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Bach, Johann Sebastian : 6 kleine Praeludien Prelude Nr.4 D-Dur BWV 936

Work Overview

Music ID : 22580
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:prelude
Total Playing Time:2 min 30 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (1)

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: November 20, 2023
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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.

If you consider D major in works such as The Well-Tempered Clavier, Inventions, and Sinfonias, you will understand that this key is optimistic for Bach. This prelude also has no serious aspects whatsoever. While it doesn't particularly build tension, the focus should be on playing it joyfully at a moderate tempo.

Now, this prelude is primarily composed of three voices, with the bass largely conceived as a walking bass. This can be played staccato, legato, or semi-staccato. However, to differentiate it from the upper two voices, it might be better to articulate it somewhat shorter. While this bass line presents no issues regarding voice independence, the challenge of independence lies with the upper two voices.

Because the upper two voices are very close in proximity, the independence of the soprano and alto voices, for example, in measures 33-34 and 29-32, is difficult. However, the most challenging aspect is distinguishing the soprano and alto in measures 3-6; the independence of voices in this section might be almost impossible (as the alto on the second beat tends to sound like the soprano), but please try to devise solutions as much as possible.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou