Bach, "Little" Fugue (G minor, BWV 578)

[laurenkd89]

This is amazing. Fugues are some of the hardest pieces to play, and you just nailed it. Gorgeous, keep up the amazing work!!!

[bonumfatum457]

Why piano?

[smalin]

@bonumfatum457 Because there are already lots of videos of it on organ, because I thought that a piano version showed some things about the music that the organ version did not (and vice versa), because I didn't have a decent organ at the time, and because I felt like it.

[normaleruser4]

@smalin

I see BWV 542, Fantasy and "Great" Fugue in G minor on your to-do-list. Piano also there? (i would prefer it)

[smalin]

@normaleruser4 Probably not on piano; I got a new organ module (that I used on the organ music I've posted recently), and I'm keen to get my money's worth out of it.

[geiroffenberg]

@smalin all very good reasons.

[facisseJ]

Polyphonic done to absolute perfection. I love this piece.

[lopezjackie515]

Your video is popular on Netherlands

[muffinsarelife1]

Why do all bach fugues in minor keys end with the parallel major?

[squigglycircle]

@muffinsarelife1 Not all, at least BWV 543 doesn't.

[rockanneable]

Watching these are going to help me recognize them on my listening test in college, since I learn better with colors and motion, this is great convinience.

[pruehle710]

this sucks



[Catslovedogs2007]

looks like you need 5 hands to play this!! so divine!

[SweetlyDissonant]

Picardy third!

[Weimar76]

I think that "Bach" means "Creek"

[blupiano]

@Weimar76 In English I believe the name would translate to John Brooks.

[B0sTonCeltics20534]

OP,

Re-upload this in 1080p please.

Or post link for HD download.

[smalin]

@B0sTonCeltics20534 It takes almost as much work to remaster a video as to do a new one, so I'd rather work on a new video than make a new version of one that's already available.

[humbertabe]

@B0sTonCeltics20534 best music that will ever exist

[locust1953]

My all-time favorite piece! And I'm a rock-and-roller, Go figure!

[MsMazzy100]

I just loved seeing the musical patterns. It enhanced the music and helped me understand what was going on. Thank you for your generosity and amazing talent.

[hohomahoro]

Megaman Legends!

[rogerromagosa]

Incredible that something composed some 300 years ago still sound fresh and interesting... Bach still is the father of it all... like Beethoven said, instead of Bach (Stream in german) it should be named ocean...

[smalin]

@rogerromagosa Didn't he say he was a river, not a stream?

[KonsolN]

@smalin

Bach is a really really small river and I think thats stream in english.

[spikehagan]

@KonsolN In welsh it means 'small'

[lisasetser0409]

Beautiful! I'm in awe of people who can play the piano.

[hendigon]

Love the fugue, hate the sound of this piano lol...

[SkeezeyJ]

I absolutely love your piano version. I do not know what mood Bach attempted to convey with his original piece, but its expression seems more complete without the hollow notes of the organ.

[FlyingPigBoy]

Heh, I remember when I wondered how this was supposed to be played without 4 hands... then I realized I was being completely stupid when I noticed you can press more than one key with the same hand.

[muulka]

@FlyingPigBoy It's for organ originally- you play with your feet. The original is actually completely impossible on an ordinary piano. Unless you have like 1 metre wide hands >.<

[FlyingPigBoy]

@muulka Oh, that's pretty cool actually. Thanks for letting me know.

[ShogaNinja]

This song was intended for the pipe organ. Why was this made on piano? It sounds way worse. I vote for the real pipe organ version.

[vanburikwouter]

@ShogaNinja This is a pianoforte, not a ordinary piano and therefore also a baroque instrument. This baroque instrument however has pedals like an organ making it possible to play organ music on a piano forte. Hence, it sounds as baroque as possible. It's a matter of taste. Though I too prefer the organ version, this too sounds rather nice

[smm32390]

@vanburikwouter I'm almost positive (Key word almost) That Piano's and Pianoforte's are the exact same instrument, no difference except the name is shortened. The pianoforte got it's name because it was the first of the string keyboard instruments to be struck by hammers allowing for dynamics. People just take out the forte because it's cumbersome to say and write.

Though I agree I prefer the song on organ.

