Bach WTC practice

[gamja]

I chose Bach Well-Tempered Clavier Book I #17 prelude and fugue for one of my audition pieces, but I never played Bach before, so I'm wondering how I make the sound the CD has. It sounds stacato, but softer than that. And how do you use pedal? I use henle sheet and it doesn't even have fingering. I feel so desperate, please help me!

MJ

[bernhard]

Start by having a look at these threads; they cover a lot of ground that relates to your question:

Bach interpretation:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=stud;action=display;num=1085891820;start=0

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1050165080
(dynamics)

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1059889782
(pedal use, piano x harpsichord)

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1075497476
(pedal and dynamics with special reference to the prelude in C -  WTC 1)

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1080428553
(pedal)

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1082736762
(performance stylistic differences between Bach and later composers)

Bach ornaments

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1059112821

Also have a look at this thread; it is about how to learn Bach 2-voice invention no. 1. A lot of what is said there is immediately applicable to preludes and fugues:

https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=teac;action=display;num=1081198385

I also suggest that you listen to the Rosalyn Tureck CD (DG), in case you have not already. In my opinion it is the benchmark for all others.

Why did you choose this particular prelude and fugue? I consider it to be one of the difficult ones (in progressive order of difficulty I would rank it as 23 amongst the 48 ). If you have never played Bach before you may want to start on one of the easier ones (No. 15, Book 2 is the easiest), or even play some 2 and 3 voice inventions before you tackle the WTC.

Finally, you may find the ABRSM edition (Edited by DonaldTovey) helpful in which it has fingerings and authoritative and up to date information on all the preludes and fugues.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[f0bul0us]

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