Added: 4 years ago
From: flutehawchang
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  • it's good to experiment, you never know where it will lead

  • to much phrasing, it is a beautiful piece but it sounds like you have to breath every 4 measures when i played it, it was about every 8 to 12 measures. calm down. lol, but other than that i love this piece. beautiful

  • With all due respect: I dont understand what you mean by writing "I play a modern flute for modern people who are nt coming from the 18th century". If on a modern wood flute or on a old wood flute the music of Bach is not going to change in the logic,structure, phrasing,etc.A free way to interpretation doesnt mean to do whatever we want because we just feel it that way! I like your sound but to me your language is far away from what Bach intended with this Allemande.

  • He changes the note values!! He does not respect the literature!! i suspect it's because he couldn't breathe correctly if he was to play it as it is written. The final effect is one of "distortion" of the actual music after so much "swinging"!!

  • @Bashkii You are so confused that it may takes decades to sort out.

    The score is not the music. The score carries no music... just vague hints of pitch. The multi-dimensional experience has to be constructed entirely... which according to baroque ideas is to follow invention, fancy, and taste... not the score. If you want to think like an academic... at least go do your historic research first.

  • @Totma11

    "The score is not the music"? so what is it ...a treasury map?? "Vague hints of pitch" is what " contemporary graphic scores" are all about. In the baroque, first and foremost, pitch was written with definitive assertion because of the recent and new "tempered" tuning system.You need to listen the interpretations of Maxence Larrieu, Alain Marion, JP Rampal, Julius Baker and Sharon Bezaly, all of them available in iTunes.

  • @Totma11

    Tell me which one of those well known flutists remotely resembles this charade by flutehawchang. My opinion has nothing to do with "academicism" but with common sense, which unfortunately it's the least common of all senses.Ornamentation has nothing to do with "swinging" capriciously to the point of distorting the literature. Oh, and truly I believe you are so disoriented that it may take you centuries or even several life times to sort this out.

  • what a wonderful piece

  • I'm a baroque fan, that loves to stick to the 18th century interpretation. But I must say that this is one of the best performance I've ever heard of this piece (and I've heard many).

    Actually, it's the FIRST performance of the Allemande I felt good with. All players I've heard playing this, even in the best recordings on the market - either forgot what interpretation is (and played like a computer), or did a bad job (IMHO).

    Thank you!! (and please let us know when the CD is out :-)

  • I love this! Thanks for sharing. He sounds great on a wooden flute.

  • Wonder performance on the Partita. Impressed with the passion, tone, sonority and technique Mr Chang brings to the forefront.

    One respondent questioned (his) "playing this way". I think it's called "artistic license". After all is said and done, I'm confident that Bach would appreciate this performance.

    Regards, principalflutist

  • Wonderful intreptation of Bach's Paritia. Love the beautiful intonation, sonority and techniques, as performed by Harvey Chang.

    Played with passion and lovely tone.

    Regards, principal flutist.

    P.S. --- I always like to know what make/model of flute any performer plays on.

    Feedback?  Thanks

  • Thanks for your kind complement, I really don't mind those who strongly defend the so called "traditional Bach style" or "Baroque style" people, because, I was like them when I was at that level. I took everything my teachers told me like a "rule", but only after I became a teacher myself, I started to think about what music is really for, then I started to play music that pleased my own ears.

  • @flutehawchang

    Please don't tell my students. :-)

  • @flutehawchang, please go on like this!

  • @principalflutist

    It was a YAMAHA 874W Wooden Flute.

  • I can't believe there are people who can criticize this! As musicians (artists) we have the right to play the written music the way we feel it. Specially baroque that was not written the way musicians were supposed to play it. He is an excellent flutist doing a great performance.

  • This is a well-thought out performance of Bach, and well executed, I don't see why anyone would complain. If you listen to performances through the ages, you see that the concept of how a piece is played changes. If you don't agree with the style, at least respect the integrity of the performance.

  • pretty sound from the wood flute though

  • Has anyone noticed that the ad libitum ussually arrise durring the more technical passages? humm.. Maybe I should move to, Where is this, Taiwan, I could have quite a career. If he were really doing it his way, I doubt hed be reading the music. He just "decided" to do it his way? And, at the same time play with the composers notatation. Anyone who has played this piece can clearly see that what is going on here is that the "my way" excuse is just that, an excuse for his technical deficet.

