Beyond the Notes: Bach's Prelude in C Minor will make you smile.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.พ. 2023
- Music goes directly to our hearts and souls. It connects on an emotional level, which is great. But why is that? In this series you and I are searching for some elements, details sometimes even, that can (a little bit) "explain" that connection.
Here: Bach's Prelude in C Minor from his Well-Tempered Clavier book 1, BWV 847
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Over the centuries Bach continues to be unrivaled.
Bach certainly loved C minor (and E flat), this one and the duo from the second book are full of religious symbolism. For starters, C minor is a key with 3 flats, representing the holy trinity. Bach was a very religious man and did this sort of thing often. For example, his Mathew’s Passion starts in E minor (Erde) and the final chorus ends in C minor. So we start on Earth and finish in Heaven. I could go into much more detail but youtube comments are not the place. :)
Hey, do you have more information/examples for the (religious) symbolism that can be researched?
@@NM-ls3egWell I know that when Bach writes a long note on a motiv, It means something big and solemn, like god. Also, some motivs do have a cross like shape, like the one in the C sharp minor fugge: C sharp B sharp E D Sharp C sharp. Equilibrium.
Bach is, indeed, a soulful storyteller
I had to go immediately and play this again (piano, I'm afraid- I don't own a clavichord and I just started rebuilding my harpsichord), and it felt like an entirely new piece to me! After growing up with quite strict Bach interpretations being common (I'm 57), free, even Romantic interpretations like this make the music feel like it is finally able to escape; to escape the cold written notes and to come alive and communicate Bach's very deep emotions. Thank you for the inspiration!
its like bach was only a pattern. a tips but not a piece. (but its the only one from bach lol)
I love people who adore and talk about the phenomenal details of the greatest Musician of all times. So I love you too 🍒 👏🏼
An excellent analysis. This prelude is not "just a finger exercise": it is music !
There's this feeling I have when sseeing someone so connected and so immersed with music, that gives me a lot of motivation
What a wonderful revelation you had for this piece. I have to go to the piano immediately ! Thank you !!!
Thank you Wim.
The final C maj is simply perfect.
I like your interpretation of this piece. The depth of JSB's music seems to require a lifetime of study and interpretation.
La musique de Bach en particulier laisse une grande liberté dans l'interprétation possible. Cela stimule la créativité, incite à recréer l'oeuvre pour la personaliser. Les interprétations différentes sont autant de variations sans cesse nouvellement écrites. Et toutes sont légitimes. Les interprétations en dehors des sentiers battus, comme justement celle de ce prélude par Gould, sont des garantes de la vie toujours fluide dans la musique.
The Prelude dates from 1720, it’s the 15th work in Clavier-Buechlein for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach as the 2nd Praeludium in the early form. J N Forkel used in his edition published by Hoffmeister. Gerber’s copy ends with a mordant on the E natural in the last measure. Gerber studied with J S Bach in 1725. The Gerber manuscript also has the word Adagio in what has thought to be J S Bach’s handwriting in measure 25, three measures before the Presto, this indication is only found in Gerber’s manuscript, which along with JSB’s cousin Johann Walter and two other manuscripts contain the earliest version of WTC Pt 1.
Future son in law J C Altnickol’s copy dates from the later years of J S Bach’s life and contains all the revisions not found in the earlier manuscripts, or of those the autograph which Bach altered.
Never realised what this prelude was hiding!
Thanks so much!
My favourite Prelude and Fugue of the whole two books. Thank you, Wim. I had a bad day and your “review” (and playing) of this piece made me feel better. God bless you +
WIth Bach I've always sensed that there is more. And todaynyour explanation of that presto and the way you land on the e-natural made bachian sense, noit just a musical event. (The e-natiral really is final sunshine but it's still incomplete, requiring the echo of teh c. I love it.
My first hearing of this piece was on Walter (at that time, now Wendy) Carlos' Switched-On Bach, which was released in 1968. Ever since, that has been my interpretation -- on piano, which I played in C minor, F minor, and G minor (each has its own mood and feel). Hearing your analysis and interpretation today greatly broadened my narrow understanding. Many thanks.
I love Bach's prelude! The prelude of the Law.
This is wonderful Wim. Thank you for sharing your deep love of music and the fruits of all your in-depth studies. Anything which helps us get closer to the music of Johan Sebastian Bach is valuable and worthwhile. Wishing you the best - John
My teacher told me she never heard this prelude well played….your interpretation at the end is very interesting
Thank you, this deep analysis is very impressive, and once again demonstrates the genius of Bach. Regarding the last E natural, I like your interpretation : Bass C for Earth, higher C for Heaven, and finally E for Human, flat or natural according to his mood... but I would like to recall an other possible reason, very basic indeed : It was very usual, not to say mandatory, from Renaissance to Baroque, AND SPECIALLY FOR ORGANISTS (I.e. church music), when a piece of music was written in minor mode to end up with a final chord in major - listen to Bach, Buxtehude, MA Charpentier, H. Purcell and dozens of other : D minor pieces finish with a F#, G minor with a B natural.... One reason given is that, when you play and then mute the final chord , the sound goes in reverberation all around the church, or cathedral and goes distorted when the chord is in minor. Probably real reason was more mystical.
