San Francisco Classical Voice

Clark Griffith's program at Old First Church, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II, by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 870-898,) was a memorable event for serious music lovers, a rare opportunity to hear these works in their entirety. In contrast to the Preludes and Fugues of Book I, completed at Cöthen in 1722, many of the 24 Preludes and Fugues, collected in Leipzig in 1740, which comprise Book 2, are less familiar.

Griffith attempted to give the program a clearer structure by re-arranging the order of the original version, which was by keys ascending by half-steps up the chromatic scale, into keys in the order of descending fifths, i.e. the C major (no. 1) paired with the A minor (no 20), followed by F major (no 11) paired with the D minor (no. 6), until the final G major and E minor Prelude and Fugue. Lastly came a repeat of Prelude no. 1 in C major to close the circle. While interesting, this artificially imposed organization seemed unnecessary. The Well-Tempered Clavier is not a work given to dramatic plot structure. Unlike The Goldberg Variations, there is little sense of overall journey, or a spiritually significant return to the opening theme, which in The Goldberg Variations sounds significantly altered at the work's conclusion. Here each prelude and fugue has individual meaning, and the listener becomes involved at all points without cumulative intensification.

Griffith gave his audience absolute confidence in his mastery of these works. Playing from memory, for a full two hours, with three intermissions, he was for the most part, impeccable in his execution. Moreover, he stressed clarity. He knew where every voice was, and where it was going, and in this respect he presented the music lucidly and intelligibly to his listeners. A nearly uniform dynamic level compensated for the church's lively acoustics even in the most complex passages.

There were, however, shortcomings. The Preludes became at times expressively indulgent and rhythmically hesitant. Here the expressive and affetuoso elements were less than convincing. One wished for more direct rhythmic thrust and for a greater exploration of the elements of tension and relaxation. Oftentimes the music began with an authoritative declaration that soon faded. Phrases flowed too smoothly and serenely to adequately convey the emotional power suggested by them. Despite its heightened intellectual and spiritual stance, The Well-Tempered Clavier, like all Bach's music, is the stuff of dance, song, and passion. Griffith's performance was well served by the Apollonian approach, but would have been greatly enhanced by more of the Dionysian.

High praise, finally, is in order. The music was presented clearly, without gimmicks and with utmost sincerity. Old First is to be commended for sponsoring such a bold undertaking. The opportunity to experience the complete corpus of these monumental works is all too rare and not to be soon forgotten.

(Paul Hersh is a pianist and violist, and, since 1972, the James D. Robertson Professor of Piano at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music)

©1999 Paul Hersh, all rights reserved