[vanburikwouter]

@smm32390 Yes, but the forte is usually left out because of the mechanics weren't as smooth as that of a piano that you see around Beethoven's time. Yes they are the same instrument, but let's just say it's the piano 1.00 that's played and the piano we know today is a piano 1.3 (or something like that;P) What version do you prefer on the organ? the fast one by Ton koopman or one that's slower, more like Karl Richter's version?

[potpourri360]

@ShogaNinja I find the notes more cleans. With an organ, this sound like brouhaha.

[ShogaNinja]

@potpourri360

Lol I've give you that, it's just an old familiar song to me. The timbre of the organ help it to blend together better. The notes stick out more with piano. Well what do I know? I study the Bachster on guitar.

You get bored slide on over to my channel and see what I'm up to.

/watch?v=q25BqUfWjR8

[Pritty61]

Esta fuga es hermosa! no me canso de escucharla, Bach era todo un genio :D

[linad015]

is this made fpr two players?

[TwoFootButtcrak]

Is this Baroque?

[Nuclearfreak23]

@TwoFootButtcrak yup, Bach is one of the greatest composers from the Baroque era.

[potpourri360]

@Nuclearfreak23 Best composer ever!

[Cyfrlingk]

@Nuclearfreak23 and @TwoFootButtcrak ; To most people familiair with JS even the greatest composer of all time and/or of all western music.

[mmshot1]

he lived in germany died in germany.

bach had to spend 1 month in jail because he tried to quit his job and composing for a duke

[XxPhoenixHarpyexX2]

the music is amazing me my ears and those lines are confusing my eyes XD

*ears telling the eyes*: sorry some secret can only be understood in a language known only by the ears.

[Justsomebody95]

He i've got a question about a musical episode from Sanctuary

Is this actually Fugue? (that's also the name of the episode)

YouTube link: watch?v=eP5Itay2Be0&feature=ch­annel_video_title

Skip to: 6:59 to watch

If it is/isn't please anwser

[smalin]

@Justsomebody95  No, that music is not a fugue. (But "fugue" has other meanings, as in "fugue state.")

[jeebus022]

I think the ol musanim channel should reupload this one in 720p glory. I know you're a busy man but do you think you'll be able to do it, smalin?

[smalin]

@jeebus022 It takes nearly as long to remake a video as it does to make a new one, and I'm much more interested in what I'm working on now. For ones that have lots of detail, I sometimes do a remake, but for this, you can pretty much see what's going on at 240p.

[martian76smiley]

whoever created and posted this has a very clear view of music, and life itself.-

[martian76smiley]

that's f'n awesome. -so much better than sheet music.! 

[Areed21996]

It's amazing how we had such great compozers in the 1800s but not so many now. J.S. Bach the master of polyony. Today I have music class and I will probaly be singing this song today. I love the way it sounds at 3:03. <3 THIS SONG!!

[Chefodeath]

@Areed21996 Bach was 1685-1750

[NorthAnticipated]

@Areed21996 @Chefodeath

How can you say you love a composer IF YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE CORRECT DECADE IN WHICH THEY LIVED.

[TuneBlender]

When the cockroaches kill humans and take over the world, they'll still listen to Bach. xD

[mofoshrimp]

smalin imagine if Bach had made DNB

[harryex2006]

@Sonicwind106 How can you NOT find this enjoyable? i am 18 and LIVE for that type of music!!

[TheAssailant6661]

@Sonicwind106 Age has nothing to do with appreciating great music :D

[smalin]

@TheAssailant6661 Perhaps not age per se, but experience has a lot to do with it. For example, you won't find many five-year-olds enjoying Beethoven's Grosse Fugue --- they lack the musical comprehension to follow what's going on in it (even many adults lack it).

[proyekcja]

@smalin First time I heard it, I was 4 years old, and I absolutely loved it. I'm no musical prodigy, and probably couldn't follow all the nuances, but I still found it enjoyable in an emotional level, and I kept wanting to hear it again and again. I was exposed to alot of classical music since birth though.

[akira50000]

@Sonicwind106 It's about preferences and tastes. I personally grew to like this song when I was a child and had heard a modified version of it while playing Megaman Legends. Age has absolutely nothing to do with liking something, my friend, hehe.

[biohazardvoice]

@Sonicwind106 you don't have to be a certain age to like certain kinds of music.....

