Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Prld And Fugue No.1 in C, BWV 870: Prld
2. Prld And Fugue No.1 in C, BWV 870: Fugue
3. Prld And Fugue No.2 in c, BWV 871: Prld
4. Prld And Fugue No.2 in c, BWV 871: Fugue
5. Prld And Fugue No.3 in C#, BWV 872: Prld
6. Prld And Fugue No.3 in C#, BWV 872: Fugue
7. Prld And Fugue No.4 in c#, BWV 873: Prld
8. Prld And Fugue No.4 in c#, BWV 873: Fugue
9. Prld And Fugue No.5 in D, BWV 874: Prld
10. Prld And Fugue No.5 in D, BWV 874: Fugue
11. Prld And Fugue No.6 in d, BWV 875: Prld
12. Prld And Fugue No.6 in d, BWV 875: Fugue
13. Prld And Fugue No.7 in E flat, BWV 876: Prld
14. Prld And Fugue No.7 in E flat, BWV 876: Fugue
15. Prld And Fugue No.8 in d#, BWV 877: Prld
16. Prld And Fugue No.8 in d#, BWV 877: Fugue
17. Prld And Fugue No.9 in E, BWV 878: Prld
18. Prld And Fugue No.9 in E, BWV 878: Fugue
19. Prld And Fugue No.10 in e, BWV 879: Prld
20. Prld And Fugue No.10 in e, BWV 879: Fugue
21. Prld And Fugue No.11 in F, BWV 880: Prld
22. Prld And Fugue No.11 in F, BWV 880: Fugue
23. Prld And Fugue No.12 in f, BWV 881: Prld
24. Prld And Fugue No.12 in f, BWV 881: Fugue

Disc 2:

1. Prld And Fugue No.13 in F#, BWV 882: Prld
2. Prld And Fugue No.13 in F#, BWV 882: Fugue
3. Prld And Fugue No.14 in f#, BWV 883: Prld
4. Prld And Fugue No.14 in f#, BWV 883: Fugue
5. Prld And Fugue No.15 in G, BWV 884: Prld
6. Prld And Fugue No.15 in G, BWV 884: Fugue
7. Prld And Fugue No.16 in g, BWV 885: Prld
8. Prld And Fugue No.16 in g, BWV 885: Fugue
9. Prld And Fugue No.17 in A flat, BWV 886: Prld
10. Prld And Fugue No.17 in A flat, BWV 886: Fugue
11. Prld And Fugue No.18 in g#, BWV 887: Prld
12. Prld And Fugue No.18 in g#, BWV 887: Fugue
13. Prld And Fugue No.19 in A, BWV 888: Prld
14. Prld And Fugue No.19 in A, BWV 888: Fugue
15. Prld And Fugue No.20 in a, BWV 889: Prld
16. Prld And Fugue No.20 in a, BWV 889: Fugue
17. Prld And Fugue No.21 in B flat, BWV 890: Prld
18. Prld And Fugue No.21 in B flat, BWV 890: Fugue
19. Prld And Fugue No.22 in b flat, BWV 891: Prld
20. Prld And Fugue No.22 in b flat, BWV 891: Fugue
21. Prld And Fugue No.23 in B, BWV 892: Prld
22. Prld And Fugue No.23 in B, BWV 892: Fugue
23. Prld And Fugue No.24 in b, BWV 893: Prld
24. Prld And Fugue No.24 in b, BWV 893: Fugue

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #132178 in Music
• Released on: 2000-12-04
• Number of discs: 2
• Running time: 130 minutes

Customer Reviews

Fischer's 'New Testament'
I,too, had to offer a rebuttal to the earlier review that suggests the sound of this transfer from the 1930s WTCs done by Fischer was unacceptable. It simply isn't. This set, along with its companion set of the Book I, has often been in my CD player since I got it four years ago. Fischer was one of the great pianists of the first half of the twentieth century and this transfer is wonderful. Only five of the Preludes and Fugues from Book II appear in the Philips 'Great Pianists of the 20th Century,' so even if you own that, you don't have the whole enchilada.

Fischer's was the first integral recording of both Books and it remains one of the great recordings of the century. Fischer's control of line and individual voices has to be heard to be believed. Further, unlike post-Gouldian Bach players, his piano seems not to have hammers. His pianissimo passages are simply ravishing. He does, at times, double the bass line as was customary in his day. This doesn't bother me at all, but I suppose some purists might sniff. We have to realize that this was a different time and for all that the advances in knowledge of historically-informed practices have grown apace, there is still a good deal of room, at least as far as I'm concerned, for playing like Fischer's. If you disagree with that, then this set is not for you. But if, like me, you respond to great playing and musicianship such as Fischer's, you won't want to be without this set and its old testament companion.

Strongly recommended.

Scott Morrison

Great performance, very acceptable sound
I felt I had to write this as a corrective to the review which would have us believe that the recorded sound as transferred here by Naxos is intolerable. I cannot comment on the quality of the original 78s. Like most people I don't have the ability to play 78s these days, even if I had the records. But it would be a great shame if anyone interested in Fischer's performance was put off because they thought the sound is terrible. It isn't! Of course there are limitations - the recordings were done between 1933 - 36, but I for one have had great pleasure from these CDs. At least we are all agreed about the quality of the performances. I tentatively bought vol 1 to hear what all the fuss was about Fischer. I have quite a few other performances of "the 48" on both harpsichord and piano and frankly expected something worthy but a bit dull. After all Bach performances from before the authentic instrument era were heavy and pedantic, right? Not a bit of it here! There is a wonderful deftness and lightness about Fischer's playing which quite simply amazed me. As for tempi, he can be as swift as any - just try the very opening prelude in Book 1 - without compromising the integrity of this wonderful music. Needless to say I bought vol 2 sharpish. There are other great performances on disc of this music, my own favourite is Tureck's BBC recording from the mid 70s (a very different approach to Fischer's), but I would not want to be without this one.

Wonderful playing let down by appalling transfer
I bought this set having heard wonderful things about Fischer's interpretations, and at a time when a set of the original 78s were on their way to me. When I put the CD on I thought something was wrong - the sound was so dull and flat that I assumed my speakers had developed a wiring fault. But no, this is the Naxos "restoration" of these monumental recordings.

When the 78s arrived and I was able to play them I heard just how much had been lost in the transfers. These CDs are a tragedy which should never have seen the light of day. Naxos should withdraw them now and try again - the original recordings themselves really do deserve it. Whatever happened to quality control, Naxos?