Interpreting Bach

[scherzo123]

Hi! When you interpret Bach's Preludes and Fugues, Toccatas, Concertos, Suites, Partitas, etc., are you supposed to make them sound like a harpsichord. I was just wondering how I should interpret some of Bach's WTC Preludes and Fugues, any good advice would be appreciated. 

[drkilroy]

I do not think that you should make it sound like it was played on a harpsichord (which is, I believe, not possible, unless you use a prepared piano ). It is a preferable instrument to play the most of Bach repertoire on, but when you play it on piano, use all the advantages it has over harpsichord, like dynamics and pedals (though the latter might not sound right in all contexts).

Best regards, Dr

[scherzo123]

Thanks! Are you a Ph.D. at piano?

[ajspiano]

You may be interested in this, https://tureckbach.com/documents/a-view-beyond-reproduction/

..and some of the other things within the "documents" page.. link is to the left on the menu of her site.

[davidjosepha]

Thanks! Are you a Ph.D. at piano?

I believe he's actually an archeologist

[m1469]

The first and last decisions an artist makes are musical decisions and are based upon what the text itself calls for.  Harpsichordists had musical decisions to make with Bach's music, too, and then expressed those decisions as best they could on the instrument they had.  Instruments of any sort aren't created as musical straight jackets, but rather as vehicles to express musical ideas which can't otherwise be expressed in the same way.  It is true that the piano and the harpsichord are capable of different sound expressions than one another, but Bach composed ideas, not just sound.  Eventually the ideas expressed coincide with the instrumentation they are expressed through, but the instrument is only, always, a servant to the music - even as harpsichords were back in the day.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Three things to remember...

In the name of god!

Formal

Rich people music

[j_menz]

If you want them to sound like a harpsichord, play them on one. If you're using a piano, make the most of that.

Generally, think of the music in terms of the various musical lines (the voices), how they intertwine and respond to one another, rather like a dance or a conversation.

[j_menz]

Three things to remember...

In the name of god!

Possibly, but also full of human joy.

Formal

Quite the opposite, despite it's use of form.

Rich people music

No No No. It's music of and for the masses.

[asuhayda]

Nah, don't worry about trying to make it sound like a harpsichord.

I go by a few rules:

1. Basically, don't vary your tempo much if at all.. there are a few places where you can take a breath. But other than that, you should be able to play it with a metronome.

2. For me, I play Fugues with a sort of detachment in my articulation.  Fat staccatos on the eight notes and slightly-less-than-legato sixteenths....those are not the same thing!

3. Almost everything else is legato. (Unless you're Glenn Gould)

4. Nuances of phrasing is personal.  Just be sure that you stay consistent.  Also, make sure that you fully understand all of the voicings - which voice needs to be brought to the forefront, where it is headed, etc.

If you want to see all of these rules in action. Check out Youtube for BWV 826.. Partita No 2 in c minor. Specifically, the Sinfonia.  It has three different sections, and they all illustrate the different moods that you can express while playing Bach.  Section 1 is grandios and tragic. Section 2 is light and elegant yet serious. Finally section three explodes into a full blown 2 voice fugue.

...

also, it is a common misconception that all of Bach's music was Religious in nature.  It is not.  Much of his keyboard works were commissioned for secular purposes.  So, you don't have to play it with that divine seriousness all the time.

People often say not to use the pedal with Bach.  Personally, I use it very sparingly.  I've heard people make the argument that if Bach had a pedal, he would have used it (because he had a progressive philosophy of keyboard music for the time).. But, that's a debate in its own.

[scherzo123]

Thanks everyone!

[werq34ac]

In terms of dynamics, you want to be subtle. No full-blown crescendos. Think not in terms of dynamics when playing Bach, but shape and structure.

As for the harpsichord, not necessarily. Some of the pieces can be interpreted as for the harpsichord, but Bach never specified. He simply said klavier. Meaning it could be a harpsichord, clavichord, organ, and whatever keyboard instrument was around at that time.



