours, are really a fountain of inspiration for us to follow learning, hearing and loving great music. Bravo and thank you very much!
Thank you Márcio ! It's really great to hear my recordings are an inspiration to fellow amateurs - even if they fall short (at least in my opinion) of professional standards.
This is wonderful ... Bravo ... and thank You ...
Thank you Kevin !
WTC I: Pr. & F # 24: GREAT! Dyonisian performance! Best wishes for you.
Many thanks ! This fugue is long and winding, and not at all easy to hold together. Glad to hear I did a good job on it :)
Absolutely exquisite ❤
Thanks ! Glad you like it 😊
Thank you so much @chrisbreemer! Kudos and commendations on a heck of an undertaking and accomplishment :)
This is helping me immensely as I've been studying Human Anatomy in a summer class
Cheers ! Which goes to prove that Bach can offer inspiration and help with anything at all. I think had he chosen for another career than music, he would have been the best in his field also.
Great work! I hope to learn the whole WTC at some point as well. I especially love BWV 852. It was one of the last pieces I worked on with my piano teacher, and the prelude is my favorite of them all.
Thanks ! I'm not much into picking favorites, but if I had to choose one prelude it might also be this one. It is mind-blowing !
Thank you Chris!
My pleasure :)
Very good, beautiful. I download to disc - great morning and meditation music. Thank you wholeheartedly for providing a recording.
Thank you ! Great to hear you appreciate my effort :)
I have a CD from Glenn Gould - too hard, maybe an attempt to simulate the harpsichord. Your performance, Mister Breemer, I have much, much better.
It is tender, much more kind to the Immortal Soul.
Unfortunately, a change against an older note - I can not download such a long recording. Please can you put it here on UA-cam once again? But divided into two separate ones - Book I + Book II? Thank you for your willingness.
Nice to hear my performances are "better" than those of GG ;-) I have neither the immense insight nor the flawless technique of Gould but I agree my versions may sound warmer and kinder. Personally I find Gould's recordings very illuminating, but often irritating and pedantic.
Not sure how downloading things from UA-cam works, but I have not heard of this issue before. What exactly is the problem ? Perhaps you can try a different browser ? I do not want to put up another video just for this, but I could upload all the mp3 files in two zip files if you wish. For this I need your email address.
Yes !! - GG is irritating and pedantic. Your performanec are much more beneficial to sensitive souls (I live with intense spiritual life). My email address is slavekx@centrum.cz.
Please put each file individually into two emails. Thank you in advance for your willingness. Slavek Safranek
Well he's not always that - check out his Prokofiev Seventh Sonata !
I've uploaded the archives for you on WeTransfer (you should get emails with the links). You may need to download 7-Zip to unpack them.
Do you do anything besides piano playing? You are very gifted! I wouldn't be surprised to hear you play two to three hours per day. Congrats on this accomplishment.
Thanks for your feedback ! I am retired now but when I recorded these I was still working a day job with 2-3 hours commuting time every day. Two to three hours playing a day sounds about right, but even now I don't always get those.
Well here it is, the "Holy Grail " and "Old Testament" of keyboard literature. This is wonderful!
Thank you ! Glad to hear you appreciate it.
Thank you. Thats great. Going to Piano Society to get this recordings.
Really good job ! .......The 2nd book is defenitly a more complex and abstract thing. it s always amazing to think that s just a fragment of Bach Work... Passions, Cantates, Suites, Partitas...etc....how does this is possiblle ??????
Thank you ! Not to forget what are for me his crowning achievements, i.e. the great organ chorales. Indeed it defies imagination how Bach could write all that, including a full cantata each week, with beauty and intellect perfectly matched, and could also be a singer, conductor, violin, harpsichord and organ player, and an expert in organ building and the fathering of children ! IMO a completer human being has never lived, and maybe never will.
May I congratulate you Chris for uploading this great performance as a amateur player.
Thanks ! It is not as good as I would like but quite passable by amateur standards :)
This is excellent. I have played 7 pairs from book 1, 3 pairs from book 2. Hope I can complete it one day.
Thank you ! And good luck studying this iconic collection of great music 👍
Beautiful !!!
Thank you! Cheers!
Amazing work!!
I chanced upon The Piano Society website several years ago, knowing precisely nothing about classical music. And It was a revelation. I couldn't believe the amount of fantastic piano music available. It soon became clear that there was this guy, Chris Breemer (ie. you) , who seemed to be methodically working his way through every piano piece known to Man. Goodness knows how you do it, but it's really inspirational! So thank you!