[Sonicwind106]

Sorry, meant piece. But it's just weird to me. I just like all this new stuff that's coming out, and yet I still do enjoy such classes song...pieces such as this. Not hatin'.

[MrTrackmeioi]

@Sonicwind106

1. It's a piece. Not a song.

2. Don't try to get attention with this... There are kids who are 4~6 who listen to this and dance to it.

[Kelros1428697]

@Sonicwind106 just let go, relax, close your eyes and go with the music dude :)

[czurmuhl]

This is really what music is about, best music I have ever listened to.

[alextheloud]

I'm 16 and I find this enjoyable and relaxing to listen to

[smalin]

@Sonicwind106 I liked this when I was a teenager ... doesn't seem unusual to me.

[SM0K94]

looks like TAP TAP !!!

[uhohwhoops]

dont. forget. the. stove! Ghaaa im so focused on watching this that im super in tuned/falling asleep......... but im cooking soup. DONT PASS OUT!

[writerERK]

Simply amazing your video...

[CarolinaGurl99]

Our wind ensemble is playing this, it is a lovely little tune

[Arsenate22]

To whoever played this... very sensitive playing at 2:52-2:55 - I have heard many great organists plow right through that section without that slight sense of relief and hesitation. Very well done!

[WWESUPERSTAR1987]

This song sounds like Otis by Kanye West and Jay-Z.

[boozebreeder]

@WWESUPERSTAR1987 Ya. Bach had a terrible habit to copy others songs.

[andrewclifton38]

Anybody else get chills when the lower parts come in?

[sc1592]

i love this song! it's my favourite fugue :)

[XCutePupa]

How can a man play this with two hands O.o ?? lol

[bigleaguechew87]

@XCutePupa This piece was originally written for organ. So the feet are actually needed to play all the voices. Just fyi...didn't know if you were joking or not.

[XCutePupa]

@bigleaguechew87 no, I know it's made to play with an organ lol , But with one man and one piano it would be impossible xD But yeah my comment wasn't serious :P

[MrMattcf]

@XCutePupa And 2 feet, When played on piano, you would use a peddle piano, kinda like an organ.

[XCutePupa]

@MrMattcf ok

[endaction]

This video is fantastic. I mean, the music of course is brilliant, but I'm loving the visual aspect. Simply displaying the notes isn't that interesting; just like reading along. But this brings out a certain retro pastiche that I find wholly appropriate for Baroque (and esp. Bach's) music.

I mean, think about it - Baroque composers were like the Atari - classic, relatively simple, but still wonderfully brilliant in its own way.

[Phonologie]

Love it

[blackc83]

i feel so greatful to live in a time after bachs death so im able to listen to him

[ItzAdam27]

What program was this video made on?

[smalin]

@ItzAdam27 Some software I wrote.

[TonyWRO]

@smalin Can you make passacaglia in c-minor animation?

[kourosh89]

@TonyWRO I second this.

[lelouchmagnet12]

if the beggining doesnt make you want to want to dance u should get a life.

[AlaskanDad7]

I absalutly LOVE this song its in my head and I love it!!!!!!

[H1J9D7V9]

@rudrahitman The power of the fugue. The universe itself.

[alschroch]

great visualisation :-)

[B0sTonCeltics20534]

THis is what i listen to when i play Halo  ^_^

[TheTokepri]

I typically prefer this piece on organ, but you really brought it to life with the piano.

[ZackDunlapGaming]

Never thought i could play call of duty to Bach and Mozart. But i just went 30 and 1. Works for me

[NicAlba]

I love the beginning of this piece. This is beautiful.

[alexisrussian]

It sounded a little unpleasant at first but as soon as the piece started unfolding it was just a pleasure! :-)

[HollandSama]

I could stare at the colored bars forever.

[Cyfrlingk]

@HollandSama Do it..[/emperor Palpatine modus]

[routelongue]

so good

[beeble2003]

Very interesting.  I see it's a synthesized performance but it actually sounds a lot like Glenn Gould, apart from the bass line and the lack of him singing along!

[likeabossaru101]

i like the one on the organ better

[17sindkaw]

Brilliant. Simply brilliant. Every time I watch this, it blows my mind over again.

[littlekirby6]

Oh gawd, I feel so trippy after watching one of these videos.

[metallidethN9ne]

Amazing. Simply, Amazing.

[MaetelUsagi]

gothic but not scary

[rodo678]

@MaetelUsagi depends on how you look at it.

[SuperRockgod666]

This along with Bach's Double Violin Concerto are my favourite classical pieces I've heard. I'm only 14 and just getting into classical, so obviously I haven't even scratched the surface.

[xpinay4lifex]

haha we watched this in my MUSIC100 class. Thank you so much for uploading!

[MineLapseTC]

I used your music in one of my clips. I added it as a video reaction.

[deyan97]

I can't stop pressing the replay button...

[alancliddell]

The room loses it when the bass kicks at 0:54.

[aspacelot]

I find the Atariesque graphics hypnotizing. Great song. Cornelius did a version of this on his 97 album Fantasma- check it out.

[smashbro47]

Mega Man Juno anyone?

[bioshockguru]

You do Bach proud :)

[charissamarluk]

i love you smalin...

[megaberserk2]

This is Rockman Dash's final battle too =)

[p01v04]

This was awesome! haha picardy 3rd oh geez

[cliu122]

There is great remix of this in Catherine.

[Trixter943]

@cliu122 that remix is shit compared to this

[Kronimiciad]

Musical solace. Extroardinary...

[panemona]

excelente pieza 

[peteacher52]

Thank you! Your graphics are abso-bloody-lutely brilliant!

[12345678azertyuiop]

why 240p....

[smalin]

@12345678azertyuiop  2007.

[12345678azertyuiop]

@smalin oh yeah, upload new one in 720 :D, 240p audio bit rate = 60kbps mp3 and ,720p = 152kbps AAC

But really cool animation nice work !

[smalin]

@12345678azertyuiop It takes nearly as much work to remake a video as to make a new one, so I'm more inclined to spend the time doing something new.

[12345678azertyuiop]

@smalin Ok, ( when i posted my first comment i was afraid that all of your vid were in 240p) but I'm glad I ended up in your channel today, made my day :D.

thank you !

[Jaaaaaaayk]

@smalin

No it doesn't; you use the same animation, mute it, then layer a better version of the song over the top. I could do this in Windows Movie Maker, son.

[BassEskimo]

@smalin Its Bach. Graphics in this video are irrelevant. Its really the music that matters.

[orangeandaxe]

@smalin do Vltava by Bedrich Smetana

[T16Akatsuki]

@12345678azertyuiop for your safety

[12345678azertyuiop]

@T16Akatsuki hahaha !

No smalin told me that he couldn't reupload this one in hq, and making it again would take too much time

[catchersmitt0]

It's simple yet eloquent and lovely - Bach said so much with just a few notes.

[proudpom01]

this is amazing, thank you so much for helping me to appreciate the beauty and intricacies of this music!

[jimrock63]

The dynamics are perfect..good job

[RomanGreekDemigods]

Amazing! I'm playing this on the piano now, but it can't match this music animation video! I love it.

[Goldenrings2]

Mr. Malinowski, Outstanding! Thank you for giving us this. Who is playing, by the way? How could I get a recording of this?

[smalin]

@Goldenrings2 (see the FAQ)

[PokemonCompositions]

@smalin Hi there!

I use your program in my videos a lot and I was just wondering it you could tell me how you manage to get your instrument colours to change to what you would like? :)

(In this video, you have a rainbow!)

[smalin]

@PokemonCompositions The version I give away is different from the one I use myself. In the one you have, you can change the colors by clicking on the notes ... I think ... it's been years since I played with it.

[PokemonCompositions]

@smalin oh sweet, I don't know how something so simple could have eluded me like that xD

Thanks!

[urockit2011]

Brilliant.

[666BLeue]

I feel like I have heard 2:50 - 2:59 somewhere else, before. Does anyone know if that or something similar to that was used in another piece?

[themuse55555]

oh now i get it thats a fugue now is it?

[colinthepianist]

Sustain fail at 1:27.

[omnicronvegas]

anyone else prefer Bach's little fugue over Mozart's great fugue? thumbs up if yes

[ambereyes93]

My uncle was playing this on his CD player today and his son said, "This is the worst thing I've ever heard. I mean, it really sucks."

This, alas, is what this world is coming to...