  • I find this to be a brilliant interpretation! I believe Bach would be pleased :)

    The phrase, beauty, and tonality are perfect

    [@everyone](it's hard for it not to be...seeing that this is music and all...;)

  • Personaly, I really didn't like the interpretation. It sounds like a mouth saying something you'd never expect it so say. Some may like, but I didn't.

  • One of my favorite things about solo bach is that it is open to each artist's interpretation - you never hear it played the same twice. Those who do play solo bach in pure baroque style are missing the wonderful potential of the pieces.

    Flutehawchang - continue to play this your way. That's what makes a true artist!

  • This is wonderful! I love how you took a piece and really made it your own. Great work!

    P.s. I'm playing this for a final solo in my senior year of high school. And only about 8 months of flute experience. A bit scared, but it SHOULD go well. I might take some leads from you too =)

    Once again, great work!

  • Your interpretation is diferent, but so rich and emotional!

    I really enjoyed it!

    Unlike those "so called" historycally oriented musicians, I do appreciate variety of view and opinion regarding the interpretation of music!

    Cheers from Brazil!

  • very nice he doesn't play it too fast to show off, most soloist want to show off so much. greg

  • Music is a two-way conversation between the musician and the composer. You should be listening to what the composer is trying to say through the score, as well as having your say. Currently you seem to be dominating the conversation solely with your own thoughts. :-)

  • @Charm874 That is the beauty of music written by composers: it's meant to be interpreted by the musician. Sure it may not be what the composer imagined, but that's not a bad thing. No two people see a piece, or express it, in the same way.

  • @nyuumiester I agree with you, but I would personally add "within reason." :-)

  • @Charm874 Music isn't a 'two way conversation between the musician and the composer'. After being chosen to be a brief conduit for this rhetoric by God, the composer is now dead & gone. We, however, are here... and so is this musician, as well as the luthier who made this instrument, & the printers who printed this music... not to mention the people who built the concert hall... and whatever ghosts wish to attend. Minus the 1 element you included, it is now at least a 7-way conversation.

  • Bach wrote music as an inexhaustible source of beauty for us mere mortals.

  • Beautiful.

  • I think his style is beautiful he has made it into his own it is music yes we need rules but the whole point of music is to calm and relax you it is not not a math equation it is a form of art.

  • its technically a dance piece and yet hes playing it in a stupid interpretation way it needs to have rhythm and time!!!!!!!

  • Allemande is a dance, yes, but all these solo partitas by Bach were in no way "Dance" music. But I agree... terrible rhythm.

  • With such a use of rubato, beyond all, there is time to breath naturally. This interpration is very important to know.

  • Rubato means taking liberty with time not doing whatever the hell you want.

  • Your definition is kind of contradictory, isn't it? Rubato means compensation of time, you "steal" the time of a regular flux. It doesn't mean simply liberty, you have to think from where to steal this portion of time. You know that. And, as I said, it's impossible to play this piece without rubato. There is no time to breath. That's why this is a good example of this kind of strategy allied to expressive interpretation. It's not idiossincrasy.

  • Time and rhythm are not the same thing. Rubato 99 percent of the time, the composer means to start slow, speed up and slow down. Most of Bach's music was a new way to hear music as the world was going from mean to a tempered system of tuning. They would have not played with any rubato. A lot of the music, including both well tempered claviers were ways for instruments to cope with the new tuning systems. Playing with anything else, would have been a shock to the ears of the audience.

  • They (Bach's music and before) would have not played with any rubato? You think that music history works as an evolution? I'm pretty sure that baroque dances were played with some maneirism that can't be exacly discovered today (but with some intuition). I don't see the relation between the tempered system and the idea of maneirism or rubato.

  • ok. read a book about baroque music and maybe it will help.

  • WHAT IF YOU READ A BOOK ABOUT THE "NOTES INÉGALES"? You'll understand what I'm talking about.

    Beyond being inconsistently stupid you're arrogant.

  • Also, there could have been a b.c. part written for this that is unknown, many of these kinds of partitas did have this. In which case, even if rubato was used, it would have taken much coordination. Another reason this should be played pretty much, perfectly in time. (if you want to be authentic as possible, which sounds much better, in my opinion) Also, you take time from notes for breaths...

