Bach Suite no. 3 in C-major Prelude

Transcribed for Viola. At a private house recital.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bach
• suite
• prelude
• viola
• cello
• evan
• wilson

[ArnoldAmador]

mr.wilson

i am a young aspiring violist at the age of 16

and your playing has inspired me so much

i greatly appreciate the videos you have posted. and i look forward to more

[wilsonviola]

Thanks for your kind words Arnold- if you have a moment check out my website and there are about 50 recordings and videos with people like Yuri Bashmet and Lynn Harrell.

[theredviola]

I found it interesting that in the section with the multiple string crossings (near the middle of the piece) that you chose to play the top 2 almost as, but not quite, double stops instead of distinctly separate like many editions of this movement are.

[wilsonviola]

You've desrcribed exactly what I was going for. I wanted to clearly show the chord vertically and at the same time give some sense of the horizontal motion. All editions clearly show the arpeggiated figure, but musically it seems to me the "wave" of sound resonates very naturally. Thanks for listening.

[smithsherman]

I don't like your unvaried sequences heirarchically or articulatively speaking.

I love your tone however.

[wilsonviola]

I'm not exactly sure what you're saying but I do know this- trying to manufacture false phrasing through various bowings or dynamics is not what this music is about.

[twilightflame91]

Wow this is amazing. So little bow at times but still so much sound - it's like he "milks" the notes out and it sounds incredible... hope I can sound half as good one day. Thanks for posting! :D

[Shadowtech666]

Astounding interpretation.

[shopcaritoh]

Hola soy carolina y toco la viola.

Estoy estudiando la suit n 3 de j s bach, me gusta mucho como l interpretas tu.!

Saludos y felicitaciones!! :)

[vinniefitzviola]

This is gorgeous! The tone, the bowing, the expressiveness-WOW!

[xxxevilbitchxxx]

i have been searching for a good version of this peice to listen to as i will be performing this for my grade 8 exam fairly soon and i have to say that this is the best i have heard so far. it is the one with the most emotion. the rest are emotionless and too technical. i really enjoyed listening to your playing :)

[gsagen]

@devtherev100 you are right, but we have some certainty: in that period were used bows and strings completely different from what we use today, also the instruments tension was much lower and the pitch was 415hz. All this means that it was absolutely impossible to play a sound similar to that you used in your interpretation (although amazing). And it's not a question of vibrato.

In my opinion you cannot ignore this. A great viola player and musician like you, cannot ignore this!!

All the best!

[devtherev100]

@yvesdacraze I have no idea what that means but thanks for the kind words.

[devtherev100]

@gsagen Thank you for your compliments. As I just wrote to izzwardface you cannot tell anyone how anything particularly Bach is to be played whether in 2007 or 1807. There is no "right" way in terms of performance practice. I've heard romantic Bach and cold unexpressive vibrato-less Bach. As long as the performance is done with thought and commitment-it's the right way. After 35 years and over 1000 students- of this I am sure!!

[devtherev100]

@izzwardface Thanks for your kind words but let me return the a little advice. If you have to ask if I'm a professional you should not be giving advice...Bach performance practice is highly personalized. Having performed and taught for over 35 years there is one thing I've learned-don't ever tell anyone how anything -particularly Bach is supposed to be played. We all have our own opinion and ideas-there is no "right" way of playing anything. As long as one is committed to his/her performance...

[izzwardface]

Hello, your playing is very good, and you play the piece well, i especially like the way you vary chordal structure.

I do apologise as i am not aware if you are proffessional, or see this as a hobby/passion, but may i give you some advice, and i do not wish to criticise such good playing, but what with this being a baroque piece, and especially this piece, vibrato should not be used, as the sound is meant to come from your bow.

However you are very good, :)

[gsagen]

Amazing viola player, but you cannot play Bach in this way in 2007!!

Anyway....what a bow technique!!!!