It seems as if the acorn knows its destiny and carries
within itself an active idea of the oak required of it.
Paul Claudel
On behalf of David Korevaar and myself (Tim Smith), welcome to this study of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. This project was begun over my sabbatical year of 2002-'03 and is ongoing. Dr. Korevaar's sensitive and dazzling interpretations have been its inspiration. Upon hearing his fugues, you'll want to enjoy his many more excellent recordings spanning a wide range of genres and composers. In addition to browsing the links to the left, you will enjoy reading Dr. Korevaar's comments on the performance of the WTC in Character and Counterpoint and my thoughts on teaching with Metaphor, Mystery, and the Music of Bach. Educators planning to use this material may wish to consult the Index of Contrapuntal Operations and Learning Objects. Many of the fugues are paired with quizzes where students may email feedback to instructors.
Resources for study of the Well-Tempered Clavier and J. S. Bach
Glory to God Alone: The Life of J. S. Bach courtesy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America). This introduction to the life and work of J. S. Bach includes commentary by Christoph Wolff and Robin Leaver.
Thomas Rossin, video on the discovery and significance of Bach's Bible