  • Or it had some b.c. or it was originally written for another instrument! But ok: listening to this video again after so many time, I agree that here he exaggerates in rubato. It's affectation. He's a good musician, but this criticism to his style choice is important.

  • Mr. Chang, I think your interpretation is brilliant, and actually, is very similar to the way I play it. I think of it being like one of Bach's cello suites - a 'sense' of tempo, but otherwise, completely free and a matter of interpretation - I think it becomes so boring when you take a piece like this, set a strict tempo, and follow everything written on the page. Take some chances, people!

  • Poor Bach must be rolling in his grave! Why does everebody think that just because it's a partita they can just take it and do whatever they want with it. There are certain restrictions and ways of playing pre-classical music. Unfortunately this wasn't the best example. Maybe you should listen to some more recordings of real flute players. Just saying, that's all...

  • I'm playing this solo this year too, and I wouldn't interpret it this way. And I think he should've memorized it. He doesn't look as intimate with the piece cause he's staring at it the whole time lol.

    He has a great tone quality though. For sure :)

    @autumncider

    It's unaccompianed, so you can play it however fast or slow you want. It's all in how you interpret it.

  • im trying to get this song up to tempo.... where quarter = 100 but everytime i hear some one play this song the tempo is different from one person to the next.... is the tempo on this song supposed to be free style???

  • well, hey guys... it only has 2 movements of the whole Partita~ There should be 4 movements all together!

    I must say... I really WOULD NOT agree with Mr. Chang's interpretation of this piece, but I have to admit that he has a VERY nice sound!!! My teacher Felix Skowronek also played on a wooden flute, but the sound was as focused as Mr. Chang. However, why bother using a wooden flute when it sounded just like a "metal" flute afterall??? mmm

  • sooo pretty!!!! :)

  • yeah ik i have to learn it for my solo & ensemble this year in like 3 months and my director said it takes like 10 to 11 mins!! =O that's amazing i hope i get as good

  • 1. The entire FIRST movement finishes at a walloping 4:36 mins when the whole piece can finish under 9 mins.

    2. He made a bloody cadenza out of Bach's Solo. +)

    3. Nice Flute, wrong period interpretation. (meaning...A wooden flute is nice to play pieces from the Baroque era, just didnt deliver. Painful..

  • im sorry, what exactly is a cadenza?

  • Cadenza is improvised ornamental passage played by a soloists in a free rhythmic style. A very typical of the classical era and onwards..

  • I love the sound wooden flutes make.... So mellow and deep. Don't get me wrong, I love my flute, maybe I just want a wooden flute of my own.....

  • wow, i've never seen a black colored flute before. It's very pretty

  • its a baroque wooden flute

    they are pretty flutes

  • No, it is a modern wooden flute, I have one too

  • Either way, modern or baroque, the instrument has an amazing tone. It might be the player as well, he is obviously amazing.

  • tone has almost everything to do with the player.

  • he's playing it all wrong hes swings the allamande in an immense amount of place and hes slurring quite a few of the notes as well. its all tongued and the whole thing is in semi quavers and hes just not living up to that at . Hes totally messed up j.s bach finests peice of flute music

  • yea I have to agree... in a traditional and classical sense it just is all wrong. However I do perfer it this way on flute, and also perform it similar... even though its all wrong ^.^

  • No one says everyone's interpretation of a piece has to be the same. Music isn't merely notes on a page. It's an art. He just happens to hear it a different way. : ) I actually kind of like his interpretation. It brings something new to a piece that tends to be played very straight.

  • Remarkable tone, flawless playing

    I would have loved to heard it live :)

  • Very good and smart interpretation!! timing and sound are perfect. I like specially the lower notes: soft and piano

  • I love that piece (:

    I play it myself, and I have to agree with antifatkins101, some of the phrasing is played very oddly, and although it depends on who transcribed the score, it doesn't sound as fluid as it does on the Barenreiter-Verlag version.

    Regardless, absolutely wonderful to listen to!

  • I can write for you any sheet music

  • I'm learning this song on bass, soon I'll be able to play completely.

  • It was really unusual in this period to write music for flute without stops, like Allemande's way. That reason did some musicologists thought this Partita was originaly for violin, because is imposible to breathe.¿!? So... is not a sacrilege to play it stopping, because even in this period they had to if they want to play this Allemande. Today we play Bach's music with modern flutes and pianos, so we can change old-fashioned parameters. And Bach would like modern flutes, pianos, and parameters.

