1850 – The Well-Tempered Clavier – Bach | Early Carl Czerny Edition, Piano Score

Johann Sebastien Bach’s “The Well-Tempered Clavier” is one of the most iconic and important pieces of classical music. Bach wrote this work for keyboard instruction writing two separate books of preludes and fugues for each major and minor key on the keyboard. This particular early 19th-century edition is notable for being edited by Carl Czerny, Ludwig van Beethoven’s most prolific student and a reputable Austrian composer himself.  His edition of Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier is his considered one of his best works. Note that this edition contains piano fingerings and no pedal markings – indicative of Classical-era (pre-Romantic) markings.

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Le clavecin bien tempere ou preludes et fugues
• Author(s): Johann Sebastien Bach
• Contributor(s): Carl Czerny (Editor)
• Publisher: Leipzig, C.F. Peters
• Edition: ca.1850.
• Binding: Full leather
• Format: (4to), two volumes in one
• Size:  13 in x 10.5 in (33 cm x 27 cm)
• Collation: 87 pp; 99 pp
• Illustrations: music throughout
• Contents Include:
  • Editor’s preface by Carl Czerny
  • Books I and II of prelude and fugues
• Provenance: signed – Henry Payne

Condition:

Good. Full leather binding remains secure with leather loss at the hinges and corners, along with moderate surface wear. Pages are generally clean with expected age toning. Text block remains solid and complete.

Why Collect This?

• Early Carl Czerny edition of Bach’s celebrated keyboard masterwork
• Desirable for collectors of music history, piano/organ studies, and early printed scores

Item Number: #50501