Bach wrote this massive and magnificent collection:
“for the benefit and use of the musical youth eager to learn, as well as for the special pastime of those already skilful in this study.”
As well as sharing this remarkable music around the country, the project is fundraising for musical charities who provide much-needed help to those same categories of people today – musicians young and old.
The nominated Project 48 charities are: Help Musicians, Youth Music, Live Music Now and Future Talent. Between them they help hundreds of thousands of musicians every year, offering financial support, creating opportunities, addressing inequalities, and altogether safeguarding the future of the music world.
The Well-Tempered Clavier is widely considered to be a masterpiece of Western art, only rarely performed in its entirety. In 1722 Bach published a prelude and a fugue in each of the twelve major and twelve minor keys (Book 1), and twenty years later he repeated the process (Book 2). Each of ‘The 48’ lasts only a few minutes, but between them they explore a wealth of characters, styles, and moods, representing not only the diversity of musical language available to the composer at the time, but also exploring the whole gamut of human emotional experience.
Pianist Libby Burgess is well-known on concert stages across Britain, playing in the country’s major halls and festivals, on Radio 3, and on a range of recordings. Praised by The Observer for her ‘warm, sensitive pianism’, she collaborates with many of the UK’s finest instrumentalists and singers when not taking on crazy country-wide solo projects. Libby is Artistic Director of New Paths Music, is Co-Artistic Director with Martin Roscoe of the Beverley Chamber Music Festival, was formerly Head of Keyboard at Eton College, and is also in demand as coach, speaker and writer.
All tickets are priced at £10 and seats are unreserved. Under 18s are free. Doors open at 6.45pm. Tickets available here.