The Well-Tempered Clavier Opener Bach Prelude in C Major • Hobbyist Performance
This video features another take of my studio performance of J.S. Bach’s Prelude in C Major, BWV 846, recorded in a rented studio in the summer of 2025. In this rendition, I’ve added a delicate trill and a rolled chord at the end to personalize the conclusion. The Prelude offers ample opportunity for expressive wrist action and dynamic contrast. Since Bach left no specific crescendo or decrescendo markings, performers are free to shape these dynamics however they wish. Some musicians choose to end boldly, while others prefer a soft, introspective close—it all comes down to individual style and expression. I learned this Grade 7 piece during a non-credit piano course as an adult hobbyist, and mastering a classic work composed in 1722—303 years ago—feels like a major milestone. Bach’s Prelude remains a timeless work—sublime, gentle, and spiritually uplifting. Its simplicity and depth continue to captivate performers and listeners alike. Written as the opening prelude to The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I, it exemplifies Bach’s blend of clarity, depth, and spiritual lift. Preludes were often played before a fugue, and the companion to this piece is Bach’s Fugue in C Major (BWV 846). Originally scored for harpsichord, the Prelude has different tonal colors on that instrument than on the modern piano, yet its interplay of tension and resolution translates beautifully today. Part of a collection of 48 preludes and fugues exploring all 24 major and minor keys, this work also demonstrated the possibilities of equal temperament at a time when tuning systems were evolving. This classic, 300-year-old masterpiece offers a sublime and beautiful tonal landscape. It’s both relaxing and stress-relieving, with delicate phrasing that invites mindfulness and imbues every bar with spiritual depth. #Bach #PreludeInC #PianoCover #AdultLearner #StudioRecording #pianomusic #pianocover #pianoclassical #pianoclassic #pianoclassics #pianoharmony #jsbach #johannsebastianbach #pianosolo #pianolearn #pianostudio #pianostudy #pianorelaxing #pianorepertoire #pianorelajante #pianorelaxation #pianorelaxante #pianorelaxmusic
