Bach is known for having composed a lot. His music, devoted to the cult, pupils, family, friends, clients of the Café Zimmermann etc. is a quotidian work, at the antipode of the artist’s role as we can imagine today.
This humble position, that reflects an artisan’s comportment implicates that the quasi-totality of Bach’s music only circulated on manuscript form, self-written or in copy. Only a few part of his production has been published. Among the published works we can find the four parts of the Clavier Übung, anthology destined partly to harpsichord (I, II and IV) and partly to organ (III). The first collection, published in 1731, contains Six Partitas for the harpsichord composed “for the recreation of the amateur’s spirit”.
Few contemporary musicians are able to compete with this collection that requires a perfect control of the organ and the harpsichord. Benjamin Alard, first prize of the Bruges’ competition (Harpsichord) and first prize of the Freiberg’s Bach competition (organ) is one of them. The four parts of the Clavier Übung will be released at Alpha before 2013.
