JS Bach's six-voiced Ricercar from the Musical Offering

November 23, 2005 -- informal practice session by Bradley Lehman with a play-through of Bach's six-voiced Ricercar of the Musical Offering. Taylor & Boody organ opus 41 at the Rieth Recital Hall, Goshen College, Goshen Indiana USA.

Since the hall had some open time and there were some compositions I wanted to hear later for my own reference, I took along the videocamera for an informal recording. This is the 16-minute "take" of the Ricercar a6, these first 10 minutes being my main attempt at the piece. There are a few clinks and a dodgy page turn I'd fix if this were a serious recording session. At the end I went over some of the sections again to have a cleaner try at them...those six minutes are uploaded separately as an "appendix" video.

More often I play this piece on harpsichord and clavichord, but I wanted to have a reference recording on organ (in this tuning, which I believe was Bach's own) for my own further study. Here it is, for any who might find it interesting. The registration here is simple 8+4, for clarity.

Disclaimer: condenser microphone on a cheap video camera, not the greatest sound! We used real mikes on the CD recording of this instrument, earlier in 2005. See http://www.larips.com for details.

A better photograph of the organ, and notes about the acoustic of its hall:
http://tinyurl.com/36f7wn

This performance also answers a 1985 article by Mark Lindley asserting that this Ricercar almost has to be done in equal temperament. It doesn't, but merely requires temperaments like this that treat the A-flat and D-flat major areas more smoothly than Lindley's do. Equal temperament merely renders it less interesting, less beautiful, and less dynamic: like a long and relatively aimless piece.

Appendix to this recording:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A9MJPbPVIY

Category:

Music

Tags:

• bach
• ricercar
• musical
• offering
• goshen
• college
• taylor
• boody
• organ
• bradley
• lehman
• tuning
• temperament
• johann
• sebastian

[advisorC101]

You could have used some of the louder stops on this instrument but overall your playing is good.

[thebpl]

Thanks! I explored all the other stops in my 3-CD set recorded on this organ.

[impossimadnescyAJ]

What's the difference between a ricercar and a fugue?

[thebpl]

Ricercars are older, and (as here) tend to have more features resembling Renaissance vocal music: simple rhythms, dense texture, and some solemnity.

But, Bach's other Ricercar in the Musical Offering provides contrast as a remarkably free and modern fugue.

[Jafuet]

...but the sound here on youtube is really awful...

[thebpl]

Yes, that's why the "more info" section above warns:

"Disclaimer: condenser microphone on a cheap video camera, not the greatest sound! We used real mikes on the CD recording of this instrument, earlier in 2005. See larips com for details."

[wcbroccoli]

The term "ricercar" implies nothing about tempo.

[wcbroccoli]

"Ricercar" vs "fugue".

Bach inscribed his Musical Offering to the king with "Regis Iussu Cantio Et Reliqua Canonica Arte Resoluta" (by the king's command, the song and the remainder resolved in the canonic style).

The 1st letters of the inscription spell out RICERCAR, an older term for fugue, meaning to "seek again".

The 2 ricercars "seak again" the king's theme and are INDISTINGUISHABLE from fugues.

Compare with the fugues from Art of the Fugue, all "seeking again" Bach's theme.

[geberotisabi]

wonderful organ, wonderful player.

[MistaMasta12]

Well done! Nice playing =)

[3677peter]

bach's music is not horizontal, it is vertical. ..the emotional/spiritual gesture is transmitted through the harmonic movement of vertical polyphonic harmonic progression

[3677peter]

bsch's music is not horizontal, it is vertical. ..the emotional/spiritual gesture is transmitted through the harmonic movement of vertical polyphonic harmonic progression

[7thYang]

bravo ♪♫

[zengi7]

well done, I like your recording with mistakes. Makes it more human.

[Beergoven]

A Bach's work like that can never be be played too slowly and never too many times. You will find new details for every listening, until you are 100 years. Please, play it slowly. I think you playd beautiful, I really love it!

[Isosphere]

Perfect is the slow tempo.

Allows to follow the harmonies and voices.

Only after hearing it several times I would

like a faster version, once I know it well.