Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach 1720 - Piano Solo Book

Edition Peters

Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach - 1720 Piano Solo Book 📚

Genre: Classical

Difficulty: Intermediate 

Following the acclaimed, award-winning publication of The Notebooks for Anna Magdalena Bach 1722 & 1725 (Best Edition 2020, German Music Publishers Association), Edition Peters is proud to present the Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach 1720 in a new premium Urtext edition by world-renowned Bach scholar Christoph Wolff.

The Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach 1720 is a new premium Urtext edition by Edition Peters, edited by world-renowned Bach scholar Christoph Wolff. This special edition provides a fascinating insight into the musical education within the Bach family, specifically tailored for Johann Sebastian Bach's eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, who himself became a prominent organist and composer.

The notebook comprises a variety of pieces, including exercises, early versions of significant keyboard cycles from J.S. Bach like some preludes from the Well-Tempered Clavier, as well as compositions by other notable composers like Richter, Telemann, and Stölzel. It is intended to offer a well-rounded musical education, capturing the essence of the domestic musical academy that existed within the Bach family home.

The publication stands out for its luxurious linen binding and gold-embossed cover lettering. Designed in a landscape format, it is ideal for use on a keyboard stand and also includes illustrations, high-quality new engravings, and a detailed critical commentary.

Notably, this is the first new Urtext edition of this notebook in 60 years and features cutting-edge scholarship from Professor Christoph Wolff, including newly discovered manuscripts and the latest dating of sources. This makes it an invaluable resource for musicians, scholars, and anyone interested in the Bach family and their musical contributions. 152 pages. 

This Special Edition Book Features:

• New Urtext Edition of the Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach 1720 by Christoph Wolff
• First new Urtext Edition for 60 years
• Highest possible level of scholarship
• Follows acclaimed publication of The Notebooks for Anna Magdalena Bach 1722 & 1725
• Landscape format, optimal for piano and keyboard players
• Premium linen binding
• Bibliophile edition

Praise for The Notebooks for Anna Magdalena Bach:

“Every aspect of this edition screams quality; it is quite simply a thing of great beauty!” - Pianodao.com

“There are countless editions of the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach. Edition Peters has now published a complete edition for the first time, containing the complete material from Bach's 1722 and 1725 notebooks. Christoph Wolff, renowned Bach specialist, professor at Harvard University and long-time director of the Bach Archive in Leipzig, is the editor of this bibliophile Urtext edition.

Bibliophile is the right term here - this publication shows the company’s deep connection to Bach in several ways. In addition to a foreword, the inside pages contain all piano pieces from Bach's books in a clean, very well-placed typesetting. Reproductions of Bach’s original manuscript make the bridge between the past and the present easy to understand. Close to the original and very beautifully realised, this Notebook is worthy of distinction.” - Deutsche Musikverleger-Verband (Best Edition 2020)

Who Was Wilhelm Friedemann Bach?

Wilhelm Friedemann Bach (1710–1784) was the eldest son of Johann Sebastian Bach and Maria Barbara Bach. Born in Weimar, Germany, he went on to become a significant composer and organist during his lifetime. Known as the "Halle Bach" for his longtime service in the city of Halle, Wilhelm Friedemann had a varied career that included positions at several churches and courts.

Despite being highly skilled and innovative, particularly in the field of organ music and improvisation, Wilhelm Friedemann did not achieve the same level of long-lasting fame as his father or younger brother, Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach. He was a talented composer, but financial mismanagement and a lack of stable employment during his later years led to periods of hardship.

His works include sonatas, symphonies, keyboard works, and choral compositions, although not all have survived. They are often characterised by their complexity, technical demands, and expressive depth, showing both the influence of his father's style and his own unique contributions.

The Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, compiled by his father, is a collection of keyboard music and exercises intended to provide a rounded musical education for the young musician. It serves as an important historical document that offers insights into the musical environment and educational practices of the Bach family.