about the art of fugue

[ryanyee]

any idea what level it's at?

[Kassaa]

Up along there with the Goldbergs methinks, especially the last fugue. It's insanely long, deep and has a huge amount of voices and themes and contrathemes. I guess some movements aren't impossible though, the first fugue doesn't sound too hard.

[lazlo]

extremely difficult. A life's work.

[slobone]

Some of the fugues aren't bad at all, certainly no worse than the ones in the WTC. Others literally can't be played with two hands. It's not clear whether the whole thing was intended to be performed, or just to be studied.

But why not get the music and start exploring? It's a lot of fun to sight read at least.

[ryanyee]

so far i can only manage 3 of them. tell me is it too hard for a freshman in abrsm standard? cos i am.

[term]

so far i can only manage 3 of them. tell me is it too hard for a freshman in abrsm standard? cos i am.

Well why don't you have a look at it yourself? oO
I just wonder, because you if you can play 3, have a look at the rest and find out.
"Levels" are certainly not a good method to describe the difficulty of such a complex work.
Just do it if you like them.

[ryanyee]

well i did try the rest. too difficult. anyway, what else can i use to judge the difficulty of any piece if not the grading systems?

[slobone]

Well again, for most pieces the ratings system is just fine. But TAOTF is really a compilation, and it's all over the map. It's like asking, how hard are the Chopin Preludes?

[ganymed]

http://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,3827.msg34579.html#msg34579

they start at grade 4 and 5 and go to grade 8+. Some ppl said here on the boards , that there are preludes being harder than the ballades

[ryanyee]

like?

[quantum]

Bk 2 C# minor, perhaps.  I like it though, it's really pretty.

[ahkow]

Some of the fugues aren't bad at all, certainly no worse than the ones in the WTC. Others literally can't be played with two hands. It's not clear whether the whole thing was intended to be performed, or just to be studied.

But why not get the music and start exploring? It's a lot of fun to sight read at least.

I agree. It's not as though practicing is a sin. Practicing the fugues will help very much in your voicing and you will be able to hear inner notes quite clearly. This will make your polyphonic playing sound extremely unique (e.g.: Chopin etude Op.10 No.2, 10, Op.25 No.9, 10). I think Bach intended the WTC to be studied. I forgot what he wrote about it. I think you can find the phrase int he book "The Cambridge Music Guide"