Haha yes, I used to be like that. I am still re-posting most of my recordings from that era here on YT, except the really crappy ones (the worst couple of hundred I had already deleted from Piano Society some years before, and done a lot of re-recording since). These days I try to put quality over quantity, and recording is very slow indeed. Glad to hear it's inspirational :D
Fantastic!!
Thank you😎
I'll listen to it all. And then I'll go to sleep. thanks
Hmmm.... I did not realize it was *that* boring :D
hahaha I know you are joking, but I always listen to some bach before going to sleep. When I try listening to scriabin, I don't sleep
Never tried that, but I can imagine. I hope you slept well, then, after listening to almost 5 hours of amateur playing ;-)
I wish that I could be ''that'' amateur
bravo from Slovakia!
Thank you 😀
Great video! Thank you.
Haha, as a video it sucks big time ;-) The audio is not too bad I hope though.
Wonderful, refreshing, and quite joyful. Just one thing, I encourage you to work on the ending of your trills, as they tend to end indistinctly.
Thanks ! Crisper trills could indeed be wished for. The sluggish instrument does not help. Now that I've gone digital, things might improve. I feel I'll need to revisit the WTC at some point.
Thank you your non-defensive reply. Actually, I find that there are many types of and ways to play trills (I am a pianist and cellist.) Ending one indistinctly could be a valid aesthetic choice - for example as a final note in a sad, romantic piece, morendo.
@@brianzayman2228 It probably was not a choice.... I dont like being indistinct. I blame the instrument and poor technique 🥸
BRILLIANT. GRATITUDE
Thank you 😊
Awesome!!!👏👏👏
Thank you! Cheers!
WONDERFUL!
Thank you !
When can we expect the complete Beethoven sonatas? j/k. Congratulations on completing a major task such as this!
Haha that is on my mind. I'd love to do it but life may be too short. Already it's been over a year since I recorded no.1. So much to do, so little time....
Complete Haydn Symphonies?
Jk I think there's a limit to how long a video can be and I think you would need at least 10 videos to do that
@@stevehenderson6090 Not the symphonies 🤣 but I have by now recorded all the Haydn Sonatas if that counts.
Great job! :)
Thank you !
What is the difference between an "amateur "who is able to play the most challenging music ever written and a "professional" who cannot (the majority of them)
Congratulations for your Titanic labour Chris!
Well, the fact that not so many professional pianists play the WTC is probably not because they cannot. Surely they all have the required technique and education, and they all had the WTC drilled into them during their studies. The problem for them is they have to live up to the exalted performances of the great masters. I understand how this can be scary, because they'll immediately be compared to Gould, Hewitt, Schiff, Richter... A happy-go-lucky amateur like me is not bothered at all by this, because I can always say "Hey, I'm just an amateur, what do you expect ?" 😁
But I *do* get the meaning of what you write. It's a great compliment, many thanks for that !
RESPECT
😀
Thank you
You're welcome !
Hi Chris. I am an Italian pianist graduated in the conservatory. I must congratulate your work done on this immense work of Bach. Incidentally, apart from the integral of this work by Bach you have uploaded other piano compositions on youtube channel? I know in my little video I made of the piano of different compositions including the Prelude No. 16 from Vol 1° in G minor. My channel has my same name (Renato Terzo). I would love if I share what I have achieved. Best wishes and vivid accessories. I apologize for my imperfect Englis Goodbye.
Hi Renato, thanks for the feedback. yes I do have some more stuff on my channel. And so have you, good playing there ! A pity that your upright piano does not sound very nice. Mine is out tune sometimes, too. I somewhat envy the people with a digital piano. Best wishes to you too !
Well. I think there is no comparison between a piano and digital and acoustic.
No, in the end there isn't. But you have to admit that some high-end digitals (especially those with sampled sounds from Bosendorfer etc.) sound extremely rich and believable. And never a note out of tune, which is a huge advantage that makes me jealous... But still, I'll not trade in my cranky old Gaveau for one of those.
As indeed you might speak well of digital panoforti with sampled sounds of the harpsichord, right? Thank you so much.
I have no experience with those, having no particular desire to play harpsichord (or even listen to one).
You’ve climbed a mountain bro good work
Thank you 😊
Favorited.
Deep respect. So beautiful.
Thank you !
heyehey gooooooood we are all fan of JSB !
I know. Everybody loves Bach. And if they don't, they should ;-)
Respect
Thanks !
