Step into 'The 48'

A Guide to JS Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier

Three hundred years after their first publication, Bach’s 48 preludes and fugues are as important, fascinating and demanding as ever - every aspiring pianist should know at least a few! Beate Toyka introduces and plays each of them, giving insider tips on interpretation and technique starting with the easier works and ending with the most difficult.

Introduction

Prelude & Fugue in E Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in D Minor (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in D Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in C Minor (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in D Minor (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in F Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in G Major (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in C Minor (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in B-flat Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in E Minor (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in A Major (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in F Minor (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in F-sharp Minor (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in B-flat Major (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in B Minor (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in G Minor (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in C Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in G Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in F# Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in A Minor (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in E-flat Major (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in E Major (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in A-flat Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in A Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in B Major (Book 1)

Prelude & Fugue in C-sharp Major (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in F Major (Book 2)

Prelude & Fugue in E Minor (Book 2)

Author

Beate Toyka

Beate Toyka, from the Rhineland in Germany, was raised and trained in the heart of the German classical tradition. She is a committed performer and teacher, and active as a concerto soloist, solo recitalist, and accompanist. She appears regularly in the UK, Central and Eastern Europe. As an enthusiast for duet and 8-hands playing, she formed the ‘Derby Piano Quartet’. Her teaching is characterised by a lively empathy for both the music being taught, and for the pupil. She is a valued adjudicator at music festivals. Beate is a principal tutor at the Piano Teachers’ Course, UK.

Author profile >>

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Inside Bartok's Mikrokosmos

In this video series, William Westney illustrates in detail why Bartok's Mikrokosmos has long been his indispensable, uniquely effective “power tool” as a teacher. Always refreshing musically, it hones the skills of pianists from beginners to pre-professionals.... Read >>

William Westney Repertoire

The Girl with the Flaxen Hair

La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair) is among Debussy’s best-loved works for the piano. Despite its apparent simplicity, it is deceptively difficult to bring off. This walkthrough with accompanying annotated study edition gives practical solutions to the numerous problems the pedalling in the work... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Waltz in A minor

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/106-waltz-in-a-minor?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 4</a></h3>

Grieg’s Waltz in A minor is full of character and contrasts, and not without its challenges - especially concerning how to use the pedal. In this video I show how to organise the pedalling in order to make some of the joins possible without covering over Grieg’s slurs and staccato... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Allegro (from Fantasia no. 1 in D major)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/108-allegro-from-fantasia-no-1-in-d-major?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 6</a></h3>

Georg Philipp Telemann's Fantasia in D major, on Trinity’s Grade 6 alternative syllabus, is a worthy piece and a lot of fun to play. This video shows some of the principles involved in making decisions regarding dynamics, articulation, touch and expression and looks at several options for interpretation based on... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Jacques Ibert - Little White Donkey

Le petit âne blanc (The Little White Donkey) is the second piece from Jacquest Ibert’s set of ten pieces entitled Histoires and requires plenty of imagination to play it with the necessary colour and vibrancy. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other practice tools to... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Minuet in D major, K. 355

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/109-minuet-in-d-major-k-355?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 7</a></h3>

Mozart’s Minuet in D, K. 355 features chromaticism that is surprising even to our ears (imagine what it must have sounded like to the listener of the day!). The piece is conceived as an ensemble piece for string trio, and we need to have this sound in our ear as... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Diabelli - Moderato Cantabile (from Sonatina in F major, Op. 168 No. 1)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/98-diabelli-moderato-cantabile-from-sonatina-in-f-major-op-168-no-1?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 5 (Alternative)</a></h3>

The first movement (Moderato) of Diabelli’s appealing Sonatina in F is a model of sonata form in miniature, an ideal way to teach form and structure to the intermediate pianist. In this video I demonstrate the art of finger pedalling in the left hand alberti patterns and show how to... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Ecossaise in E-Flat (No. 4 from Six Ecossaises, WoO 83)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/157-ecossaise-in-e-flat-no-4-from-six-ecossaises-woo-83?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 3 – A1</a></h3>

A lively dance in 2/4 time, an ecossaise is actually the French word for “Scottish”! Flexibility in the right hand is necessary to avoid tension, and flexibility in the pulse (while not indicated in the score) is essential to bring grace and elegance at the start, and then some forward... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Bruch - Moderato from Sechs Klavierstücke (Op. 12, No. 4)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/114-bruch-moderato-from-sechs-klavierstcke-op-12-no-4?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 6 – B1</a></h3>

