Name: Bach Weekend: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book II, Purcell Room
Start: 2014-03-15
Location: Southbank Centre

“Study Bach,” declared Brahms. “There you will find everything.” With this sound advice in mind the Southbank Centre has put together its Bach Weekend , opening on 14 March.

The programme reflects this baroque titan’s ability to bring virtually every musical form he touched to perfection. Over three days there’ll be toccatas and fugues, masses and motets, chamber works and a wealth of seldom-heard pieces for the lute…

There’s far too much to choose from in this staggering body of work. Indeed, when Radio 3 decided to play everything Bach ever wrote, it took 10 days of non-stop broadcasting. But no survey, however brief, could leave out The Well-Tempered Clavier – two volumes of preludes and fugues for keyboard, written in all 24 keys (96 pieces in total). It’s one of the most intriguing and influential works in the Western canon, and it can be heard on March 15 in the Purcell Room.

Only one of the two books is getting an outing over Bach Weekend, though, and it’s going to be Book II – less popular with audiences than Book I, but every bit as glorious. Unusually, the recital will be given on the harpsichord – played by Steven Devine (of London Baroque and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment). Some people find their nerves tested by prolonged exposure to this instrument, but here its crisp sound is a perfect vehicle for the complexity and ingenuity of Bach’s counterpoint – those strong individual lines, entirely distinct yet perfectly intertwined. The performance is divided into two halves, leaving time for a drink in between. Could it get much better than that?

Bach, with characteristic modesty, said The Well-Tempered Clavier was mainly “for the profit and use of musical youth”. In reality, it’s a work that many pianists could devote a lifetime to. Its range is astonishing, and there’s always something new to be found in it. If you can get to the B minor Mass and the cantatas over Bach Weekend, so much the better. But if you only have time for one concert, make it this.

What	Bach Weekend: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book II, Purcell Room
Where	Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX \| MAP
Nearest tube	Waterloo (underground)
When	On 15 Mar 14
Price	£29.00
Website	Book now via the Southbank Centre's website

Practical

THE PURCELL ROOM

The Purcell Room, in Queen Elizabeth Hall, is the smallest space in the Southbank Centre, with 370 seats - and it's perfect for intimate solo recitals such as this one.

The Southbank Centre offers a fresh, mid-century modern vibe with its huge glass windows and vintage fifties interior.

Take a stroll along the banks of the Thames before sunset, past the buskers and street entertainers towards Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, and admire the dome of St Pauls Cathedral in the distance.

WHERE TO EAT

There are plenty of dinner options on the riverbank. Expect the usual suspects: Giraffe, Le Pain, Wahaca, Ping Pong, Wagamama, yawn. However, the BFI has two good bars and a restaurant - though they're always abuzz, so be prepared to elbow-jab your way to a table.

The best option, if you can face the 10-minute walk, is the Anchor and Hope gastropub on The Cut, which is exceptional (you may have to wait at the bar with a bottle of wine, but we assure you it's worth it).

Bach Weekend: The Well-Tempered Clavier Book II, Purcell Room

“Study Bach,” declared Brahms. “There you will find everything.” With this sound advice in mind the Southbank Centre has put together its Bach Weekend...