Plan for learning Bach's WTC

[xvimbi]

Now, you've given me 2 projects:

1) Make the other voices sing like the bass.

Ehem, each voice has it's own character. I don't think it would be so great to make all of them "sing", but you can try. For starters, just make them stand out over the other voices. For example, take the bottom notes of the arpeggios and give them a little bit extra oomph. What helps in deciding on a character is to "orchestrate" the piece. Imagine that each voice stands for an instrument or a section in an orchestra. If you are really good, you could even get dialoges (or "pentalogs") going between the sections.

You can also use Bernhard's preferred method and write out the voices separately on separate sheets, then play them with the same fingering you would use for the whole piece. This is the best way to get to know each voice intimately. You should be able to sing each voice, which leads to another way to approach them: play only four voices and sing the fitfh! Ha, endless possibilities, and they will all increase your understanding of the piece and allow you to come up with interesting interpretations.

2) Look at the prelude #2 in c-minor and see if I can find the same thing!

Yup

[shoshin]

Keyboard music starts at WTC and ends at WTC.  Probably not true but its kindof cool to think that this one set of work can get the newbies like me (who thought he knew what Prelude in C was all about) and the experts like Bernhard that *knows* what its all about talking about the same piece.  Simply remarkable.  I knew Prelude C sounded more special than its ease of play, I knew it had multiple voices I could hear them especially certain parts, but I had no idea it had FOUR voices. I'm going to have to listen/play/study this some more because right now I can only hear 3 voices, but I know there are 4.

[bernhard]

I'm going to have to listen/play/study this some more because right now I can only hear 3 voices, but I know there are 4.

Er... Actually five...

[lostinidlewonder]

I have a student who plays nothing but Bach, they have Aspergers which means they usually have a very small area of interest which leaves no space for different things or different ideas. I am glad that his particular interest is Bach and he will not touch anything else. We have gone through the entire book I and II in order as they are written as he insisted. I personally didn't see anything wrong with this.

Any of my students who want to learn the WTC I usually choose one which targets deficiencies they may have, but most of the times I will hand them the complete recordings of the WTC by a few pianists and ask them to list what they though sounds nice and they would like to learn.

There is also nothing wrong with doing multiple pieces from the WTC at the same time. I also think it is very important to have some concept of ornamentation, and how you can decorate the WTC.

[quasimodo]

I have a student who plays nothing but Bach, they have Aspergers which means they usually have a very small area of interest which leaves no space for different things or different ideas.

Some psychiatrists think that Glenn Gould had Asperger Syndrom.

[sauergrandson]

May I skip II, 20 and get directly I, 11?   This one is much easier for me.

[guidofellini]

Bernhard said :

"Now here is a progressive order for learning the WTC (from easiest to most difficult). As with all lists of this kind, variations do exist, and I would love to see some different lists. (Hmoll?)

1. no. 15 in  G (Book II)
2. no. 6 in Dm
3. no. 21 in Bb
4. no. 10 in Em
5. no. 20 in Am (Book II)
6. no. 11 in F
7. no. 2 in Cm
8. no. 9 in E
9. no. 13 in F#
10. no. 21 in Bb (Book II)
11. no. 6 in Dm (Book II)
12. no. 19 in A (Book II)
13. no. 11 in F (Book II)
14. no. 19 in A
15. no. 14 in F#m
16. no. 18 in G#m
17 no. 2 in Cm (Book II)
18. no. 5 in D
19. no. 7 in Eb
20. no. 14 in F#m (Book II)
21. no. 7 in Eb (Book II)
22. no. 1 in C
23. no. 17 in Ab
24. no. 13 in F# (Book II)
25. no. 15 in G
26. no. 12 in Fm (Book II)
27. no. 1 in C (Book II)
28. no. 24 in Bm (Book II)
29. no. 10 in Em (Book II)
30. no. 16 in Gm
31. no. 5 in D (Book II)
32. no. 18 in G#m (Book II)
33. no. 24 in Bm
34. no. 9 in E (Book II)
35. no. 4 in C#m (Book II)
36. no. 23 in B
37. no. 3 in C# (Book II)
38. no. 12 in Fm
39. no. 3 in C#
40. no. 8 in D#m (Book II)
41. no. 22 in Bbm
42. no. 17 in Ab (Book II)
43. no 4 in C#m
44. no. 8 in D#m
45. no. 20 in Am
46. no. 22 in Bbm (Book II)
47. no. 16 in Gm (Book II)
48. no. 23 in B (Book II)


Best wishes,
Bernhard."



Thank you so much for this list, Bernhard ! I 'm beginner who wants to learn to play Bach. You will be a great help. I was just thinking : would you mind doing the same thing for Beethoven's piano sonatas ? Or am I asking too much ?

Thank you again.

[yuc4h]

So you have not noticed that Bernhard hasn't been around for like... long time

You also decided to revive an ancient thread asking something that has nothing to do with the thread subject.