Bach Prelude and Fugue dm articulation

[williampiano]

Hello everyone! Right now I'm preparing Prelude and Fugue in d minor (book 1) for a competition, and I have a question about the prelude. Should the left hand be completely detached and separated, or is it alright to slur some of the notes to make it a little more interesting.  In other words, how should the left hand be articulated, because my edition has nothing (dover).
Please respond soon, because its kind of urgent. Thank you!

-Will

[j_menz]

Apart from the opening bars, I prefer it when the bass is not too detached; there are some nice phrases in it and you should endeavour to bring them out and some more legato stretches sound great.

Now wait for the purists. 

[ajspiano]

In other words, how should the left hand be articulated?

The way that you think sounds best. - Bach is dead, he doesn't care anymore.

^this is probably not how to win competitions.

However, I think you have to do what you believe is right not emulate someone else's idea. Playing what you feel is right means you feel the music more and you give a more fluent musical performance - and that does win competitions.

I've been known to get told off by competition judges though.. so careful taking my advice.

[pianoplayjl]

When studying Bach's preludes and fugues from WTC, I recommend Richter. He has the finest interpretation of the whole set.

In the end it doesn't matter how you play the left ahnd quavers. In the end you have to make it sound interesting as possible and intrigue the judges/audience. I tried playing those quavers louder, over the semiquaver triplets in the right hand. It didn't work out for me. Youb can try that and see if your teacher thinks it is a good idea. Personally, I did it only because it was the dominant pedal point and I thought it must be emphasised.
Perhaps play it mezzo stacato but emphasized.

JL

[haydnseeker]

Think about how a cellist might bow it.

[iansinclair]

ajspiano has it -- play it the way you think it should be played.  I was trained on classical organ and harpsichord, so my viewpoint is a little weird, but one must remember that all we have are the notes; it is rare to have any kind of marking for legato or staccato or even dynamics.  So the objective of the exercise has to be to make it sound musical -- to your ear.

My personal taste has been to have at least the subject of a fugue legato (except repeated notes: on an organ, repeated notes must have a slight rest between them!).

As has been said, this is probably not the way to win competitions.  So be it...