Bach, Prelude 22, Book 2, Well-Tempered Clavier, B-flat min.

FAQ

Prelude 22 in B-flat minor from Book II of J. S. Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, arranged for woodwind quartet by Stephen Malinowski.

Q: I'd like to play this arrangement with my (string/woodwind/brass/) quartet; where can I get the parts?
A: A version for string quartet is listed on this page
http://www.musanim.com/scores/arrangements.html
If that doesn't work for you, send me an email, and I'll do what I can do
http://www.musanim.com/mam/contact.html

Q: Hey, wait a second! The prelude is a trio --- how did you make it a quartet?
A: If you look at the bar-graph score, you'll see how. The colored bars are the original notes (transposed from B-flat minor to D minor); you'll see that there are only three of these at any one time (except at a few points where a note is held longer, so there's a little overlap). The gray notes are the ones I added. Most often, I'm adding the bass note that's implied by the harmony of the other three parts, but I do a few other things.

Q: Who is playing this piece?
A: Nobody. I put the score into the notation program Sibelius, and played it back from that. I adjusted the dynamics and articulation a fair amount.

Q: Has this arrangement ever been performed in public?
A: I'm not sure. I originally did the arrangement for the San Francisco Saxophone Quartet, and they might have performed it. I heard them rehearsing it once.

Q: Is there a way I could make the bar-graph scores myself?
A: The Music Animation Machine MIDI file player will generate this display; you can get the (Windows) software here:
http://www.musanim.com/player/
There are lots of places on the web where you can get MIDI files; I usually go to the Classical Archives site first:
http://www.classicalarchives.com/

Q: Could you please do a MAM video of _________?
A: First, check my "to do" list:
http://www.musanim.com/all/MAMToDoList.html ...
If the piece isn't listed, read the "Could you please do a MAM video of _________?" item on my main FAQ:
http://www.musanim.com/mam/mamfaq.html#copyright ...
and if you think I'd consider doing it, email me (stephen at musanim dot com).
.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• harpsichord
• keyboard
• piano
• klavier
• counterpoint
• baroque
• classical

[amadeus5889]

Question:

In nearly every recording of a Baroque piece of music I've heard, as the piece draws to a close, there is a noticeable ritardando, even though 99 percent of the time there is no indication of this in the score. Why is this done? Is it just standard performance practice to do so?

[smalin]

@amadeus5889 Yes, standard performance practice.

[Treijim]

@amadeus5889 whats ritardando?

[smalin]

@Treijim Slowing down.

[hattube]

I love this song - BWV 891. Although, I believe you have the tempo a bit too fast in this recording. I think Kathy Pearl plays it just right:

[smalin]

@hattube Coincidentally: years ago, I took some harpsichord lessons from Kathy, and recently I had her and her husband over, and played this arrangement with her.

[123pelerin]

Bach is the music of the heavens.

[DrDopehat]

I'm mostly a metal head my, and play the electric guitar, but my many years of music experience is self-taught and I dont know how to read music..this I could "read" immediately..and I'm impressed, so..you have my subscription good sir! I will definitely listen to all your stuff.

Well done sir! :)

[nannymac47]

You make it so easy to see the patterns our ears have been hearing all this time. Thank you.

[mthgirl]

@amadeus5889 I suppose it is because most musicians have an ear for what sounds good and they just feel that it is supposed to slow down some. It would be almost like an instinctive thing. But this is just speculation. I actually have no idea.

[TerrorizerGrindspeed]

Intense counterpoint ;O

[TatsumiHijiki]

wow gotta love this :)

[bachkirche]

@smalin I studied with Kathy too. She is a remarkable musician and person.

[401Nero]

Why does counterpoint music allways makes me feel stupid?