Bach: Prelude and Fugue in B major from Well-Tempered Clavier II

Bach composed two sets of Well-Tempered Clavier. Book I is divine and Book II is freer according to some critics.

This B major fugue is constructed by two themes, and the first one is B-D#-G#-E-C#-A#-B. The corresponding code progression, if this were not a fugue, is I--IV--V--I. So it looks simple enough. However, making it into a fugue requires intrigue harmony and sounds rather aggressive. Gould even tried to depict this aggressiveness by cut and paste two takes played with different tempi, so that the first theme is played faster than the rest, which becomes impossible as the fugue develops.

Another common approach is to build a Cathedral with loud ringing tone as often done in E major fugue. Somehow I gave up this because it is too difficult to keep the elevated mental status throughout. I chose neutral approach. This is the first time I successfully memorized a fugue.

The prelude tuned out to be a big problem. As noted "con bravura" in Busoni edition, this prelude has an aspect of showpiece of agility at the time of composition/instrument. Maybe it is even harder to play it in modern piano since the mechanical action is heavier. My performance is simply not good with unstable tempo. (I lost better takes due to recording trouble.)

instrument: Yamaha Yamaha C5L