Wellcome!
Pleasant interpretation of some of these difficult Pieces...but there are deep lacks in the voicing, and in style...i think honestly that Bach' s Well- Tempered Clavier must be played only by the so- called specialists (in public environment, i mean)....in every case, bravo Chris, these works are among the Highest results in the Output for the keyboard of all Times...so, thanks for this attempt and work.
Well, you could say that about a lot of music. Why should an amateur with limited technique and schooling attempt to record anything at all that has been played to perfection by many great masters ? Is it any different with e.g. the Goyescas ? But yes, I agree this could have been better and I am well aware of the flaws. The voicing is not good enough in many places, and there are signs of strain and effort throughout. Not sure about the style... I don't subscribe to any particular style, just play things like I feel them.
@@ChrisBreemer oh well, i think you play absolutely in a good manner for a very advanced- amateur as you are, but
I have remarked my point of view ( and i couldn' t do this about all other pieces i' ve listened from you) only because WTC Is THE WORK for antonomasia ...
In front of Bach all others Authors are only ...children playing around...so, we Can' t make any rebate...
In every case WTC Is the most complex and valuable work of Art in Music that we have , so...let's work It all our lives long!
; )
Wonderful humble yet skillful performance of my favourite music of all times!
Only sad you added ornaments of BWV 847 fugue😥 (I have a thing for this piece wanting it untouched)
Curious but why WTC and not Beethoven or Liszt (or any composer that's famous you know) for example? Or maybe you played them too but, would you choose over the other?
Many thanks for your feedback ! I have not listened to these recordings in years, I think they are rather workmanlike and unsophisticated. Humble, probably :) Not sure I get your point about ornamentation in the 847 fugue. There are only a handful of trills, in what I think are key moments.
I played a lot of Liszt in my time, but never got around to seriously practicing or recording. These days I seem to have other priorities - Chopin, Schumann to name but to in the same vein. Would love to record more Beethoven, a sonata cycle is on my wish list... but life is short and choices have to be made even though I cannot choose one composer over another.
nice
It took me on average 2 to 4 weeks to learn one set of prelude and fugue.The A minor in Book 2 is a nightmare for me and also for my piano teacher as well. You seems to play it effortlessly. You have a very great gift Chris !
That one is not too bad. It's the a minor fugue in book 1 that is a real nightmare. And several of the preludes I find maddeningly difficult.
Sublime music
Stating the obvious :)
Does clarity bother you ??
First, congratulations for your daring: few amateur have the bravery to tackle the Well Tempered Clavier and even less feel secure enough to record it integrally and publish it on UA-cam. Second: I still only have listened to some preludes and fugues, but I have to say that I still haven't heard a single piece that doesn't work, a thing I can't say of many others recordings!
Is your piano tuned to an unequal temperament? In the second prelude and fugue of book 1 I could hear some resonances typical of well temperaments, but not enough to determine if it really isn't equal. Also, your piano sounds like it's from the end of the XIX century, am I right?
Hi Miguel, thanks for your feedback. I've lived with the WTC for a long time and actually this is my second complete recording, the first one not being very good. I'm glad to hear the current version seems to work. My piano is a Gabriel Gaveau the date of which I'm unsure about. It may be from the 1920's or so. It says "Maison fondee 1911" so it's definitely not from the XIX century :) To be honest I've no idea about the tuning. The tuner comes, does his thing, and I'm happy for a couple of months again :D
To be honest, there is not much difference from the end to the XIX century to the 1920's in sound, at least in the pianos I've heard.
If you want to experiment, ask your tuner to tune your piano in Neidhart temperament or (better but less historical) in Equal Beating Victorian Temperament III: Bach plays with tonality in ways that equal temperament can't really represent, you would feel even more beauty and wit in this pieces!
Possibly so. But I do not play only Bach and I'm not sure historic temperaments would do anything for romantic or 20th century music. I would not be surprised if only selected baroque tuners could do these specialized tunings.
I think this tunings help a lot with romantic composers and even atonal: Schoenberg in EBVT was revelation for me! Neidhart is a bit heavy but EBVT is very close to equal. But you are right about the tuners not knowing them.
(Sorry if I'm being pedantic. I'm listening to your recording right now and it is amazing)
J. S. Bach indeed challenges in more ways than one.
I see yours are taped too.
Not so much taped (Henle's don't usually need that) but protected with book plastic.
Mr. Breemer, I played that song for you
Thanks, I am honored :)