Book of Ways was recorded on the 14th of July 1986 in Ludwigsburg. Rather amazing is the great variety of sound and rhythm – Keith Jarrett played alternately one or two instruments simultaneously.
Beyond unmistakeable echoes of lute music and Japanese koto, the whole range of modes of expression the clavichord is capable of is being fathomed out. All this has been supported by studio techniques, which recorded the sound of the instrument with rarely heard intensity.
“To my knowledge, this recording is unique in several ways,” Jarrett noted in 2002 about Book of Ways. “We had three clavichords in the studio, two of which were angled together so that I could play them both simultaneously, and the third off to the side. Also we miked the instruments very closely so that the full range of dynamics could be used (clavichords are very quiet and cannot be heard more than a few feet away). The two CDs were made on an off day between concerts with my Trio, and no material was organized beforehand. Everything was spontaneous. The recording was done in four hours.”
The reissue 2-CD comes in a new packaging with high quality paper sleeves and gold embossed lettering.
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