Question:
A Bach Prelude and Fugue suggestions?I'm pretty new to playing Baroque music?
2009-03-31 04:28:25 UTC
I'm looking for a Bach prelude and fugue because I've never touched Baroque music in my piano life(which is considerably stupid since I regard Baroque music to be the most beautiful among all Periods)so I need a prelude and fugue to start with so I can get used to the texture of Baroque music.
Any other Baroque pieces can be suggested to but its strictly limited to Baroque and since I'm new please do not suggest pieces like his Partitas which are really impossible to play it since I have no idea how Baroque music's texture is like.And if possible by Bach please as I'm more comfortable in his style...For some peculiar reason his music always sits rather well into me.

This is for piano by the way.
Seven answers:
glinzek
2009-03-31 06:33:21 UTC
I don't know that I'd avoid the partitas or the suites -- Bach's music is polyphonic even when he's not writing fugues. And I find that the fugues are devils to play, and not necessarily easier than, say, the Bb Partita or the Italian Concerto.



From the WTC book 1, I would mention that the 4 voice fugues can be nightmares to arrange and get under your fingers. You are probably aware that the odd-numbered ones are in major keys, the even numbered ones in minor.



Number one in C major has an easy prelude, if you can resist the temptation to flood it with pedal. DON'T use pedal at all in any of Bach. The fugue, however is a 4-voicer, and not too easy.



I would look at #5 in F -- even though the fugue is 4 voice, it is pretty easy.



#2 in c minor is famous, with a really nicely arranged fugue that fits well under the fingers



The 7th in Eb has the most gorgeous prelude, and the fugue has sone absolutely incredible sequences in it -- but it's not an easy one.



These are just for starters.



Try to stay away from extremes in dynamicx. Bach writes the "dynamics" into the music by thickening the texture, the vertical density (more notes per beat), and the horizontal density (more voices). Crescendos and decrescendos are really not in the style. Rubato and big tempo changes are not in style -- keep a steady beat.



Bring out the fugue subjects when they appear in each voice -- not so much with dynamics but with articulation -- remember these were written for harpsichord, and Baroque articulation had to do with the note values involved. In general, 16th note runs are played legato, and the note longer values note values (8ths in this case) that are in juxtaposition should be played non-legato (with just a bit of space between notes). Leaps are generally played non legato, stepwise passages legato. There are whole books written on the finer points of Baroque articulation, so what I have given you here is incomplete -- and there are ALWAYS exceptions to every "rule".



Listen a lot to other good baroque players. Glen Gould's Bach playing is considered by many to be THE way to play Bach on the piano. I find him a little dry, and I question his tempos -- but he plays the pieces with astounding clarity and evenness. I would try to emulate that aspect of his playing.



There are others in this forum who will have much of value to add, and will disagree with me on certain things -- listen to them.



Cheers





Glinzek
?
2016-09-29 15:16:23 UTC
Bach Prelude And Fugue
?
2016-03-02 09:22:57 UTC
It's hard for me to say which I prefer to play. It really depends whether I'm in a "dark and stormy night" mood or a "light side of a Dickens novel" mood. Over all though, I'd probably say that when I play (the one I want to play at the time) I seem to get into the Preludes and Fugues a little more. In terms of style; (although I seem to get into the Preludes and Fugues a bit more when I play), there's something about the French Suites that have a particular charm that I admire. I'd definitely say that the French Suites are easier (for the most part) and much more straightforward. There's not a whole lot (though there is some) of interpretation that goes into the French Suites (at least not when compared to the Preludes and Fugues). And that, my friends, is my opinion.
2009-03-31 04:33:13 UTC
Try the prelude to No. 1 in C major.

It's the easiest one to start with.

Some of them, especially the fugues are really difficult.

I went to music college and studies piano and organ, and I was made to do all 48 preludes and fugues, as well as all the Bach organ works.
?
2016-02-11 11:18:29 UTC
bach prelude fugue suggestionspretty playing baroque music
TK
2009-03-31 11:37:19 UTC
It is not true that "Baroque music to be the most beautiful among all periods", as this is definitely for the romantic period.



Regarding Bach's recommended works :-



*The Well Tempered Clavier Book I:

-Prelude & Fugue No. 2 In C Minor

-Prelude & Fugue No. 10 In E Minor

-Prelude & Fugue No.15 in G major



*The Well Tempered Clavier Book II:

-Prelude & Fugue No.15 in G major

-Prelude & Fugue No.18 in G-sharp minor

-Prelude & Fugue No.24 in B minor



*Italian Concerto in F major BWV 971
2009-03-31 09:50:01 UTC
if you just started baroque don't even touch fugues yet

they are hard to read, master, and MEMORIZE.

preludes

any of them

they are pretty simple

bach is alltogether hard to memorize but preludes are easier than fugues seeing that fugues can be like 30 pages

not kidding


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