Bach: Inventio 15 (BWV 786)

[riga]

Bach, 2 Parts Inventio #15

Comments welcome  !

Regards,
Riga

[pianistimo]

You seem to be a serious budding pianist and the comments from theresa_b for the k 282 might also apply here.  Just slight bits more of smoothing out the tempo - even though bach was probably known for pairing notes here and there -it's a kind of broken, unbroken rule.  You learn all the rules and then you ever so SLIGHTLy break them.  Here, there might be too much pairing at times - or overfocus on trilling.  You want to minimize discrepancies and maximize smoothness at first and then add some interest back in.  For instance, when you trill to get louder or softer or speed up.  Or, with the dynamics to grade them into two very distinct categories (or four) which is what the very early harpsichords and clavichords offerred.  Although, many prefer to play with all the 'bells and whistles' that the modern piano gives.  I sense, from your playing, a distinct elegance and precision.  It's really nice.  And, your piano and mic is quality. That makes a huge difference, too. 

If I were you, I'd just keep on practicing - and when practicing - to not 'space out' and just play all the notes - but every day make something more interesting or pleasing in some way to your own ears.  I hear this already in your progress.  The calmness of your playing is great.  Sometimes I feel that you could connect a page at a time and think of the page in it's entirety when you are playing.  Where you are heading.  What you will do when you get there.  How you will transition.  Will it crescendo?  What it means to 'come down.'  To come back to where you were again.  Some of these inventions are similar to a merry-go-round in that they get very quiet again at the end - unlike some of scarlatti's pieces which would be considered more binary than the bach (i think).  Don't quote me.

[pianogeek_cz]

So.
I won't go into much detail, just (aside from less emphasis on trilling) this: consistent articulation. Almost every time the subject is stated, you play it differently. While that -may- be an interpretative approach, it's certainly out of place in the two-voice invention, as it makes the piece really confusing.
Another BIG thing is off-beat, or sometimes more like off-the-rocker, accentuation. (I mean, what's happening around 0:21?) Again, confusing, smudges the contours of the piece.

EDIT: Ah, I found it! The problem with 0:21 (and in a few other places) is that you cut the duration of the note with the trill in half, playing it as a sixteenth note instead of an eigth! Gotta fix that. (Is the problem just a wrong reading, or tension?)

Once these technicalities have been dealt with comes the time for thinking about the big picture: where does each voice lead, what constitutes a phrase with a beginning and an end, etc. (While thinking about this, you may just as well disregard everything but the notes, Bach didn't write dynamics or articulation into his inventions.)

It is obviously a work-in-progress piece, now at a certain almost-consolidated stage. As soon as you fix the technicalities, it will be definitely be a rather nice rendition.

[riga]

Pianistimo and pianogeek_cz: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

Indeed it's a work-in-progress: Is there any point to receive comments when a work is already polished? It is actually when I start to work in a piece that your comments are more helpful!

So, today I had some opportunity to play it again, and tried to fix (concentrate) in the following aspects you both have mentioned: - Attached second version -

> Eveness in tempo. I think this new recording it's better, despite I rush a little bit near the end. Probably whished to finish earlier 

> Eveness in the articulation of the subject. I think now it's much better, except for the issue which I mention below (measure 13)

>  Less emphasis on trilling. Again, i think it is better now, but there is a lot of room for improvment. Need to do them more freerly! Will practise that.


Issue on measure 13: NEED HELP!! How a hell can I play the subject in the same way as other places if the E  it's cutted (from 8th to 16th) because right hand is playing an E one 16th afterwards? How to solve it? pedal? Do not like. Not playing the second E? That is cheating! Using a clavicord with 2 manuals? - could be too expensive solution!!  .
HOW???

Again, thank you very much. All of you are my teachers.

//Riga