As for religious vs secular,
To Christians: The bible teaches us to "eat, drink, sing and dance in the name of the lord" (Don't remember where it's from and most certainly I didn't quote it right. But that's the general idea). While the music we play may be secular, we can still glorify God through it. It's as simple as playing for God instead of playing for yourself. And when playing for an audience, just remember that God is listening to you, too. "Bach gave us God's Word, Mozart gave us God's Laughter, Beethoven gave us God's Fire. God gave us music so that we are able to pray without words."

To non-christians: While not all of Bach's music was religious, some of his secular music can have "religious" qualities. Bach's music has a sort of a pure and holy quality to it (not sure those are the right words to use). Besides Bach was a devout Christian and it's highly possible that he felt that his talents should be used to glorify God, even in his secular music. That's how Michelangelo felt about his artistic talents.

And please let's not start a religious debate. Not that we have, but just saying, don't start one.

[davidjosepha]

And please let's not start a religious debate. Not that we have, but just saying, don't start one.

Simply mentioning religion is enough to cause a debate. The problem with the internet is it's full of stupid people with stupid opinions who have no consequences for expressing them stupidly. In the "real" world, if you act like an ***, people stop liking you. On the internet, no such problems due to the anonymity.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Simply mentioning religion is enough

I learned that the hard way...  If you remember.

I wonder what would happen if I went to a YouTube video and just said the word religion. 

Or go on my Facebook and post a one word status: 'Religion'.

[davidjosepha]

I learned that the hard way...  If you remember.

I wonder what would happen if I went to a YouTube video and just said the word religion. 

Or go on my Facebook and post a one word status: 'Religion'.

One person, "John Doe", would like it, and then you'd have about 300 comments from atheist neckbeards saying "Jon ur so dumm how can you like religion when like, ya know, the inquisition and the holocaust and the moon landing n stuff? fuckin sheeple man"

Favorite episode of Metalocalypse, there's a line where Skisgaar says "Stupid idiots, doesn't he knows religions isn't reals?" and Nathan says "Uh, I think you mean God isn't real. Religion is definitely real." Swisgaar: "Oh yehs? Wheres the proofs thens?" "Well, there's an, uh, Bible right over there." "Oh, wells maybe I reevaluates my lifes thens."

Look it up.

Actually, here's the full episode. Only 11 minutes, if you're interested. It's full of jokes about religion and atheism and everything really haha

[m1469]

I'm just listening to this at the moment, and couldn't resist posting here.

[49410enrique]

Possibly, but also full of human joy.

Quite the opposite, despite it's use of form.

No No No. It's music of and for the masses.[/b]

that's clever!

[werq34ac]

Simply mentioning religion is enough to cause a debate. The problem with the internet is it's full of stupid people with stupid opinions who have no consequences for expressing them stupidly. In the "real" world, if you act like an ***, people stop liking you. On the internet, no such problems due to the anonymity.

And so let's NOT be these stupid people and let's NOT get into a debate. Some people have different views and so we should respect that.

Although we should remember that religion does have an important role in classical music whether you are religious or not. I think that human beings are perfectly capable of discussing religion without arguing about whether God exists or not.

[asuhayda]

I'm just listening to this at the moment, and couldn't resist posting here.

(Glenn Gould) - haha.. he is so crazy.  Is it just me or does he look like Frankenstein or Lurch or something?  Playing the harpsichord isn't helping with that image much either.  "FRIENDS... GOOD! FRIEEEEEENDSSSS! GOOOOOOOD!"

[m1469]

(Glenn Gould) - haha.. he is so crazy.  Is it just me or does he look like Frankenstein or Lurch or something?  Playing the harpsichord isn't helping with that image much either.  "FRIENDS... GOOD! FRIEEEEEENDSSSS! GOOOOOOOD!"

haha ... you seduced me into laughing hysterically!  I didn't want to laugh ... haha ... maybe I didn't get enough sleep lately (I most certainly haven't  ) and last night only 3 hours, but that's a funny post.