Bach: Endlessly Rising Modulation Canon - Bradley Lehman

[ttwiligh7]

I like Sinfonias, Preludes and Fugues you played much better.

I understand this is the way you think the best for you to play, but I also understand the criticism on your rubato for this paticular one. Because it is very hard to get a whole picture by hearing this, as someone described as in a bumpy ride. You are right about expression, but I want to see the road clear from the begining to the end at the same time.

[c4ren]

i dont think these guys can actually hear the modulations my friend.

its actually not bad. :)

the art of modulation!

[Linnehan13]

Practice the music before you post it.

[thebpl]

Linnehan13, the handwritten arrangement is displayed on my other YouTube video about this, and linked so it can be printed out. I invite you to practice it and post your own harpsichord performance that would be more to your liking. I'm curious, since you're offering the free advice on performance or aesthetics: what, specifically, do you think I ought to have done better in this CD where I'm giving away this free track?

[Linnehan13]

Try practicing with a metronome. You seem to stumble around certain phrases.

And certain keys sound way more comfortable for you. The point is to make it sound like every key is equally easy.

As for posting my own version, I am far too busy to learn this at an acceptable level.

I do acknowledge this is a tough piece, yet not ever single accomplishment by everybody needs to make its way onto YouTube.

[thebpl]

Ummm....my tempo rubato is deliberate, and a direct reaction to the tensions in the intonation, lingering more on the juiciest bits. The point is to play the music expressively -- on this instrument that doesn't allow dynamic variation in the touch, so it's done with careful and deliberately irregular control of timing. Do you play harpsichord, yourself? Thanks for listening....

[Linnehan13]

I don't play harpsichord myself, as it became obsolete centuries ago. I'm not claiming to be a harpsichord expert, but when the tempo changes so often in the middle of a phrase, with random note lengths that aren't conducive to the style, it's hard to understand why anyone would wish to take up the instrument.

[thebpl]

Well, I am claiming to be a harpsichord expert (I have been playing it professionally since before you were born, according to the age on your profile...), and the instrument's not obsolete. What you're characterizing as "random note lengths" (with serious overstatement) are part of the style of playing this instrument expressively, for the reason I already pointed out: we can't make dynamic contrasts by pressing harder on the keys. I took up this instrument because I enjoy it. Ah, well.

[Linnehan13]

I think I've nailed what is so disturbing to me. Your rubato comes out of nowhere. You'll burn trough a phrase only to hit a speed bump (or, rubato, as you call it) without slowing down. That's what's throwing me off. It's as if you went 40 through a hospital parking lot. Yes the speed bumps will slow you down a bit, but it wont be a fun ride.

[thebpl]

Rather than coming out of "nowhere", the rubato is a direct reaction to the tensions and relaxations in the composition. I explained this fully in the "Interpretation" section of this CD's booklet notes, which you can see linked in the "more info" section of this video.

[thebpl]

An excerpt from that essay, explaining the tempo rubato: "[The notes] get stretched or compressed slightly, according to the way the music around them is going. As with the syllables of speech, context determines their precise pronunciation (articulation and accent), and the proper amount of time they deserve within larger thoughts."

Other people are quite welcome to play Bach metronomically, making it sound like a predictable and dull machine. I choose not to.

[debartzen]

Bach,improvisó a partir del tema del rey.Un ricercar atre voces completo.El no improvisó el de 6 voces.Lo trabajó después con mucho cuidado.

Brillantes Asombrosos Bucles.

Douglas R. Hofstadter.

[Evangelion69]

haha

[Johnnythemonkey26728]

I love music nerds. Their arguments about nothing are so charming.

[DannyDaWriter]

You should write for Leno.

[Gidselgrisen]

The world is ruled by nerds.

(maybe not music nerds though :P )

[stankylittleangus]

You all must be tone deaf this is terrible, the rythm is way off, and its dischordant. Bach's worst peice ever. It isn't pleasently dischordant...it sounds like a small child playing the piano.

[thebpl]

"The rhythm is way off"? Well, I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it. This is how many professionally trained harpsichordists play, with a nuanced approach to rhythm that brings out details in the music. The tempo rubato and the note-staggering provide expression, compensating for the harpsichord's uniform level of loudness. It's a subtle art, taking years to learn.

I suppose one could enter the score's notes as a MIDI file and let a computer render it, to get a stiffly accurate and unmusical result.

