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Bach, Johann Sebastian : Prelude und Fuge Nr.18 Prelude Nr.18 gis-moll

Work Overview

Music ID : 62195
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:pieces
Total Playing Time:3 min 40 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (1)

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: September 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.

The atmosphere of this prelude changes entirely depending on the tempo. The choice of tempo requires careful consideration. As for the author's ideal, a tempo of quarter note = 100 is desirable. Setting the tempo to this value prevents the left-hand accompanying arpeggios (e.g., in measure 2) from becoming heavy. It allows for a fluent and light progression. Conversely, a tempo that should be avoided is around quarter note = 60. Setting the tempo to this value immediately imparts a sense of ponderousness. The left-hand accompanying arpeggios become even heavier due to the repeated notes played by the first finger. Furthermore, the duration of sonic clashes becomes prolonged. In measure 2, beat 2, the right hand has G-sharp and B written. These notes sustain for the duration of one eighth note. However, at this moment, the left hand's beat 2 has F double-sharp written, which clashes with the right hand's G-sharp. While the clash is unavoidable as the notes are written, if the tempo is excessively slow, the duration of this clash lengthens, resulting in an unusual sonority. It is advisable not to slow down the tempo. Additionally, although the notes in this piece may vary by edition, please be particularly careful to avoid misreading passages such as measure 23.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou
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