Good observation! Makes sense to me that both interpretations are true. The world is made up octaves and their intervals. IMHO. Thanks.
Always learning. Nice video.
I play this on a Yamaha P60 - I'll be playing now with all this mind. Thank you.
you're an amazing musician with mind opening insights, thank you!
Wim,
This is a really nice series which makes us think more about the music than just the notes. When I had lessons in my latter years, my teachers would spend a good part of my lessons doing this kind of analysis. Today, this has become second nature to me and makes learning and playing music even more enjoyable as I seek out this in the music.
If you were to do another piece, I would like you to continue with Prelude and Fugue No. 3 in C#. There's a lot more to these two than meets the eye.
Very inspiring
Thank You!!! Love Bach forever!!! 👏👏👏🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶✨☀️✨☀️✨☀️🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🙏🙏🙏
Nice very nice, just goes to show the genius of Bach, writes a series of pieces to show off the merits of a new tuning system, and yet in a prelude you can extract a story. You are a consummate teacher!
Lovely instrument.
I'm collecting different parts of Beethoven's music to introduce the value of classical music to some students. Now after watching your VDO I take a step back. I never saw emotional interpretation like this on Bach. Thank you
This was my first contest piece in the seventh grade in Wisconsin. We were rated, not against each other, but on a scale of one to five. The judge was apologetic while giving me a two for not having played it fast enough. (I played it considerably faster than this demonstration.) Today I would deem that rating appropriate, but not because of the tempo. I was merely playing the correct notes. I was not, however, telling a story. Fifty years later I am again playing c-minor, this time the double concerto in a small local concert not far from Eisenach. I hope we will tell an interesting musical story at an appropriate tempo and with the correct notes. Thank you for this reminder about what really matters in music.
Now in my late 50s, an ardent amateur pianist, how often I wish that my childhood teachers, fine as they were and whom I loved, had imparted also that I was not just "playing the piano" but telling a story using the piano. Learning grammar is part of school, too. But even at the late teen and college level, the drive to the annual recitals was too often about getting notes under the fingers than what you are saying, like learning to recite a poem phonically. Most professionals play their instruments in settings where interpretation is less important or is given by another (conductor), producing a bias in music training.
Fascinating!
Thankyou Wim 🙏🎶
Very Good video.
Fue Maravilloso. Magistral. La Composición
Literaria Coyuntural y estructural.
Hecho para la Humanidad x Familia BACH
Cuando todo estaba en pañales
Aun se puede percibir Sabiduría Universal
Gracias.
Roberto Quijada Gopal
I so enjoyed that! And yes, now I am smiling!
This post just came up on my feed. Cool stuff. Just subscribed. Thanks
When I played this piece at school, I imagined a mysterious figure in the dark, walking quickly and decisively through a 1700s busy city in the evening, with a sense of great urgency or danger. All different city sounds and events happening all around, horse hooves clicking against the pavement. He eventually stops abruptly, hardly believing he had managed to reach his destination, and yet he hesitates to proceed forward. He eventually walks through the door with a feeling of momentary relief, but the real story is only about to unveil, the fugue begins... One of my favourite Bach pieces, loved your insights and interpretation, it motivates me to come back and learn it again as it's been years since I last played it.
What you say here is what makes Bach utterly unique in the history of Western music. Bach was familiar with some of his German and Italian antecedents which influenced his compositional style. I wish you could analyze Toccata Nona (First Book of Toccatas and Partitas, Vol 2) of Girolamo Frescobaldi. His play with harmonies and temperament is very interesting to me and marks his genius. Love your presentations.
Thank you Wim for your wonderful analysis of the Bach B Minor Prelude. It makes it so much more interesting to learn to play!
Super cool Wim. Thanks🙂🙏🏼🌹
Beautiful interprétation
Favorite prelude!
A superb theological interpretation. Thank you, so inspiring!!!
Wonderful tutorial. Thank you. I especially enjoyed your ending.
I was taught this piece (and the Fugue) over 50 years ago, and my piano teachers goal for the Prelude was for me to play it as fast as possible without freezing up.
So I am delighted to hear your insightful approach of this Prelude.
Much appreciated. 🇨🇦
Wirklich berührend diese persönliche Deutung dieses oft zu Tode gehetzten Präludiums !
Manche werden sagen : das ist " zu romantisch " für Bach,
und das auch noch unter Berufung auf " die historische Aufführungspraxis ".
Ich finde es mutig - und deshalb wertvoll, weil inspirierend,
wenn ein Interpret seine persönliche Geschichte mit einem Musikstück erzählt.