Max Bruch’s delightful Moderato from Sechs Klavierstücke (Op. 12, No. 4 ) is set for ABRSM Grade 6, list B. In this video I demonstrate in detail the techniques of quick cover, springboarding and selective landing to assist you in mastering the LH jumps so that you can focus on... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Intermezzo in B minor (Op. 119 No. 1)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/101-intermezzo-in-b-minor-op-119-no-1?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 8</a></h3>

In 1893, Brahms wrote his last work for the piano, a set of four piano pieces, op. 119. The Intermezzo in B minor is the first piece of the set. As a composition it is full of riches, arousing keen interest in composers and scholars (including Arnold Schoenberg) as they... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Two Short Pieces

This series features two popular short pieces by William Alwyn, The Sun is Setting and The Sea is Angry which are both ideal for the intermediate level.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Fantasy in D Minor K397

This video provides a section by section waltkthrough of Mozart's Fantasy in D Minor K397 (sometimes referred to as Fantasia).... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Lyric Pieces

Grieg wrote his famous Nocturne (Night Piece) in the summer of 1891 during his annual country retreat to the Norwegian mountains and fjords. Along with five other pieces, he included the Nocturne in Book V of his Lyric Pieces, Op. 54.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Knight Rupert (Album for the Young No. 12)

Knight Rupert, No. 12 from Schumann’s Album for the Young, Op. 68, is a favourite recital piece for the intermediate player, and great fun to play. The rousing A section contrasts beautifully with the more lyrical B section. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Beethoven on Board

Presented by pianist and captain of The Piano Boat, this series features detailed walk-throughs for Beethoven's piano sonatas, exploring background, style, interpretation, technical challenges and practice methods ultimately for each work.... Read >>

Masayuki Tayama Repertoire

Prelude in B Minor (Op. 28 No. 6)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/113-prelude-in-b-minor-op-28-no-6?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 6 - B2</a></h3>

Chopin’s dark, somber Prélude in B minor is much more difficult to play than it looks. This video demonstrates how to approach this piece technically and musically with particular attention to the pedalling which requires a lot of thought... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

No. 2 from Kinderstücke (Op. 72)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/120-no-2-from-kinderstcke-op-72?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 7</a></h3>

Mendelssohn wrote his set of six Children’s Pieces, op. 72 for his young relatives during his summer holiday to England in 1842. No. 2, an andante sostenuto in the key of E flat, close in spirit to the composer’s many Songs without Words, features a lyrical melody in the right... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Tarantella (No. 4 from Musiques d’enfants, Op. 65)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/159-tarantella-no-4-from-musiques-denfants-op-65-?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 5 – C3</a></h3>

Prokoviev’s Music for Children was composed in 1935 and contains 12 pieces with descriptive titles. The Tarantella is one of the best examples of this type of dance piece, featuring spinning patterns in both hands and plenty of quirky harmonic and rhythmic features that make Prokoviev’s style so engaging.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Prelude in C minor (BWV 999)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/158-prelude-in-c-minor-bwv-999?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">ABRSM Grade 4 – A1</a></h3>

Built from a harmonic progression and originally written for lute we can recreate some of the resonance of that instrument either by short touches of pedal, or by overholding some notes of the broken chords.... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Invention in D Minor No. 4 (BWV 775)

Bach's Inventions (in two parts) and the Sinfonias (in three parts) were written for the Bach’s eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann and are played throughout the world by intermediate players and concert artists alike. This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and other practice tools to approach two... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Für Elise

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/140-fr-elise?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">(Bagatelle No. 25 in A Minor)</a></h3>

This evergreen miniature of Beethoven scarcely needs any introduction at all, since Für Elise is known to the world at large. What beginning piano student does not itch to play it, pestering their teacher long before they are ready? This video walkthrough and article shows how to use quarantining and... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Elgar - Andantino (First movement from Sonatina)

<h3> <a href="/content/pages/118-elgar-andantino-first-movement-from-sonatina?bundle_url=online-academy&last_viewed=true">Trinity College - Grade 4</a></h3>

Here we find the first movement of a two-movement sonatina that Elgar wrote for his niece. It is song-like and gently expressive, calling for sensitivity in shaping phrases and timing larger melodic intervals. The Andantino demands careful listening in the balancing of the hands, the accompanying left hand, while quieter,... Read >>

Graham Fitch Repertoire

Step into 'The 48'

A Guide to JS Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier

Contents

Author

Beate Toyka

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