The first book of The Well-tempered Clavier probably began life during Bach’s time as a musician serving the Weimar court. It contains two dozen preludes and fugues in all the keys, major and minor, and stands today as one of the great monuments of western classical music, a supreme combination of tradition and innovation.

Pierre-Laurent Aimard’s interpretation flows from his recent total immersion in the music during a prolonged study residency at Berlin’s Wissenschaftskolleg.