Pre & Fuga no.4 in C# minor

[keys]

I’m preparing Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C# - for a competition and was wondering if any of you could give me some ideas for interpretation. I need some creative inspiration! Right now the song is technically correct, and I am bringing out the voices fairly well, but it is still pretty boring to listen to.  Have any of you played this prelude and fugue? Did you use any pedal in the fugue, if so, how much? I’d appreciate any advice you all could give me!

[kghayesh]

  I was in the same situation three weeks ago but i was preparing Prelude and Fugue in C. I didn't finish it in time so i quit the competition. I hope you are a bit ahead of time before the competition.

I don't know the fugue in C#- but if it was your first fugue to play (like me) i can give u some advice on playing this so challenging kind of music.

First, when playing a fugue u must know the subject and keep track of every entrance of it in the score. Take care to make it so clear in your playing. Just play it a bit sforzando. Second, most of the fugue should be learnt hands separate. If you tried to learn it HT it will take you a great amount of time with little or no improvement at all, only with frustration. HS is important because of the unlogical sequence of notes played by the right and left hand due to multiple voices. Finally, answering your question about using the pedal, i think the pedal shouldn't be used when playing Bach's fugues as they were not meant to be so at all. Bach actually composed them for the harpischord, with was a much more primitive instrument than the piano. Also, the pedal may not make voices sound so clear. Just concentrate on fingering to make the piece sound as one long legato...

[keys]

Thank you for your reply, sound advice. I have previously performed the Prelude and Fugue XVII in A flat major and Prelude and Fugue XXI in B flat major, and studied a few others, so it’s not totally new. I’ve also studied analysis for fugues and have my score all marked up with voices and such. The Fugue for the C#- is quite dark and dramatic, and it is not possible to get a perfect legato without pedal, but it feels very unnatural to use pedal with Bach. The whole thing is solid and I have performed it once already, I’m just looking for ways to spice it up a bit. I don't feel very confident playing Bach which is why I have trouble coming up with ideas for interpretation. All of the purists breathing down my neck don’t help either. Bach intimidates me. 

[chopinisque]

This might help:

https://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~tas3/wtc/i03.html#movie

[keys]

Hey Chopinisque, thank you for the link. You linked the C#+ But I found c#- on the same site . That is an awesome site! 

[IanT]

Keys, this is my favourite of all the WTC!  It's tough to give much specific advice on interpretation but here's a couple of things...

Keep the prelude relaxed and dreamy.  Really feel the two-in-a-bar pulse and also feel the lines of 16th notes winding like snakes into the dotted eigths.  Imagine the dotted eigths 'blooming' as you sustain them - if you were singing the notes you would crescendo slightly through them.

Make sure you keep the fugue in strict time.  If you let the tempo wander you'll lose the majestic sense of inexorable movement that this piece has.  Make sure that you know all the main subject entries, some are cunningly concealed - especially where the second  of the main themes (the one that starts with the three repeated quarter notes) is layered on top.  Make sure you make the most of the magnificent entry of the main subject in the low bass about half way through - you might want to use a couple of fingers on the C# just to make sure you get the right degree of resonance.  Bring the tension down about three-quarters of the way through in preparation for the stretto on the last page.  Make the most of the stretto and the couple of lines following it.  Relax in the last couple of bars and let the piece come to a peaceful conclusion.

This is a bit general but I hope it helps

Ian

[keys]

Thank you for your suggestions Ian! Those sound like great ideas, I'll try making the dynamics in  the fugue more intense.