PENTATONE releases Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Book II with Pierre-Laurent Aimard in October 2025.
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, one of today’s most visionary pianists, presents Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier Book II. Bringing his trademark clarity and depth to these 24 Preludes and Fugues, Aimard reveals Bach’s extraordinary blend of lyricism, intellect, and invention.
“To present the entirety of a collection such as the Second Book of The Well-Tempered Clavier? But then, how can one do justice, acoustically, to the extraordinary multiplicity of this compendium? To the infinite variety of contrapuntal techniques, formal designs, instrumental textures, characterizations, and references to dance?
Each of the 48 pieces is unique and demands specific interpretative choices.
The aim is to generate sound sources that respond to the polyphonic and expressive needs of each piece, and to let them breathe in the right acoustic space.
I hope these choices honour the unsurpassed synthesis of styles that gives this monumental work its enduring value as a testament of its time.”
Pierre-Laurent Aimard
With a lifelong dedication to both early and contemporary music, Aimard approaches the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II not merely as a historical masterpiece but as a vibrant and endlessly inventive work. His performance highlights Bach’s ability to blend expressive lyricism with intellectual rigor, creating a deeply engaging and illuminating listening experience.
DIGITAL RELEASE DATE: 24 October 2025
PHYSICAL RELEASE DATE: October 2025
