On-line Book Review YO TOMITA

It was only four years ago when Alfred Dürr’s ground-breaking book (written in German) on Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier appeared. While we are still waiting for the long-promised English edition from the Oxford University Press, the publication of this impressive monograph by Ledbetter may come as a surprise to some people.

Table of Contents Introduction Part One: Concepts 1 Clavier Clavier; Harpsichord; Clavichord; Spinet; Organ; Lautenwerk; Pianoforte; Summary 2.  Well-tempered The backgrouind to Bach's tuning; Bach and tuning to 1722; Bach and tuning c.1740; Summary 3. Preludes The Preludes and Fugue as a genre Book I: Prelude traditions; The traditional sectional Praeludium; Figuration Preludes; The Invention principle; Sonata, Dance and Ritornello principles; Other types Book II: Types in common with Book I; Newer types 4. Fugues Definition; The theoretical background; Bach and the term Fugue; Rhetoric; Expression and character; Stile antico; Types of invertible counterpoint; Genera of counterpoint; Verset fugues; Partimenti; The Concerto principle 5. All the Tones and Semitones Circles and labyrinths; Key integrity; Ut Re Mi; Solmisation and the Heavenly Harmony 6. Bach as Teacher Bach's educational tradition; Bach's teaching programme; Keyboard technique; Composition Part Two: Commentaries 7. Book I 8. Book II Appendix Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

book that deserves thorough reading and digesting Perhaps the most notable feature in Ledbetter’s approach is the way he presents the information and discusses it, “not to present finished analyses and conclusions, but to sketch background concepts and techniques in the commentaries and thereby equip readers to make their own journeys of discovery in contemplating the music for themselves” as he puts it. In his discussion of individual movements, for example, the technically-orientated analyses (such as the structural makeup of fugues) that are still found in Dürr’s monograph are absent. I am not suggesting that Ledbetter’s contributions to scholarship are small; in fact, it is the opposite: Ledbetter covers an enormous range of background information as well as the views put forward by other scholars, which is very impressive. He also provides numerous examples of musical works by Bach as well as by Bach's predecessors and contemporaries in support of his argument, which furnish his argument superbly well. What I find most intriguing is his discussion of “prelude traditions” where he argues carefully how the teaching tradition in which Bach received his first instruction can be considered reflected in Niedt’s Musicalische Handleitung. The issue of Bach’s teaching has been discussed by various scholars in the past, but, in my opinion, no one has argued it so thoughtfully and convincingly as Ledbetter.

Nearly 60% of this book is occupied by the comprehensive commentary of individual movements where Ledbetter examines various issues that may help performers formulating their own idea to interpret the movement. While such controversial ones as the symbolism of various kinds that have been proposed by recent scholars are included, there are other areas that have not been given fresh consideration. Taking the opening prelude as an example, we are still unsure of the origin of the famous "Schwencke bar" that we find in many editions from the 19th century. (Recently I found a strong evidence suggesting that the bar was the addition by Neefe.) The omission of a chapter on "reception history" can be seen as another, although this subject would require another book of this size to do justice to the enormity of Bach's impact to the generations of musicians after him. But to be fair, it must be stressed that these omissions are insignificant compared with Ledbetter's mighty contributions to his target readers.

Having said all this, this is clearly a book that deserves thorough reading and digesting, not only by the students specialised in performance but also by the scholars working on Bach’s keyboard works and beyond. For university libraries, this is a "must have" book.