Bach, "Little" Fugue (G minor, BWV 578)

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for this video

To download this video or make a contribution to support this project:
http://vimeo.com/204519

Q: Where can I get the sheet music for this piece?
A: Here are a few places:
http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg...
http://icking-music-archive.org/score...
http://icking-music-archive.org/score...

Q: Is there a version for piano?
A: Here's an arrangement I made:
http://www.musanim.com/pdf/bwv578_Lit...
and here is one of Olga Samaroff's arrangements
http://www.musanim.com/pdf/samaroff_b...
(much better than mine)

Q: What is the BWV number for this piece?
A: 578.

Q: Where can I download a good version of this?
A: If you sign up for a Vimeo account (free), you can download the .m4v (QuickTime) original of this (the one I uploaded to YouTube); this can be played on your computer, or a video iPod; here's the link:
http://www.vimeo.com/204519

Q: What instrument is that?
A: The instrument here is a Post fortepiano (a sampled instrument), used as a pedal piano.

Q: I'd rather hear it on the organ.
A: YouTube contributor TheAPAnderson has posted a version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1XD1M...

Q: Pedal piano!?! What the **** is that?
A: It's a piano with a pedalboard, like an organ. If you want to know more about this, the Wikipedia article is good
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedal_piano
and this company is actually making them (if seeing these pictures doesn't make you want one, you're either not a pianist or not an organist):
http://www.borgato.it/doppioborgato.htm

Q: Who is performing?
A: This rendition isn't exactly a performance in the traditional sense; it was done by Stephen Malinowski (smalin, me) using the conductor program; you can read more about that here:
http://www.musanim.com/tapper/

Q: What do the colors in the bar-graph score mean?
A: The colors show which "voice" is playing.

Q: Why are there two lines an octave apart in the bass?
A: In organ music, the parts are often doubled with pitches that are higher than the notated pitch. In addition, the lowest part, played by the pedals, is sometimes doubled an octave lower. When parts are doubled, you tend to hear the lowest pitch, so in the bass part, there was the question: should I show the notated pitch or the pitch you hear? I decided to show both.

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: Please see:
http://www.musanim.com/all/MAMRequest...
.

• Category

  Music

[Paul Nigel]

@smalin just a question out of curiosity. Do you have a set of organ pedals in your studio?

[smalin]

Yes. I bought a MIDI organ pedalboard. Then, I jacked my grand piano up about a foot (onto wooden blocks) so that there's room for the pedalboard under the piano. The piano has a Moog "PianoBar" which allows it to send MIDI. It plays into a couple of Ahlborn-Galanti organ modules. I love it.

[Paul Nigel]

Can you do Bach's Gigue Fugue on the organ?

[smalin]

I may, some day.

[MIMIXC audi]

Really really great.

one question:

Is there a way to put keyboard on the left side(vertical) to see which notes are played .(Like in DAW software)

[smalin]

It's software, so anything is possible. In some videos, I put horizontal lines showing whether the treble and bass staves are. But mostly, I design these videos so that you don't need to have any previous training (like knowing what the notes on a piano keyboard mean) to understand them.

[AceArtist256]

This song is in the game, that's why. I've been looking for this song for forever, because it's used in the game Mad Father too.

[chewy0619]

3:17 awesome chord

[Kaantt Yil]

2:20 <3

[yuckyMaRi]

dont cry

[Natalie Callegari]

feels

[2TwoGuys1OneConsole]

This song reminds me of Rhythm Thief. Anyone agree?