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Bach, Johann Sebastian : 9 kleine Praeludien Nr.6 g-moll BWV 929

Work Overview

Music ID : 22573
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:prelude
Total Playing Time:0 min 50 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (1)

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: January 8, 2024
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Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

When contemplating Bach's compositions in G minor, such as the Sinfonias or the Well-Tempered Clavier, an expression of sorrow is often discernible. In the case of Invention No. 11, some performers adopt a fast tempo, which imbues the piece with a sense of energy. However, all the ornaments notated in the middle section are virtually impossible to execute at such a rapid pace. It can thus be inferred that both Invention No. 11 and the present piece were likely performed at a slower tempo.

Consequently, rather than an energetic and detached rendition, please strive to convey and express sorrow at a deliberate tempo.

As the piece is composed in three voices, the independence of each voice is highly desirable. In sections where two voices execute notes of identical duration, for instance, in measure 11, where both the bass and alto are notated with three quarter notes, employing a technique such as rendering one voice semi-staccato and the other legato can effectively differentiate the voices.

Similarly, by applying such articulative techniques, or by observing that the right-hand eighth notes in measure 5 belong to the soprano voice, while the eighth notes in measure 6 are assigned to the alto voice, one can achieve a softer tone quality for the alto compared to the soprano. This approach not only accentuates the distinction between the voices from measure 5 but also mitigates any potential interference with the sustain of the soprano F in measure 6.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou