Well-Tempered Clavier, Volume II (BWV 870-893): Piano Book

Bischoff's editorial work transforms this monumental collection into an actively teachable score rather than an artifact. The footnotes on nearly every page provide historical context and practical guidance that illuminate Bach's compositional intentions, making it possible for students to understand not just what to play, but why each gesture matters.

The Well-Tempered Clavier unfolds like a mathematical proof that becomes increasingly human. Each prelude establishes a world of pure figuration or harmonic exploration; each fugue then asks you to maintain multiple melodic lines while following Bach's relentless logic, creating moments of profound clarity and moments of deliberate contrapuntal complexity.

Advanced pianists working toward mastery of baroque keyboard style and serious music students building the technical and theoretical foundation that Bach's writing demands. Teachers preparing students for conservatory entrance examinations or building a comprehensive classical repertoire will find this edition essential.

• Attend to the fingerings and articulation marks that Bischoff has restored; they reflect historical performance practice and often unlock technical clarity that modern fingering conventions miss.
• Treat each prelude and fugue as a complete character study. Bach uses the prelude to establish a specific figuration or harmonic environment, then develops it exhaustively in the fugue that follows.
• Balance the independence of voices carefully in the fugues; when one voice has the subject, others should remain present but subordinate, creating transparency rather than muddiness.
• Use the footnotes to inform interpretation before relying on external recordings. Bach's own architectural decisions reveal how tempo, registration, and phrasing should relate to the underlying structure.

Volume II works as the capstone in a year-long Bach study, allowing students to consolidate what they've learned across the first volume and apply it to the more elaborate key relationships and structural innovations of these later preludes and fugues. Assigning individual BWV numbers throughout the year keeps Bach alive in the practice room without demanding a complete memorization project.

• Independent voice leading in four-part counterpoint
• Subject recognition and fugal architecture (exposition, development, recapitulation)
• Harmonic analysis in all major and minor keys
• Keyboard distribution and hand position management across baroque figuration
• Historical awareness of performing practice conventions in the early 18th century
• Ornamentation and articulation in the baroque style