[VIDEO] - Bach, JS - Sinfonia No. 9 In F Minor ( BWV 795 )

[49410enrique]

J.S. Bach composed his 15 Three-Part Inventions (he actually called them Sinfonias) for keyboard at the same time as their 15 two-part counterparts. They first appear along with the Two-PartInventions in the 1722 Clavier-Büchlein for Wilhelm Friedemann, Bach's then pre-teen son, and then reappear, slightly revised, in a 1723 volume which Bach prefaces with a detailed description of the 30pieces' instructional purpose. An excerpt
 
"to play cleanly in two voices...[and] deal correctly with three obbligatovoices...but, above all else, to acquire a true cantabile style of playing,and, with it, to get a good foretaste of the art of composition."
 
And instructional these Sinfonias are: many is the young piano student who, riding high and triumphant after conquering the Two-Part Inventions, has discovered by moving on to the Three-Part Sinfonias just how truly difficult is the task of mastering that true and beautiful "cantabile style" and, furthermore and fully in realization of Bach's purpose, as studies in counterpoint, miniature form, andefficient motivic invention they are without equal. The Three-Part Sinfonias' value, however, like the value of the Two-Part Inventions, goes well beyond simple pedagogy; for, like the Art of the Fugue or the Well-Tempered Clavier, both of which are also superficially instructional in nature, the Sinfonia is as wonderful, beautiful and, frankly, difficult to the expert as it is to the student and there are not many exercise-books that can claim such.

The 15 Sinfonias follow the same order of keys as the 15 inventions (an order similar in kind to that used in the Well-Tempered Clavier, though of course in the WTC there are more keys to explore). Fugal procedure is used very frequently throughout the Sinfonias. The most striking case is the ninth Sinfonia, a true triple fugue! According to late concert pianist and famed "First Lady of Bach" , RosalynTureck:
 
"...All musicians who study seriously this tender and mysterious work
(Sinfonia in F minor) agree that  it is one of Bach's masterpieces...
Its chromaticism lifts it from the realm of the enclosed tonal system into
our contemporary musical style...."
 
Bach chose to limit himself to two pages when composing the Inventions and Sinfonias so that the student would not need to turn pages. The pieces are all on the short side; but they are wealthy miniatures indeed

-source - All Music Guide, Concert Program (Rosalyn Tureck)

[outin]

I still don't get the Bach, but you play very beautifully

They really should do something about that light. Or maybe you shoud dye your hair black?

[j_menz]

Nice playing.

You need to hand out cough lollies before your concerts, though.

Oh, and get a haircut! 

[49410enrique]

I still don't get the Bach, but you play very beautifully

They really should do something about that light. Or maybe you shoud dye your hair black?

thank you! i appreciate that you liked 'my playing' even if you 'don't like what i played'.

i agree, that is one of the most ill placed 'spotlights' i have ever come across!

maybe i should just buy a pava and wear that for next time

[49410enrique]

Nice playing.

You need to hand out cough lollies before your concerts, though.

Oh, and get a haircut! 

many thanks!


it's funny i was back stage the whole first part of the 'program' (i'm always last), and no one coughed the whole time, then i get up there and this guy almost completely derailed me, it was a strugge to keep my focus (nerves and stage jitters are enough to deal with), and i thoguht after the first few fits he would just excuse himself...nope he felt i needed a percussion accompanyment. thanks dude!   lol

yeah i think need a real haircut.

[outin]

thank you! i appreciate that you liked 'my playing' even if you 'don't like what i played'.

I didn't actually dislike this one, I just didn't get it... If I feel like some Bach one day I might try to...

[chopin2015]

Very nice! Yeah Bach can be wierd and out there, he was quite innovative even for our time, apparently. Maybe he was a witch.

[costicina]

This is one of the piano pieces that induced  me to love Bach and  piano playing, eons of years ago...You play beautifully  this beautiful piece,making  me wonder: why a Scriabin fan is such a fine  interpreter of Bach??
ines
P.S. Please, do something for your masochist drive: why the hell did you brutalize your hair in such a way? You're such a special guy, please respect and love yourself as we alll do...

[starstruck5]

This piece is as deep as the oceans!  I think if you play it for a lifetime that it will never reveal all its secrets -

I could hear in your video that you were struggling to cope with the evil cougher and I think he is not worthy of this music -maybe I am being harsh and he simply couldn't help it -who knows -

I would love to hear you play this in a practise situation -the performance was spoilt somewhat -however, you still managed to play beautifully and artfully - I need to listen to this a few times before I come close to understanding it though -I will download the score later and try to follow the musical arguments!

[49410enrique]

This is one of the piano pieces that induced  me to love Bach and  piano playing, eons of years ago...You play beautifully  this beautiful piece,making  me wonder: why a Scriabin fan is such a fine  interpreter of Bach??
ines
P.S. Please, do something for your masochist drive: why the hell did you brutalize your hair in such a way? You're such a special guy, please respect and love yourself as we alll do...

thank you so much!

you again give me too much credit, i just wanted a haircut, i was short on cash, this is the only haircut i know how to give myself

but really thank you for the compli's. again no self abuse, im just impuslive and was looking for something when i found my old clippers (which id lost, which is why my hair got longer in the first place lol) and was like, meh...alright, why not? lol

[49410enrique]

This piece is as deep as the oceans!  I think if you play it for a lifetime that it will never reveal all its secrets -

I could hear in your video that you were struggling to cope with the evil cougher and I think he is not worthy of this music -maybe I am being harsh and he simply couldn't help it -who knows -

I would love to hear you play this in a practise situation -the performance was spoilt somewhat -however, you still managed to play beautifully and artfully - I need to listen to this a few times before I come close to understanding it though -I will download the score later and try to follow the musical arguments!

thanks as always, for your toughtful comments and for enjoying my playing! as for sir cough salot, i at least hope he liked it too, but that's part of the beauty and horror of live performance, each one is different, we have to learn how to deal with unforseen issues on stange even in the midst of/in the middle of a performance, part of performance practice i suppose. i was slightly perturbed and wish he'd excused himself but oh well, it was what it was.

thank you again for taking time to listen and weigh in, i sincerely appreciate it!

[candlelightpiano]

I enjoyed your performance even though I'm not a big Bach fan.  I like your descriptions of the pieces because I don't have a tremendous knowledge of piano music, to say the least, so I learn about the pieces and the composer, arranger, etc. through your descriptions.  This piece was so calm and soothing, like something you hear in church.  Very spiritual. 

[49410enrique]

I enjoyed your performance even though I'm not a big Bach fan.  I like your descriptions of the pieces because I don't have a tremendous knowledge of piano music, to say the least, so I learn about the pieces and the composer, arranger, etc. through your descriptions.  This piece was so calm and soothing, like something you hear in church.  Very spiritual. 

that you are a self proclaimed 'not a Bach fan' makes your kind remarks all the more meaningful. thank you, sincerely.

it is, as i was able to uncover in my research, a wonderful 'gem of a miniature' indeed, and the chromaticism really does make this little masterpiece a most interesting study and a pleasure to play. im glad it was an enjoyable 'listen' as well!

thanks again