Bach, Johann Sebastian : Capriccio 'Sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo' Arioso: Adagio
Work Overview
Genre:caprice
Total Playing Time:2 min 30 sec
Copyright:Public Domain
Commentary (1)
Author : Ooi, Kazurou
Last Updated: October 30, 2023
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Author : Ooi, Kazurou
First, please consider this piece as a duet. Assume two female singers are performing. Due to the nature of duet writing, a considerable number of sixths appear.
The interval of a sixth is particularly prone to revealing imperfections on the piano. This is because the inner voices are invariably played with fingers 1 or 2, which are strong fingers making it difficult to maintain balance, and fingerings like 1-1 can cause the voice to break. Conversely, the upper voices are played with fingers 4 or 5, which are weaker fingers making it difficult to produce sound, and similarly, fingerings like 5-5 can cause the voice to break.
Therefore, the pedal is essential for this piece, used momentarily in various places to maintain balance while avoiding muddiness and to connect the voices smoothly. This is the first point.
Next, assume this Arioso consists of a total of nine phrases. In the treble clef, consider the appearance of a rest as the end of a phrase and the beginning of a new one. The performer should consider the tension level of each phrase in comparison to the preceding and following phrases and differentiate them through dynamics.
For example, the first phrase begins on the second beat of measure 1 and extends to the first beat of measure 2. The second phrase begins on the second beat of measure 2 and extends to the first beat of measure 3. When comparing these two, the second phrase clearly has higher tension, so its volume should be greater than that of the first.
This Arioso has two peak points: the first is in measure 11, where the melodic line reaches F, and the other is on the first beat of measure 15.
While the overall mood expresses sadness, please be careful not to play with excessively loud volume even at the peak points.