  • Comment removed

  • yes but this isn't a baroque flute :p this is just a boehm flute made with ebony, so it's modern

  • I like this way of playing Bach. I think Bach will be agree with you. I always play this partita with this kind of rubatos. Maybe he did not write breathings in Allemande thinking about this kind of distorsion of the rhythm.

  • Its interesting how he played the constant 16th's. Its differnt. He'd did play well, but for rubato, he needs to rob the other 16ths of their length more if he's going to lenghten the rest so long. However, I prefer how he plays it over Jean Pierre rampaul. And i'm digging the black flute, i thought it was baroque at first.

  • Excellent performance!

  • That is a beautiful flute. I could only hope to play like that one day!

  • very nice tone!

  • That was outstanding!! you play with such a beautifull tone. I have just started playing again after ten years cant ever imagine my tone sounding as good as that. I love the way you played this peice I dont think it matters you did not play it excatly the way it was written your interpretation is just fine.

  • Why did you play in this way? I can agree with your opinion, but I'm wondering if you have some reason to play in your original interpretation. Plz tell me:-/

  • Reason? well, because I'm that kind of person and I like it. I play modern flute to modern people who are not coming from the 18th century, why should I limit my soul with a rule that no one can prove it? I did imitate the way my teacher played Bach during my my college years and I did pretty well, but now, I do it my own way, I'm sorry for those who do not like my Bach, but, I'm no longer a student, I'm an artist, a modern artist, I have to have my own taste otherwise I'm only a imitator.

  • Thank you for the answer. Now I got what you mean. Do you know Patrick Gallois's CPE Bach recording from Naxos? It also has a original interpretation like you. I wanna listen to your opinion if you've already heard that recording.

  • @flutehawchang There is taste and taste, such as good and bad taste...

  • @flutehawchang. I think that it is a highly respectable viewpoint, but I think that we should not stick only to recordings. There are treatises about baroque music and an artist must be well informed prior to interpret. For example, I think that ornamentations on your performance are not correct from a historical standpoint. But it's only my opinion (highly respectable too).

  • @flutehawchang: I Like your vision! This is how an artist must moved. This is the way that lead to new creations. If people dind't follow your vision, we still would make music with spoons, plates and pots.

    Thx mister Chang!

  • @flutehawchang Not only are you right to be authentic, but as it is ridiculous to try and play these pieces 'as Bach would have'. Also the fact that nobody rightly knows or remembers how anybody played 300 years ago... you are triplye right. Further, I find your playing much closer to what Baroque music is... than those who try to imagine what it should be through the veil of 20th century academicism and 'objectivism' And even if all that fails... You have good taste... the eternal winner.

  • @flutehawchang If you play modern flute to modern people, it would be interesting to hear you play modern music.

  • You know, how one person interprets someone's work does not necessarily make this peice not of Bach's works. I agree with flutehawchang, this is definetly not Bach, this is Harvey Chang playing a peice by Bach.

  • Nice sound, however you must respect the boundaries of phrasing from the baroque era, this performance is slightly over romanticized more simple phrasing would have given the work more character.

  • Harvey's tone is so sweet and perfect.. :] love ittt!

  • The best interpretation I had ever eared on utube. I love it

  • What is the brand of his flute?

    Thank you

  • Yamaha

  • Yes, you're right! This is not bach, this is me played a music written by bach. Bach went to see The Lord 257 years ago, I don't know him, do you? Have you ever heard a recording from his time?? if not, how can you say Bach is not ad libitum??? please prove to me!! What people usually say is not always true, please open your mind to the great world of music and think about what human really like to listen to!!! And don't judge others by your knowledge, unless you can prove it.

  • @flutehawchang OK I can refrence about 10 treatises that will tell you how to play this music. Don't be an idiot. Just because there was no recording doesn't mean we don't know how it sounded... so many people wrote on the subject. At least you admit you have no respect for the composer.... and that's all that really matters, because you have said that, you can actually do whatever you want. But we certainly know pretty well how it would have sounded.

  • This is not Bach!! Tempo!!! Wher is?....no this is not bach....is not ad libitum...

  • This is very good, I like this interpretation very much!!!

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