of Bach and Temperament

>Has anyone recorded WTC 1 or 2 in well-temperament?

There are quite a few harpsichords tuned to equal temperament, but the vast
majority are not. I actually have the WTC's on piano, and despite the equal
temperament, I find it really a much more satisfying performance, as pianos
are sooo good :~)

So I am sure it has been many times, and you can probably find at least one
version on CD at your average Tower Records.

>What does a well-tempered harpsicord sound like?

Better listen for yourself. I've heard bits of harpsichord performances of
the WTC's, but they were either too long ago, not under favorable listening
conditions, or both for me to determine the tuning. Thing is, harpsichords
aren't the most lush sounding things in the world (although they do what
they do VERY well).

If you really want to hear some Xentuned WTC, I can recommend Switched-On
Bach 2000 (Telarc). It features Prelude and Fugue numbers 7 and 2 from WTC
1 in excellent meantone and well temperament, respectively. They sound great.

There is the question of what "well temperament" means. I have most often
seen it used to mean "circular temperament", and that is how Wendy Carlos
used it regarding S-OB 2000. Circular temperament, as I understand it, is
any temperament where the sharps and flats are the same inside 12 fifths ->
Werckmeister, Kirnberger, Young, etc.

But there's no need to go to contortions. By calling his work the "Well
Tempered Clavier", I believe Bach simply meant it was for any where your ear
(the most important one!) could stand all the keys.

There is a belief that Bach had his own particular temperament that he used.
Well, I don't doubt it, except when he used an instrument that he didn't
tune (like his favorite pipe organs) himself (as Neil points out).
Naturally, there is a great interest in finding out what this tuning was,
despite the fact that there is not enough info available that anybody could
ever tell for sure.

It has been suggested that it was Kirnberger 3 (as Kirnberger was one of
Bach's students) having the fifths C-G-D-A-E each narrow by 1/4 a
pythagorean comma. One H.A. Kellner proposed a temperament where these
fifths were narrow by 1/5 a pythagorean comma instead. Jonny Reinhard is
reported to be an expert on this subject.

There is a short baroque-style ditty in Kirnberger (not 3) on my website at...

http://users.nni.com/source_of_goodenss/ericarl.html

..called "Clavichordius Terrificus". It isn't very dramatic, but you can
hear the difference between it's equal-tempered midi version, which hardly
offers the Just dominant and tonic triads.

Carl


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