Album insights
Deutsche Grammophon has released a new recording of Part 1 of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier on harpsichord for the first time since 1983. Conductor, harpsichordist, and early music expert, Trevor Pinnock, displays his deep personal fascination for one of Bach's most intricate works in this recording. Pinnock expressed that recording these preludes and fugues, which he considers a significant part of his life, was inevitable. Recorded on a harpsichord familiar to Pinnock for decades, tuned in the historical pitch used during Bach's time in Köthen, the authenticity of the recording is paramount. Pinnock's belief in drawing out music that is both expressive and soulful from this seemingly simple instrument adds to the allure of the harpsichord. His approach promises an informed and engaging interpretation of Bach's contrapuntal masterpiece, making him a leading figure in historically informed performance practice, as noted by the Südwestdeutscher Rundfunk.