The Well-Tempered Revolution – Bach’s tuning and the liberation of the keys
by Vincent Vigilante
Introduction
In 1750, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) composed his first symphony, his first masterpiece of his own, which he titled The Well-Tempered Clavier.
Bach’s work, a series of 48 preludes, arias, and fugues, is one of the most impressive pieces of musical composition in the world. The opening line of Bach’s first prelude, in C.P.E. Bach‘s 1757 edition, is B – A – C, in which the letter “A” is one octave higher than the letter “B.”
This work, along with the composer’s WTC (which included the C-A change), was considered to be a revolution in musical tuning.
Bach’s tuning of A as one octave higher than B, rather than two octaves, was a decision that altered music history. This new tuning system was embraced by composers such as Mozart and Haydn, and later, by Beethoven. In addition, this new tuning system allowed for the possibility of using lower octaves for the lower notes (e.g. “A2”) and higher octaves for the higher notes (e.g. “C4”).
In addition to being a key change in the musical scale, Bach’s system also influenced other composers such as Handel and Vivaldi. These composers adopted the same system of changing octaves as a standard. The system of tuning in this style became known as “well-tempered.” This system, which had been adopted by composers as early as the 16th century, was adopted by many composers in the Classical Era.
Bach’s use of the Well-Tempered Clavier system was revolutionary for its time, but even so, it would not have been as popular as it is without its use of the chromatic system.
The chromatic system was developed by J.S. Bach’s father, Georg Christian Bach, as a method of simplifying the system of composition. It also allows a composer to compose in any key, rather than just a restricted set of keys.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s use of the chromatic system in his WTC allowed for a greater variety of keys than previously existed in Western music.
The chromatic system allows a composer to use any of the seven basic diatonic notes (A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) at any point in their composition. This system was adopted by composers such as Haydn, who used the chromatic system for his operas.
In addition to the use of chromaticism, Bach also used the system of keys, in which keys are arranged in a specific way, to allow the composer to vary the keys throughout their composition.
This system of keys, as developed by Bach, also allowed for more complex melodies and harmonies. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, composers such as Brahms and Debussy began to use these keys in their compositions.
The chromatic system was later adopted by composers such as Beethoven and Chopin. Bach’s WTC also influenced the development of the chromatic system.
In the late 20th century, the use of the chromatic system has become the standard practice of most composers.
The chromatic system has become a central aspect of musical composition, and is used in many musical styles including jazz, rock, and classical.
The chromatic system is a fundamental aspect of musical composition that has been embraced by many composers throughout history. Its impact has influenced composers from a variety of genres, and its use has become the standard practice in most musical composition.
The Well-Tempered Revolution – Bach’s Tuning and the Liberation of the Keys
In 1750, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) composed his first symphony, his first masterpiece of his own, which he titled The Well-Tempered Clavier.
Bach’s work, a series of 48 preludes, arias, and fugues, is one of the most impressive pieces of musical composition in the world.
Bach’s opening line of his first prelude, in C.P.E. Bach’s 1757 edition, is B – A – C, in which the letter “A” is one octave higher than the letter “B.”
This work, along with the composer’s WTC (which included the C-A change), influenced composers such as Handel and Vivaldi.
Bach’s tuning of A as one octave higher than B, rather than two octaves, was a decision that altered music history.
This new tuning system allowed for the possibility of using lower octaves for the lower notes (e.g. “A2”) and higher octaves for the higher notes (e.g. “C4”).
In addition to being a key change in the musical scale, Bach’s system of tuning in this style influenced other composers such as Handel and Vivaldi.
Composers such as Handel and Vivaldi adopted the system of changing octaves as a standard.
Bach’s use of the chromatic system in his WTC allowed for a greater variety of keys than previously existed in Western music.
This system of keys, as developed by Bach, also allowed for more complex melodies and harmonies.
Composers such as Brahms and Debussy began to use these keys in their compositions.
The chromatic system was later adopted by composers such as Beethoven and Chopin.
Bach’s chromatic system influenced the development of the chromatic system.
In the late 20th century, the use of the chromatic system has become the standard practice of most composers.
The chromatic system has become a central aspect of musical composition, and is used in many musical styles including jazz, rock, and classical.