BWV 999 Standard Performance Practice

[musicbox107]

Hi, I was wondering what everyone thought about the proper way to perform Bach's Little Prelude in C Minor (BWV 999). I have a performance coming up in my history class, and I can't decide whether it should be a bit staccato, some pedal, no pedal, etc. Any recommendations or opinions would be so helpful.

[visitor]

pedal as needed to maintain a singing 'line', pedaling in terms of how much/how little will depending on the instrument, the acoustics of the room and how far away you need to project (what sounds decent at the piano may sound like  a blurry mess at the back of a performance hall). you play to the conditions and use your ear and understanding of the venue to make that decision. generally pedaling in Bach (as least how I do it) is as much as necessary, but no more, and typically i will employ some flutter pedaling.   

[adodd81802]

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[hardy_practice]

I did have a look for a Glenn Gould rendition, as he's notable for having performed the best Bach interpretations (even if they are sometimes unorthodox)

Wha??

[adodd81802]

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[hardy_practice]

Wha?? Is short for What the f...  A comment on the ludicrous idea that Gould 'performed the best Bach interpretations'.

[adodd81802]

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[hardy_practice]

Why use wiki?  Why not your ear?  Listen to a hundred interpreters, study them and Bach then come to a conclusion.  I did and you have mine.   

[adodd81802]

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[outin]

You know I said nothing obnoxious in my original comment, I merely pointed out that as an example, Glenn Gould is famously renowned for his Bach performances.

Well, this is what you actually wrote and I think there's quite a difference:
"...he's notable for having performed the best Bach interpretations" (bold added by me)

Kind of made me think "what?tf" also...

[outin]

A celebrated performance, maybe take some inspiration from some popular youtube videos

What's with the left hand choreography in the beginning? Is it essential for inspiration? 

[adodd81802]

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[adodd81802]

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[hardy_practice]

I will be the first to admit i'm no Bach expert, or even that keen on his compositions personally but can appreciate good music in it's own right.

Not keen on his compositions!? Struth!

[musicbox107]

Thank you so much for your suggestions. To avoid confusion (on my end, of course), I just performed sans pedal, and it worked out fine. These interpretations are astounding, though, each so different, but all breathing into Bach'so work their own life and sense of energy. Sorry, I could go on nerdIly like that for awhile, but yeah. Awesome.

[hardy_practice]

Well done performing it!  If I hadn't have been so pig headed I would have suggested pedal for the loud parts.  Since Bach's day the damper pedal was always called the loud pedal (and still is in France).

[total_failure]

im no expert but
Somebody wrote that you need pedal to mentain a singing line. I can give you countless examples of singing lines without pedal. Though i am not against pedal in Bachs music on principle, there are some dangers of using it:

1) Losing the sense of style (using interpretative means of the romantical era for instance)

2) Losing clarity of structure ( this referes more to the works where the contrapunctual element is dominant (i guess something like 95% of his works). Using a pedal in a fugue will mess up the individual voices. It is vital in Bach to have the voices clearly distinguished.

then  in something like the 1st prelude in c maj from wtc, i think it sounds too dry if you dont use pedal. there certainly are pieces where the pedal is not working against the composer.
In little prelude in C minor, you can throw in some pedal imo, but not so that it gets too blury.

Listen to the interpretations of Andras Schiff. He doesnt use pedal but his sound is never dry or boring.

 

[michael_sayers]

I am quite fond of this interpretation. 

[hardy_practice]

I've always loved this one:

[lostinidlewonder]

I prefer no pedal. The Lh lowest note should feel like it draws through where the other notes are lighter this will give the Lh two voice articulations instead of just a plain single. As patterns rise up the keyboard generally consider increasing volume and opposite when they tend downward.

[bachapprentice]

Wha?? Is short for What the f...  A comment on the ludicrous idea that Gould 'performed the best Bach interpretations'.

Gould was the greatest Bach interpreter of all time. The man was a genius.

[hardy_practice]

Gould was the greatest Bach interpreter of all time. The man was a genius.

And you would know??

[bachapprentice]

And you would know??

I have listened to all of his music and other Bach interpreters. I have also watched many videos of Glenn Gould.

[hardy_practice]

I have listened to all of his music and other Bach interpreters. I have also watched many videos of Glenn Gould.

That in no way qualifies you to make such an outlandish claim.

[bachapprentice]

That in no way qualifies you to make such an outlandish claim.

When I have more time I'll explain it in more detail. In the meantime listen to Glenn Gould's Bach Goldberg Variations that might sum it up for you.

[hardy_practice]

When I have more time I'll explain it in more detail. In the meantime listen to Glenn Gould's Bach Goldberg Variations that might sum it up for you.

Like I don't have both recordings? and know them well?  Sheesh.    You need to get out more.