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Christopher O'Riley

The Well Tempered Clavier Book I

Pentatone
Release Date: July 12, 2024

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Interview w/ WGTE
Live on WNYC: Soundcheck: Over the Rainbow
Live on WNYC: Soundcheck: J.S. Bach: Prelude & Fugue IV, in C# minor, BWV 849
Live on WNYC: Soundcheck: J.S. Bach - Prelude & Fugue I in C major, BWV 846
Christopher O'Riley on Q TV
1 Prelude No. 1 in C major BWV 846  
2 Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846  
3 Prelude No. 2 in C minor BWV 847  
4 Fugue No. 2 in C minor BWV 847  
5 Prelude No. 3 in C sharp major BWV 848  
6 Fugue No. 3 in C sharp major BWV 848  
7 Prelude No. 4 in C sharp minor BWV 849  
8 Fugue No. 4 in C sharp minor BWV 849  
9 Prelude No. 5 in D major BWV 850  
10 Fugue No. 5 in D major BWV 850  
11 Prelude No. 6 in D minor BWV 851  
12 Fugue No. 6 in D minor BWV 851  
13 Prelude No. 7 in E flat major BWV 852  
14 Fugue No. 7 in E flat major BWV 852  
15 Prelude No. 8 in E flat minor BWV 853  
16 Fugue No. 8 in E flat minor BWV 853  
17 Prelude No. 9 in E major BWV 854  
18 Fugue No. 9 in E major BWV 854  
19 Prelude No. 10 in E minor BWV 855  
20 Fugue No. 10 in E minor BWV 855  
21 Prelude No. 11 in F major BWV 856  
22 Fugue No. 11 in F major BWV 856  
23 Prelude No. 12 in F minor BWV 857  
24 Fugue No. 12 in F minor BWV 857  
25 Prelude No. 13 in F sharp major BWV 858  
26 Fugue No. 13 in F sharp major BWV 858  
27 Prelude No. 14 in F sharp minor BWV 859  
28 Fugue No. 14 in F sharp minor BWV 859  
29 Prelude No. 15 in G major BWV 860  
30 Fugue No. 15 in G major BWV 860  
31 Prelude No. 16 in G minor BWV 861  
32 Fugue No. 16 in G minor BWV 861  
33 Prelude No. 17 in A flat major BWV 862  
34 Fugue No. 17 in A flat major BWV 862  
35 Prelude No. 18 in G sharp minor BWV 863  
36 Fugue No. 18 in G sharp minor BWV 863  
37 Prelude No. 19 in A major BWV 864  
38 Fugue No. 19 in A major BWV 864  
39 Prelude No. 20 in A minor BWV 865  
40 Fugue No. 20 in A minor BWV 865  
41 Prelude No. 21 in B flat major BWV 866  
42 Fugue No. 21 in B flat major BWV 866  
43 Prelude No. 22 in B flat minor BWV 867  
44 Fugue No. 22 in B flat minor BWV 867  
45 Prelude No. 23 in B major BWV 868  
46 Fugue No. 23 in B major BWV 868  
47 Prelude No. 24 in B minor BWV 869  
48 Fugue No. 24 in B minor BWV 869  
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Pianist, arranger, collaborative artist, composer, educator, and media personality Christopher O’Riley follows his passions into a fractal array of innovative directions, ever striving for the truest and deepest human connection, through performance and collaboration. 

It is with O’Riley’s dedication to the learning abilities, personalities, and imaginations of artists that he comes to his latest endeavor – a traversal of J.S. Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier. O’Riley has produced an online archive of video lectures entitled “Everything We Need to Know About Playing the Piano We Learn From The Well-Tempered Clavier,” a series illuminating a new perspective on each Prelude and Fugue, expanding on the ways the paucity of Bach’s notation encourages us to engage creatively and imaginatively. 

O’Riley’s The Well Tempered Clavier Book I delves into the subtle intricacies of Bach’s famous masterwork, revealing the composer’s nuanced craftsmanship through an exploration of the spaces between notes. Inspired by Bach’s profound lyricism and informed by historical insights, O’Riley’s interpretation transcends conventional keyboard traditions. Embracing the expressive potential of articulation and texture, he illuminates counterpoint with dynamic contrast, unveiling hidden dialogues within Bach’s compositions. Through meticulous attention to intonation and rhythmic flexibility, O’Riley uncovers layers of meaning, echoing the Japanese concept of “Ma” — the significance of space and silence. This album invites listeners to immerse themselves in Bach’s universe, where every pause resonates with depth and possibility.

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