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Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2

Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)

The pleasures of this CD are manifold, thanks to Aimard's super-light touch and his subtle deployment of infinitesimal gradations of volume and tempo...And when he goes exceptionally fast -...

Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2

Pierre-Laurent Aimard (piano)

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This release includes a digital booklet

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The pleasures of this CD are manifold, thanks to Aimard's super-light touch and his subtle deployment of infinitesimal gradations of volume and tempo...And when he goes exceptionally fast -...

About

Pierre-Laurent Aimard, one of today's most visionary pianists, presents the second book of Johann Sebastian Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, a cornerstone of the piano repertoire. Following his acclaimed interpretation of Book I (released on Deutsche Grammophon in 2014), Aimard brings his signature clarity, insight, and depth to this second collection of 24 Preludes and Fugues, exploring Bach's extraordinary harmonic and contrapuntal imagination. With a lifelong dedication to both early and contemporary music, Aimard approaches the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II not merely as a historical masterpiece but as a vibrant and endlessly inventive work. His performance highlights Bach's ability to blend expressive lyricism with intellectual rigor, creating a deeply engaging and illuminating listening experience.

A renowned champion of twentieth-century music, Pierre-Laurent Aimard has released multiple acclaimed albums in his exclusive contract with PENTATONE, including Messiaen's Catalogue d'Oiseaux (2018) and Visions de l'Amen (2022), along with Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata & Eroica Variations (2021). He also joined Tamara Stefanovich in Etudes and Frames (2023), with music by Vassos Nicolaou, recorded Bartok's Piano Concertos with the San Francisco Symphony and Esa-Pekka Salonen (2023), Schubert: Landler (2024), and Kurtag: Jatekok (2025).

Contents and tracklist

Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV 870
Track length2:54
Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 870
Track length1:52
Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 871
Track length1:30
Fugue No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 871
Track length2:14
Prelude No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872
Track length1:43
Fugue No. 3 in C-Sharp Major, BWV 872
Track length1:47
Prelude No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 873
Track length4:38
Fugue No. 4 in C-Sharp Minor, BWV 873
Track length2:21
Prelude No. 5 in D Major, BWV 874
Track length2:30
Fugue No. 5 in D Major, BWV 874
Track length2:46
Prelude No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 875
Track length1:35
Fugue No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 875
Track length1:57
Prelude No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 876
Track length2:03
Fugue No. 7 in E-Flat Major, BWV 876
Track length1:54
Prelude No. 8 in D-Sharp Minor, BWV 877
Track length2:12
Fugue No. 8 in D-Sharp Minor, BWV 877
Track length3:30
Prelude No. 9 in E Major, BWV 878
Track length2:24
Fugue No. 9 in E Major, BWV 878
Track length3:15
Prelude No. 10 in E Minor, BWV 879
Track length2:00
Fugue No. 10 in E Minor, BWV 879
Track length3:00
Prelude No. 11 in F Major, BWV 880
Track length3:28
Fugue No. 11 in F Major, BWV 880
Track length1:51
Prelude No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 881
Track length2:32
Fugue No. 12 in F Minor, BWV 881
Track length1:49
Prelude No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 882
Track length2:59
Fugue No. 13 in F-Sharp Major, BWV 882
Track length2:23
Prelude No. 14 in F-Sharp Minor, BWV 883
Track length2:49
Fugue No. 14 in F-Sharp Minor, BWV 883
Track length3:25
Prelude No. 15 in G Major, BWV 884
Track length1:09
Fugue No. 15 in G Major, BWV 884
Track length1:21
Prelude No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 885
Track length2:41
Fugue No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 885
Track length2:55
Prelude No. 17 in A-Flat Major, BWV 886
Track length3:08
Fugue No. 17 in A-Flat Major, BWV 886
Track length3:03
Prelude No. 18 in G-Sharp Minor, BWV 887
Track length2:49
Fugue No. 18 in G-Sharp Minor, BWV 887
Track length3:52
Prelude No. 19 in A Major, BWV 888
Track length1:50
Fugue No. 19 in A Major, BWV 888
Track length1:20
Prelude No. 20 in A Minor, BWV 889
Track length2:30
Fugue No. 20 in A Minor, BWV 889
Track length1:50
Prelude No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890
Track length3:15
Fugue No. 21 in B-Flat Major, BWV 890
Track length2:16
Prelude No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 891
Track length2:16
Fugue No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 891
Track length4:32
Prelude No. 23 in B Major, BWV 892
Track length1:31
Fugue No. 23 in B Major, BWV 892
Track length3:00
Prelude No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 893
Track length2:01
Fugue No. 24 in B Minor, BWV 893
Track length2:03

Awards and reviews

February 2026

The pleasures of this CD are manifold, thanks to Aimard's super-light touch and his subtle deployment of infinitesimal gradations of volume and tempo...And when he goes exceptionally fast - as he quite often does his - playing still has clarity, grace and at times a touch of mischief.

December 2025

the pervading impression is of whitelight clarity. Aimard's gift for contrapuntal transparency is exceptional, and it is hard to imagine anyone performing a fugue with greater focus, achieved by meticulous internal balancing of lines and the textureclearing techniques of minimal pedalling and neatly chiselled articulation.
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