DANKE - und gerne weiter so !
Gruß aus Stuttgart, wo J.S. Bach vielfältig " gepflegt " wird !
Post Scriptum : 300. Geburtstag von Bach's Inventionen-Vorwort 1723 :
" am allermeisten eine cantable Art im Spielen zu erlangen "
( das Video hier kann das auf sehr persönliche Weise veranschaulichen ).
Thank you ❤
A little “as above, so below “… a little darkness; but in the end, one finds the light. I loved your interpretation!
Extraordinaria explicación , saludos desde Chile .
Thank you so much!
Love it!
One of my first "major" pieces which I learnt for the piano. Nice interpretation and a very insightful video!
wonderful.. real music played and described by a real musician. Someone who really know, feals and seeks to understand... music. refreshing to say the least. I eas wondering if you could do something covering the evplution of Bachs work throught the years...
Merci pour nous prendre par la main et apprendre a écouter avec le cœur et la sensibilité !
I keep coming back to this analysis, and as my music education improves the goal of being able to play this becomes ever closer. But you help me dream.
Beautiful!
Thanks!
Beautiful interpretation. I enjoyed it!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful insight into this wonderful piece. It's really eye-opening. Very interesting.
While I happen to mostly disagree with your metronome/cut time discussions, this interpretation and discussion of the C-minor Prelude is quite wonderful. Including the tempo.
I just started working on this piece. Your explanation is a huge help. Thank you.
Very nice! Thank you for this video! I like it very much!
Wow! Finally got a chance to watch this, and of course it was amazing!! Please keep these videos coming! Fascinating! 😊
Brilliant explanation of the harmonic direction and rhythmic motion of this prelude by Bach.
Thank you for the excellent and passionate presentation. Thank you for making connections I was not aware of.
My favourite piece by Bach! Thank you for sharing you ideas about it, I loved the video...
A fine presentation that renders beauty to the music.
I would love to memorize this piece❤Describes what my emotion is and me struggling out of it😊
Absolutely and completely BRILLIANT I have been struggling with this piece for many years and you have finally made sense of it for me. Many thanks - a wonderful way to talk about Bach.
Very nice contribution,- i like it!
11:56 Ah! Yes, the wonderful Tierce de Picardie! It uplifts my spirits at the conclusion of the Prelude…
It is always a pleasure to listen to an old friend with a new understanding.
Thank you. I love what you're doing.
I love your explanation, really connected with it. My gramma played this piece every morning so it means a lot to me since I can remember. I feel the same as you explain on the ending , it really takes you out of the Cm mood somewhere else
One of my favorite pieces by Bach. Thank you Wim!
Wonderful job on a difficult subject to unpack! Now a fan, glad I found this site! Many Thanks, Carlo
Delightful
this was so useful - I love this prelude for first half but never understood the second half until now! it's making me appreciate this prelude (and the ending) so much more. thank you!
You explanation satisfies me. Very well described.
Getting to the essence of music - that is the way. I completely agree because that is exactly what I feel myself when I play music-notes of pieces that I love, although I may realize it in another way - but the principle is the same. BRAVO! Excellent upload.
WOW ! Amazing, inspiring. First time to hear this. Thank You much.
Great lesson! Thank you ❤️
A very reflective analysis. I’ve enjoyed your interpretation. It makes justice with this great piece of music, which is not just an acrobatic exercise .
It is one of my favorites preludes. So musical, creative and valid!
Thank you for shining a new light on this very difficult to listen to gem! I hear (and see) it in a new light. So happy I found yu.
thank you
What a beautiful interpretation. Thanks :)
A grat channel find! Thanks for sharing such beauty and deep knowledge of music🎶😍❤️🎧
thank you. this is the kind of step-by-step thinking and feeling that provides real insight to the listener who is not a musician. you are ideally articulate in both word and note to advance one's own experience.
This was great, very interesting, thanks!
I loved your interpretation. Not only does it make many sense, it is also very efficient and useful for teaching deep concepts of music.
Fantastic
My intuitions explained…so good…
What a great idea! la musica celeste.
Phenomenal playing and musical breakdown, and the sonics remind me of Indian raga like music but straight from Bach right there. Thanks you for this! I'll have to watch it many times to understand it fully
My connection with Bach's music is very mysterious. But hearing you talk about it is always a pleasure. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and knowledge. 🦫
Congrats that this video did so well ❤
Mr Winters,
Thank you for your artistry and inspiration. I appreciate your work and perspective in this and your other series.
I am looking forwarding to more Beyond the Notes.
I wish you health and joy and many more rapturous musical moments.
-Dr D
you are a great musicman
Beautiful playing and passionate explanation. I can not separate this prelude from the fugue. One resolves into the next so seamlessly.
So interesting! Thank you
I really look forward to more videos in this series.
Pieces from the well tempered clavier are great topics, since they are all self contained and mostly just a few pages in length. Perfect for a focused, ten minute video.