[stankylittleangus]

I fully respect harpsichodists and their art...however in my opinion the are wasting their time if they train to sound terribly. Too you they may sound good, but I am a melodic person, and it doesn't express anything but bad sounding rabble.

[thebpl]

OK, thanks for explaining yourself further.

The composition is three melodic lines (two in canon, plus the other chromatic line), and that's what they sound like if played in solo performance on a harpsichord. Sorry you didn't enjoy it more!

Some other recordings use two or three different instruments, and you'd probably like those better. The fully written-out score is in one of my other videos, with this same recording; take a look, if interested.

[stankylittleangus]

After listening to it a third time, I have come to the conclusion that, I do not hate it. It isn't too bad actually, let's just say I'd much rather listen to something else. Thank you for being understanding, that I just dislike it. I am also very understandings of the reason behind why you like it.

[thebpl]

Excellent. And if you get a chance, listen to my other one where I play this same piece on organ (with the score displayed). Maybe you'll like the action of the lines better in that one, and the performance is slightly faster, too. The music is multi-faceted enough to work decently in different ways.

Bach himself sent a copy of this music to the king, with an elaborate dedication to that king, and never got an acknowledgment back.

[pbazant]

No. It is just too abstract for you to understand it.

Regarding rhythm, I think it is perfectly OK. In some other recordings, especially Sinfonia (3-part invention) in G minor, the note-staggering is IHMO too big, but this one is OK. The tuning is very interesting -- it sounds surprisingly (but pleasantly) to an ear accustomed to equal tuning.

[stankylittleangus]

How would you know if it is too abstract for me? don't make bullshit comments that you have no base of support for, I am a fully trained musician, and have listened to at least 20 time the music of the average human, i know my stuff, and as being a drummer of 3 years also I do know rythm, this has a bad beat. Just because you have a different (in my opinion bad) doesn't mean you have to get off with a comment like that you prick.

[pbazant]

The support for my comment was your own comment (the way you expressed your thoughts). However, I must admit, I should have said that you _probably_ just aren't trained enough in this particular kind of music (Bach). BTW, the 20 time argument is completely invalid.

[stankylittleangus]

It very much is not invalid, it means I have heard much more music then the average human, and I have a precise ear for it.

That comment was also very old, and you will realize that it is in fact invalid...I am sorry for being hostile I don't know what got me so upset...however I figured out that it is the fact that it is supposed to be 3 different instruments however it's all harpsichord that bothered me. Thank you and have a good day. once again sorry.

[stankylittleangus]

It very much is not invalid, it means I have heard much more music then the average human, and I have a precise ear for it.

That comment was also very old, and you will realize that it is in fact invalid...I am sorry for being hostile I don't know what got me so upset...however I figured out that it is the fact that it is supposed to be 3 different instruments however it's all harpsichord that bothered me. Thank you and have a good day. once again sorry.

[pbazant]

As usually, things are lil bit more complicated. I first heard this composition performed by three instruments. If I heard it for the first time with hapsichord, it would possibly sound odd to me, too. In addition, this composition is a part of a larger set of pieces -- it makes more musical "sense" in the context of the other pieces. Have a nice day.

[Lavariall]

the modulation is just unbelivable!

I want to have the notation of this.

[thebpl]

Good idea! Your wish is granted. I've posted the score onto a web page (check the "more" link), and have posted a second video of this, paging through the score as it plays. That one includes performances on both harpsichord and organ, and a series of captions explaining the piece.

[Anomlies]

the tuning is unbelievably beautiful. equal tonality is boring, I hope this tuning mothod can be used to play Froberger or more harpsichord music.

[xringer43]

That Bach wonderfully he my brain cells teases! Discordant, concordant? I'm joyfully pleased/confused! QED, Bach at his best.

[Green4321]

It's interesting to listen to this and then other performances in order to appreciate the difference made by using Brad's "spiral" tuning.

[schindler91589]

bach? discordant? god forbid. what ur hearing is a LOT of modulation and resolution.

The sound quality is really, really good. and i'm glad to hear a well-played bach piece without glenn gould's voice in the background :-).

[Cantormatis]

I dunno- sometimes Bach is WONDERFULLY DISCORDANT. that is part of the beauty, no?

[cembalist]

Intense!

[gormus2012]

This is one of those beautiful pieces that messes with your emotions. One moment it's dischordant and the next it's melodic. I love it.