Bach prelude and fugue c# minor BWV 849 - Nicolas Franco

Bach: prelude and fugue n°4 in c# minor (first book) BWV 849
Piano: Nicolas Franco

Category:

Music

Tags:

• piano
• Bach
• prelude
• fugue
• n°4
• c#minor
• BWV849
• Nicolas
• Franco

[ralkramralkram]

The fugue becomes really out of control. It speeds up. Compare the beginning with the middle sections. Also, harsh tone I believe.

[syracuse000]

I agree.

[PegasoltaEclair]

WTH, this isn't the C Minor Prelude and Fugue...

[syracuse000]

c# minor...

[adiopunkskater03]

just a reminder its composed by johann sebastion bach.. i know it sounds silly since the BWV is already listed.

[wcbroccoli]

I am wowed. What a wonderful performance.

[wcbroccoli]

Interesting. This fugue is also the first one I tackled, while still working on the inventions and sinfonias. In many ways, this 5-part fugue is easier.

[wcbroccoli]

Where does the BACH motif appear?

Are you referring to the first 4 notes of the 1st subject: C# B# E D#?

The 2nd interval of B A C H is a minor 3rd.

But the 2nd interval of the 1st subject is a diminished 4th.

When transposed to C# minor, B A C H becomes C# B# D# C##, not C# B# E D#.

[KidTunder]

Maybe one afterthought: you accelerate continously through the second page, rather than discreetly at (what I think is) the caesura when the second theme comes in. And I guess I am with ralkramralkram here that this is a tad sloppy. If you feel pages 2-4 should be faster than page 1 (as you seem to), change beat at the caesura. If you don't, stick to one speed.

Overall a very nice performance though. Transparent throughout, which is hard with 5 voices.

[KidTunder]

Well it's a brilliant and intreaguing piece that obviously fascinates us all. I reckon much depends on how you heard when it first intreagued you. And I admit to be hopelessly spoiled by the Glenn Gould interpretation. With time I have learned to appreciate some slow "interior of a cathedral" interpretations too (Koroliov, for example), but the rythmic and counterpunctural complexity that Gould pulls out of this piece just blasts me away.

[syracuse000]

Well. I didn't know that my performance would lead to a philosophical debate...

My opinion : it's some time better to follow the score and not make too much extravagances, but it is also good not to be too restrictive (especially claiming "this is exactly what the composer wanted" because you really didn't know anything precise about that) and to go to interpretation.

So, you both have wrong, and so you both have reason...

[KidTunder]

Well you didn't play it properly then ;-)

Look, we simply have different ideas about this fugue, and I reckon we should just leave it at this.

[ralkramralkram]

Well, I have mastered this prelude and fugue and can attest through experience that one constant tempo is best. There's a lot I do with dynamics, but the tempo should remain pretty solid. If I had a video camera I would show you, but unfortunately I don't.

[KidTunder]

Well this reminds me of Landowska, who said "you play Bach your way, I play it HIS way". Who told you that the fugue "obviously" requires one solid tempo? Bach in person? I've tried to master this piece for years, and there is no doubt in my mind that the introduction of the second theme changes the dynamics in a way that requires a slight acceleeration. If a performer does this cleverly, the listener won't even notice -- because it's natural like this. But then, tastes differ.