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Joined: Nov 2014
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Sorry if this has already been posted before, but I'm going to start learning some pieces from the WTC for college auditions, recitals, etc, and I'd like an accurate, reliable edition. Right now I have the Dover edition. It's not the best edition though. I'd say it's a bit more accurate than the Czerny edition, but some people have said there are a few wrong notes in it. The print is a bit small and didn't have very good ink, either. So far the two top choices in my mind are the Henle Urtext edition or the Baerenreiter Verlag Urtext edition. I've heard a lot of good comments about the Henle, but this was one of the reviews on Sheet Music Plus: "I bought books one and two in Henle Verlag also, and yes I feel they're reliable, but based on what "original" text? I personally like the Bischoff publication because it gives alternate notes-from different 'original' texts--of what Bach may have intended; Verlag doesn't do this." (Paul Dacus) Plus, the Henle is very expensive, and I want to buy both books. The Baerenreiter Verlag seemed nice with a low price, but I haven't seen that many reviews about it. Can anyone please give me their thoughts about which edition I should use? Btw, my teacher recommended that I sightread the 2nd prelude and fugue (c minor), and so far I sightread the prelude and did pretty good with it. 
University of Central Missouri: Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy (2018)
University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory: Master of Music in Piano Performance (2024)
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I have the Barenreither edition for the WTC (both books). I used it in college for a few of the preludes and fugues. The print was nice, big and clean. No editorial marks from what I remember since it was an urtext. I haven't used it in close to 10 years, so I can't give you too many specifics. If I remember correctly, they minimized page turns by starting all of the pieces on the left page (this was nice since a lot of the preludes are only two pages, and a lot of the fugues are only four pages). I did have the books spiral bound to stay open easier. I've spiraled the few Henle's that I own as well, to make them stay perfectly flat on the piano.
I never really used the Henle edition, so I can't provide you with any specifics on that.
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@ benjamink: Thank you. If no one else has any objections to it, I'll probably get the Baerenreiter Verlag. I have like a $40-$50 gift certificate coming for Sheet Music Plus, so it'd probably be the best for me. Out of curiosity, how was the binding?
University of Central Missouri: Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy (2018)
University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory: Master of Music in Piano Performance (2024)
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My Henle edition of the WTC Bk I (I have Bk II in other editions as well as other editions of Bk I) has lasted virtually for decades, not of constant use, admittedly, but for decades of regular use. I have never had any problem with Henle editions staying open on the music stand; in fact, that's one of the many features about Henle that I always appreciate.
Henle is an Urtext, although alternate sources aren't cited, but does it really matter that much if one edition varies by a note or two here or there from another edition, unless one is a compulsive Bach scholar?
The Willard A. Palmer edition of Bk I (Alfred Masterwork Edition) is interesting in that Palmer writes out in light grey text above the score the precise execution of all the ornaments. He does heavily edit the works with phrase and dynamic markings, but all those are indicated in light grey to show that they are not Bach's markings. Palmer also includes a glossary of ornaments with examples of each in his introductory pages. Also of interest is his Table of Tempo indications, listing which of the more recent and some historic performers (pianists and harpsichordists) perform each Prelude and Fugue at what tempo. He also includes how each performer articulates the main subject of each Fugue. All of this is interesting and informative writing.
I don't think that the plastic comb binding would ever last as long as the Henle binding, and several of the Preludes and Fugues are spread over several pages because of annotations and the above-mentioned writing-out of the ornaments, but it's an informative edition to have at one's fingertips.
All this notwithstanding, my working edition of the WTC is always Henle. I don't think that anyone will have "any objections to it" whatever edition you buy.
Regards,
BruceD
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Estonia 190
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I like Schiff's edition for Henle.
WhoDwaldi
Howard (by Kawai) 5' 10"
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@ benjamink: Thank you. If no one else has any objections to it, I'll probably get the Baerenreiter Verlag. I have like a $40-$50 gift certificate coming for Sheet Music Plus, so it'd probably be the best for me. Out of curiosity, how was the binding? I think Baerenreiter is generally considered to be the standard edition for Bach keyboard works. The binding is good and durable. The copies I have, frequently used over a few years now, still look new. You do need to "break" the spine (start at the center and work outward). You should also be aware when ordering that they offer both fingered and un-fingered versions, so don't get the wrong one by mistake.
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Turns out I had like $68 or something worth of gift certificates from sheet music plus. I decided to use it to buy the Henle editions of the two books under free budget shipping. Thanks to everyone who replied, and I can't wait for them to come.
University of Central Missouri: Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and Piano Pedagogy (2018)
University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory: Master of Music in Piano Performance (2024)
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Henle for the English Suites too? That is the one major score missing from my library (well, except for Art of Fugue). I have Peters for Goldbergs, Kalmus for French, Partitas, WTC 1, and Henle for WTC 2, Italian Concerto and Toccatas. Was thinking Barenreiter Verlag, but no fingering, right?
Estonia 190 #6209
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Liszt: Chasse Neige
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My Henle edition of the WTC Bk I (I have Bk II in other editions as well as other editions of Bk I) has lasted virtually for decades, not of constant use, admittedly, but for decades of regular use. I have never had any problem with Henle editions staying open on the music stand; in fact, that's one of the many features about Henle that I always appreciate.
Henle is an Urtext, although alternate sources aren't cited, but does it really matter that much if one edition varies by a note or two here or there from another edition, unless one is a compulsive Bach scholar?
The Willard A. Palmer edition of Bk I (Alfred Masterwork Edition) is interesting in that Palmer writes out in light grey text above the score the precise execution of all the ornaments. He does heavily edit the works with phrase and dynamic markings, but all those are indicated in light grey to show that they are not Bach's markings. Palmer also includes a glossary of ornaments with examples of each in his introductory pages. Also of interest is his Table of Tempo indications, listing which of the more recent and some historic performers (pianists and harpsichordists) perform each Prelude and Fugue at what tempo. He also includes how each performer articulates the main subject of each Fugue. All of this is interesting and informative writing.
I don't think that the plastic comb binding would ever last as long as the Henle binding, and several of the Preludes and Fugues are spread over several pages because of annotations and the above-mentioned writing-out of the ornaments, but it's an informative edition to have at one's fingertips.
All this notwithstanding, my working edition of the WTC is always Henle. I don't think that anyone will have "any objections to it" whatever edition you buy.
Regards, My teacher also recommends the Henle editions for a lot of the music that I'm going to buy. I didn't even realize, until I started researching, that the edition you buy is probably the most important thing. I've seen reviews of music books where people have said they should be banned for missing notes, etc, and that's surprising to me! **Edit: I didn't mean people were saying the Henle editions should be banned, just a lot of other ones!
Last edited by itsfreakingmeout; 09/18/15 09:44 AM.
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Henle Urtext or Barenwreiter seem to be what is suggested to me.
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I think that if one is not a professional pianist or at the level of auditioning for a conservatory, editions like the previously mentioned Palmer are the most desirable. For things like fingerings, articulation, and ornaments trying to figure out everything by oneself is IMO a major stumbling block for many and significantly increases the time needed to learn a piece.
Unless one has played a lot of Bach the best way to learn about fingerings, ornaments, etc. is to see worked out examples that are reliable.
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When I was young I had a Schirmer edition and I remember my teacher would go over each piece she assigned me and make corrections based on her Henle. Now I have the Henle edition mostly because my teacher held them as the gold standard. I have quite a few of Henle's editions and I have yet to have a cover or page fall out of any of them, excepting for the one book that the dog chewed up. But even with that one the binding is still intact so the book is still usable.
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