Prelude no. 1 in C major---music you should know by name
musical interlude
One of the pieces you should know by name (you already know it by ear) is Bach's Prelude no. 1 in C Major. It is the first piece in his collection of 48 pieces of music called the Well-Tempered Clavier.
A clavier was a term for an piano-like instrument, or a harpsichord, or similar.
"Well-tempered" refers to the tuning of the instrument. Modern instruments are in equal temper. That means that the distance between each note is the same (measured in frequency) up and down the instrument. It's a compromise tuning to make all music playable while sounding “in key”, for the most part. Debate is hot around tuning systems.
Well temperament, on the other hand, changed the ratios of some notes, giving some harmonic intervals that were perfect and pure at the expense of a few that were more dissonant. Bach wrote a piece in each of the 24 major and 24 minor keys on a harpsichord/pianoforte, thus the book. He intended to demonstrate that all keys could be played in well temperament.
Prelude no 1 in C major is widely recognizable, and beautiful. Sometimes it makes me weep. Luckily, it is also very easy for beginners to play. If I practiced again I could do it well. And here's something you might enjoy. First, listen to the piece played as written. Then, in the second video, hear how the famous operetta song "Don't Cry for me Argentina" is just Bach's prelude in C major. The theme is used throughout Evita too in incidental music.
’Please, holy Eva, will you bless a little child?
For I love you, tell heaven I'm doing my best
I'm praying for you, even though you're already blessed.’
All Bach. Vids one and two:
The key is lowered in Don't Cry for Me, it's not C major, but it is the same chord progression and theme.
Nice job explaining the temperaments to a general audience. JSB deliberately includes all seven white keys and all five black keys -- all twelve notes on any clavier/keyboard -- so the performer can check the temperament’s setting as they play through the piece. This survey of all available pitches is also why the texture --purely open chords, no melody, no heavy counterpoint -- is SO simple and transparent: so that the listener can zero in on the “beating” shimmering effect created by well-temperament’s slight dissonances.
I didn’t know about Evita or Don’t Cry for Me, thanks. Some people may also know of the opera composer Gounod’s setting of the Ave Maria, based on the Bach
Much like yourself Josh I’ve been in a dark place recently and I forget to revel in music. Thank you so much for this. I have two hours of Bach to listen to on a hike through the woods on this beautiful sunny evening.