[TheLastMyztery]

@ambereyes93 Sadly, it is what the world has grown into. An age of roaring sounds with people screaming in microphones.

[Kronimiciad]

@TheLastMyztery Lots of possibilities for that. Maybe the son said that just because he wanted to not like it, his father liked it so he didn't want to. Or, he just has a preference for other music.  While he's wrong, immature and rude, to each their own.

[TheBarbaciano]

@ambereyes93 Mainstream push so hard. When I was a teenager I like mainstream rock. By my 30, I fell in love with opera, mostly Verdi and Puccini (and also some Gounod and Wagner). By my fortys I fell in love with the father of it all: Bach. Bach is infinite, but you need to be eareducated to fully appreciate it. You can't explain Bach, you can only fell on your knees and thank him for existing and made the most exquisite music in history.

[o0Penel0pe0o]

Très belle interprétation, décidément je trouve cette composition beaucoup plus belle sur du piano.

[kanariel]

Shoji Meguro's remix was the best

[AntimonyInSushi]

There's something oddly comforting in this piece.

[isaacsvideo]

The funny thing is I'm only 11 and this kind of music is my favorite kind of music :)

[MaximumCheeseage]

@isaacsvideo Why's that funny? Age has nothing to do with taste.

[pingpongyul]

@MaximumCheeseage age does have to do with taste, especially younger children because they would be influenced by their friends and environment, tv etc. For an 11 year old to like this music is indeed very rare. Hence he said it was funny ( strange )

[MaximumCheeseage]

@pingpongyul No it doesn't. I'm sorry but when I was in school, most of the people I knew played instruments and liked classical music. Just because you'd rather assume that younger people have no taste and that anyone younger who does is special, doesn't make it true.

[pingpongyul]

@MaximumCheeseage I guess on the main point we have to just agree to dis agree cause i dont really wana argue over it. However i never assuemed younger people have no taste, nor would i like to. I like this music, but i also like what the younger generation listens to. Well some of it anyway.

[moritsuna]

Piano > Organ forever. I prefer crisper, cleaner sounds. (Even with the pedal this is better than Organ.) String instruments, that's a different story. 

[MyBlastoiseIsBigger]

@moritsuna Organ > piano ;) 

[deathzero34]

This may seem odd to some but I actually prefer the piano version of Smalin.

[ccoraxfan]

Piano seems to be the worst choice of an instrument for this piece. Firstly, because pedal pianos are rare; secondly, because the long, sustained notes in this piece fade out long before they are released; and finally, because Bach didn't write for piano.

[permaveg]

@ccoraxfan I would prefer the organ on this one.

[ccoraxfan]

@permaveg So would I.

[VivaldiLucio]

Bach was perfect.

[lugnutz85]

where can i find the version of this song of the rock/orchestra version?

[HellsingSociety]

area 88 anime theme

[SquallIV]

Song will always make me think of the game Catherine, lol. Love the song.

[CrimsonVermillioneye]

@SquallIV Was thinking the same thing.

[mrsjandeful]

After watching several of your animations it's much easier for me to hear the different voices in this and other pieces when I listen to classical music. As someone without any classical training I have trouble following the score, but this visualization adds a level of enjoyment and I feel like I have a better understanding of Bach's genius! Thanks!

[marcfedak]

Thanks Stephen for posting this. My highschool band used to perform this piece and it was one of my favourites. I started taking piano lessons a year and a half ago and enjoy the classical repertoire (admittedly elementary level at this point) and hope to be able to play this piece one day. By the way, I appreciate your helpful FAQs and willingness to share your knowledge.

[666BLeue]

For some reason, when I hear this song, I think of video games. Is this song used in games that you know of? it sounds like a theme from somewhere...

[Davidwvance100]

@666BLeue There is a rock/orchestral remix of this in one of the trailers for the game Catherine, the game itself seems pretty creepy but the trailers stood out for their use of classical style music, other wise i don't know any other uses.

[midomiaensland]

@666BLeue - Final boss fight for Mega Man Legends. Also used for a couple of anime...just look it up on Wikipedia.

[CanadiensUnplugged]

@666BLeue It's used as the Final Boss theme in MegaMan Legends/64.

[ca02765]

I love this song! Thank you so much for having this up (:

[ringosatyarr]

hey,

could you please upload an organ version of this video as well?

thanks,