Re: What grade am I? :-)
- From: "p.e.r.i.o.d.i.c." <meet.me@xxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 15:06:45 -0700
In article <48368e3a$0$33289$c30e37c6@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"albert landa" <albert37545@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
So few as to be neglible.In the whole of the Henle Edition of the WTC as far
as I can remember there are only two dynamic markings.These are in bar 3 and
5 of the eighteenth Prelude in Book 2.A forte and a piano.
If you are aware of more markings than this I would be happy for you to
direct my attention to these.
IIRC, there are some dynamic markings in the various
'little notebooks' for WFB and AMB. Not many,
to be sure. But it really does pose a problem
of reason. Why were these markings indicated by
Bach at all if they were meaningless, performance-wise?
Perhaps we are missing something here..?
Bach wrote for the Clavichord,of which he was very fond, the harpsichord and
the organ.The pianoforte was in it's infancy and Bach was, generally, not
all that impressed
He also wrote for the Lute Clavier and sundry other now-extinct
keyboards, some being of his own invention.
And Bach, after criticizing Silbermann's
prototype pianoforte for having a weak treble and
recalcitrant action, eventually gave the
instrument his full seal of approval after
Silbermann implemented the suggested improvements -
this shortly before his (Bach's) death.
I think that one of the miracles of Bach's music is that it is almost timbre
unspecific.It can sound equally wonderful on a harpsichord or a 9 foot
Concert Grand.It can sounds wonderful at a slowish speed or a fast
speed.Hence, the general lack of tempo indications.
It is common knowledge that Bach's music is remarkably indifferent
to specific sonority. Maybe the (relative) lack of tempo
markings is due to the fact that many if not most of his keyboard
works were written as teaching pieces, not necessarily meant
for publication. He no doubt made tempo suggestions to
his students during the course of lessons. Also, the various
suite movements are all dance forms, and their general tempi were
no doubt common knowledge among musicians of the time.
It can be arranged for all sorts of instrumental combinations and lose
nothing in the process.His instrumental writing seems to owe a lot to vocal
practice and his vocal writing seems almost instrumental in technique.
An interesting observation and quite valid, methinks.
As I said, quite miraculous!
Miracles abound in Bach's music and, to my way
of thinking, particularly in his keyboard music.
I like to think of the keyboard as his workshop
for experimentation. Even the 4-part chorales -
each and every one of them - contain several
instances of breathtaking and innovative
harmonic invention.
What a gift this man left the world.
.......
.
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