Piano Forum

Piano Board => Repertoire => Topic started by: vladimir_gouldowsky on July 06, 2013, 04:51:35 AM

Title: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: vladimir_gouldowsky on July 06, 2013, 04:51:35 AM
Also, can you say how hard these other pesces/songs are:

- Handel Variations (Bronze variatons)
- Tchaikovsky-Goodberg Scherzo from Symphony # 6 in F minor
- Islamic Fantasy by Emily Balalaika (i.e.,: 'The Russian Clara Schumann')
- Sherbet's Christmas Oratorio 'Death in a Manger'
- Lisitsa's Sonata in be minor
- REM's Moonstipe Sonata
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: musickid10 on July 06, 2013, 06:52:28 AM
I'm only closely familiar with Bach's WTCs I and II. They are not very difficult at all, but obviously it depends on your comfort level with baroque music and such. Good luck!
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: avengeil on July 06, 2013, 01:38:37 PM
Lisitsa's sonata?
   someone's been listening to a bit too much of valentina.

 The difficulty level of the WTC varies as it ranges from 3 voice fugues to 5 voice ones although technically it is not that hard. For me the biggest challenge is that of interpretation and tone color. 
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: rachmaninoff_forever on July 06, 2013, 01:53:04 PM
Valentina Lisitsa has her own sonata? :o
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: outin on July 06, 2013, 02:37:22 PM
How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord? 

I haven't seen that specific instrument (and I wonder who dared to tamper with HIS), but since they were made with wood and maybe some metal, I'd say it must be pretty hard...
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: thalbergmad on July 06, 2013, 04:59:10 PM
If it were not for the excellent post in the Lisitsa thread, I would have though we have got another spammer on our hands.

Thal
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: ahinton on July 06, 2013, 05:35:34 PM
Valentina Lisitsa has her own sonata? :o
What? Something else that you don't know about her? Mon Dieu!

Best,

Alistair
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: austinarg on July 06, 2013, 06:01:02 PM
If it were not for the excellent post in the Lisitsa thread, I would have though we have got another spammer on our hands.

Thal

And if he mocks Schumann you'll surely buy him a coffee, right?
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: thalbergmad on July 06, 2013, 06:29:31 PM
If he mocks Schumann, he has a friend for life.

Thal
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: rachmaninoff_forever on July 06, 2013, 06:32:42 PM
If he mocks Schumann, he has a friend for life.

Thal

What's wrong with Schumann? 

I don't know anything by him.  Maybe like a page of his butterflies or something.
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: thalbergmad on July 06, 2013, 06:39:19 PM
I don't know anything by him. 

I can only advise that you keep it that way.

You would waste your talent on his empty, dull and restrained romanticism.

Thal
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: sirpazhan on July 06, 2013, 06:47:43 PM
(https://dailypicksandflicks.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/ill-be-bach-arnold-schwarzenegger-playing-violin.jpg)
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: ahinton on July 06, 2013, 10:13:57 PM
I can only advise that you keep it that way.

You would waste your talent on his empty, dull and restrained romanticism.
I know that I've asked this on several previous occasions, but could you please tell everyone here what it is that you have against Schumann and why? - including whether there are any exceptions in the composer's output as far as you are concerned and, again, which ones and why?

Many people here would, I'm sure, be most interested to know, especially given your involvement in Romantic music mainly (though not exclusively) from the 19th century.

Very many thanks.

Best,

Alistair
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: thalbergmad on July 06, 2013, 10:32:18 PM
I have explained this before and have no intention of wasting keystrokes on him. If my explanations were not to your satisfaction, you will remain unsatisfied.

I will continue to warn young pianists of the tiresome drudgery of his output.

Thal
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: ianw on July 06, 2013, 10:45:05 PM
Difficulty gradings for Bach's WTC cover a wide range depending on which individual piece you are talking about. The Piano Syllabus app on Google Play has the following gradings by BWV reference:

846. 8
847. 7
848. 11
849. 11
850. 7
851. 7
852. 11
853. 11
854. 8
855. 8
856. 10
857. 11
858. 10
859. 10
860. 10
861. 10
862. 10
863. 8
864. 10
865. 11
866. 7
867. 8
868. 8
870. 10
872. 10
874. 11
875. 10
876. 7
878. 10
880. 10
881. 8
882. 11
883. 11
884. 7
885. 11
886. 11
887. 11
888. 10
889. 10
890. 11
891. 11
892. 11
893. 8
 
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: austinarg on July 07, 2013, 01:25:05 AM
Back on topic (although I doubt that was the original intention of the OP) bernhard had posted a graded list of the WTC fugues. I only have to find it...
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: pianoman53 on July 07, 2013, 05:27:14 AM
You should play "Variations on Beethoven's 'ba ba ba Baaaa'" written by a billion amateur musicians.
Title: Re: How hard is Bach's Well-Tampered Klavikchord?
Post by: orangesodaking on July 07, 2013, 06:29:05 AM
The Hammered Klavier Tavern sonata by Lewd Wiggy Bates Hoven is the hardest of them all.