Psalm and the Well-Tempered Clavier II: Revisiting the Old Question of Bach’s Source of Inspiration

Bach conceived the Well-Tempered Clavier as a jewel-case for his sons and pupils. In it he collected twenty-four delightful pieces which are not just educationally beneficial, but artistically interesting too. As a collection, it is also a work of magnificent quality, for it maintains a fine balance between coherence and variety: while limiting its membership to pairs of short preludes and fugues, it covers all the twenty-four keys without duplication and explores diverse styles of the day.