Bach: The Well-tempered Clavier I: 2CD

Hyperion proudly welcomes the Korean-American pianist Minsoo Sohn to the roster for the first in a series of recordings of iconic piano repertoire.
 
This new recording of the first book of Bach’s Well-tempered Clavier is a personal tribute to Minsoo’s teacher, the legendary American pianist Russell Sherman, who considered the work one of the highest expressions of the human spirit. After Sherman’s death, his wife entrusted Minsoo with Sherman’s annotated scores. Studying those scores and Sherman’s markings became the foundation for this recording journey.
 
But this is additionally the culmination of a personal journey shaped by injury, reflection and rediscovery. Over twenty years ago, a serious wrist injury forced Minsoo to step away from the concert platform. Rebuilding his technique from the ground up transformed his physical relationship with the piano and led to a deeper musical understanding that continues to inform every performance.
 
‘We live in an increasingly noisy and distracted world’, says Minsoo. ‘Bach’s music encourages us to slow down, listen more carefully and reconnect with something deeper. It reminds us of reflection, humanity and balance.’

CD 1
1. No. 1 in C major, BWV 846: Prelude
2. No. 1 in C major, BWV 846: Fugue
3. No. 2 in C minor, BWV 847: Prelude
4. No. 2 in C minor, BWV 847: Fugue
5. No. 3 in C-sharp major, BWV 848: Prelude
6. No. 3 in C-sharp major, BWV 848: Fugue
7. No. 4 in C-sharp minor, BWV 849: Prelude
8. No. 4 in C-sharp minor, BWV 849: Fugue
9. No. 5 in D major, BWV 850: Prelude
10. No. 5 in D major, BWV 850: Fugue
11. No. 6 in D minor, BWV 851: Prelude
12. No. 6 in D minor, BWV 851: Fugue
13. No. 7 in E-flat major, BWV 852: Prelude
14. No. 7 in E-flat major, BWV 852: Fugue
15. No. 8 in E-flat minor, BWV 853: Prelude
16. No. 8 in E-flat minor, BWV 853: Fugue
17. No. 9 in E major, BWV 854: Prelude
18. No. 9 in E major, BWV 854: Fugue
19. No. 10 in E minor, BWV 855: Prelude
20. No. 10 in E minor, BWV 855: Fugue
21. No. 11 in F major, BWV 856: Prelude
22. No. 11 in F major, BWV 856: Fugue
23. No. 12 in F minor, BWV 857: Prelude
24. No. 12 in F minor, BWV 857: Fugue

CD 2
1. No. 13 in F-sharp major, BWV 858: Prelude
2. No. 13 in F-sharp major, BWV 858: Fugue
3. No. 14 in F-sharp minor, BWV 859: Prelude
4. No. 14 in F-sharp minor, BWV 859: Fugue
5. No. 15 in G major, BWV 860: Prelude
6. No. 15 in G major, BWV 860: Fugue
7. No. 16 in G minor, BWV 861: Prelude
8. No. 16 in G minor, BWV 861: Fugue
9. No. 17 in A-flat major, BWV 862: Prelude
10. No. 17 in A-flat major, BWV 862: Fugue
11. No. 18 in G-sharp minor, BWV 863: Prelude
12. No. 18 in G-sharp minor, BWV 863: Fugue
13. No. 19 in A major, BWV 864: Prelude
14. No. 19 in A major, BWV 864: Fugue