Bach - Prelude and Fugue in c minor, BWV847 (WTC I)

[andhow04]

the famous prelude and fugue in c minor from the first book.


UPDATE 3/8/13: even though this had been listened to a lot of times, i reposted a newer version, which has clearer thinking.
the first 6 or so preludes and fugues from WTC I are the most familiar. they are what we think of, when we think of bach preludes and fugues from WTC. but having gone through all of them, and seeing the huge variety of music in these two volumes, clarified my mind as to the potential of some of the over-familiar, earlier ones. i think this version is better and more organic.

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[scottmcc]

gasp, I had missed this when you first posted it.  luckily I saw it when you posted book 2 c minor.  anyway, it's obviously a quite famous one, and one that I think most people learn relatively early in their journey through the WTC.  as such, there are a number of sub-par interpretations swirling about the internets.  yours is not one of the above though--as usual your bach is first-rate, and I really like what you've done here.  for the prelude, the tempo is perfect and the line is perfectly steady, which is critical in a work of this nature.  the fugue has your typical clarity of line and voice separation which sounds effortless, but which I know from experience is a rare gift (one of which I am woefully not possessed).

[pianoplayjl]

prelude- i think played as it should have been played
fugue-I think too fast. apart from that, good job.

[cjp_piano]

Wow, I've heard this probably hundreds of times, but yours is very attractive and fresh! I love the articulation on the prelude. The tempo for the fugue was perfect, I thought. The subjects could be announced more obviously at times, but really very good, congrats!

[pianoplayjl]

I reckon you can shape the fugue a little more, such as bringing out the episodes in the soprano.

[andhow04]

Wow, I've heard this probably hundreds of times, but yours is very attractive and fresh! I love the articulation on the prelude. The tempo for the fugue was perfect, I thought. The subjects could be announced more obviously at times, but really very good, congrats!

thanks ofr those nice words.  this is one of the most enjoyable fugues to play... now i do feel it might be a little fast. oh well!

[cjp_piano]

thanks ofr those nice words.  this is one of the most enjoyable fugues to play... now i do feel it might be a little fast. oh well!

I don't think it's fast at all. To each his own!

[arielpiano]

Since everyone seems to have an opinion about this P&F... I actually thought the P could have been a bit faster and the F a bit slower. But that is really not important. More importantly, I would have liked less emphasis and more grace in both. These pieces can be very elegant if played more lightly. But nice job overall. Now let's hear the D major.

[pianoplayjl]

Well  in my score it says the prelude must be played 'moderato' which most pianists instead play fast to get a good sound. Andhow has followed the tempo directions and made an excellent sound.

[cjp_piano]

Well  in my score it says the prelude must be played 'moderato' which most pianists instead play fast to get a good sound. Andhow has followed the tempo directions and made an excellent sound.

Interestingly enough, Bach didn't write any tempo markings =)

[arielpiano]

There are countless bad editions of Bach's music that contain dynamics, tempo markings, and fingerings that have nothing to do with Bach. One should try to use an Urtext whenever possible.

[pianoplayjl]

Interestingly enough, Bach didn't write any tempo markings =)

I didn't say Bach wrote tempo markings. I said the score stated Moderato. Just because there is a marking doesn't mean the composer wrote it. I think there were tempo markings when Beethoven came along, I think.

[cjp_piano]

I didn't say Bach wrote tempo markings. I said the score stated Moderato. Just because there is a marking doesn't mean the composer wrote it. I think there were tempo markings when Beethoven came along, I think.

I didn't say you said that, haha. I was just commenting because you said he followed the tempo marking but Bach didn't say what tempo to play it at 

[pianoplayjl]

I didn't say you said that, haha. I was just commenting because you said he followed the tempo marking but Bach didn't say what tempo to play it at 

Whoops, my bad, apologies.

Andhow, the more I hear it, the more I think that it is a really wonderful interpretation. I like especially the adagio sections with the demi..quavers and hemi...quavers and how you interpreted it. I think I'll try to follow your interpretation. I've seen videos where pianists just treat the demi..and hemi..quavers like semiquavers, hardly speeding up to it's real supposed note value and speed.

[andhow04]

Since everyone seems to have an opinion about this P&F... I actually thought the P could have been a bit faster and the F a bit slower. But that is really not important. More importantly, I would have liked less emphasis and more grace in both. These pieces can be very elegant if played more lightly. But nice job overall. Now let's hear the D major.

that's an interesting take, i do play most of the fugue on the lighter side, until the big cliamx with the subject in the bass towards the end.  the prelude tho i envision on a harpsichord with the keyboards doubles and the 4' drawn, with a large, grand sound.  it seems to me to be too grand in scale, to think of as elegant in character!

[sashaco]

I can't agree that the P should be faster.  I was very much taken by the contrast of the presto to the original tempo, and this would be hard to accomplish at a faster overall speed.  The fugue was sprightly and grew dramatic by the close.  I might like it a hair slower to allow clearer breaths, as it were, in the phrasing, but it certainly works the way it is.