Organ Playing: How to Memorize Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 560 in 8 Easy Steps?6/17/2012 If you can play the Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560, why not memorize it? After memorizing this composition you will have a much deeper understanding of it. In fact, if you truly want to master this piece, you should be able to play it by heart. Here my 8 steps in memorizing this exciting composition.
1) Take a slow tempo and play the 1st measure 5 times from the score and 5 times without looking. Since one measure is a very short fragment, you will find that it is a natural process to memorize this way. After 5 repetitions, the music will start to stick into your memory. 2) Take the 2nd measure and memorize it in the manner I just described above. It is best to start and end the fragment on the downbeat. This way you can easily learn to connect the fragments together. 3) Practice the 3rd measure and finish on the downbeat of measure 4. Play it 5 times from the score and 5 times from memory. 4) Then learn measure 4 in exactly the same way. These 4 steps take about 15 minutes of practicing. 5) Memorize measures 1-2, 2-3, 3-4. Later practice 1-2-3 and 2-3-4. Finally master all four measures. 6) Then take another fragment of 4 measures and repeat the above 5 steps. In the similar manner, learn the entire prelude and fugue. 7) Combine the 2 fragments, by playing 8 measures without stopping. Later memorize 16 measures, 32 measures and so on until you can play the entire composition without stopping. Remember always to start your fragments on the downbeat and finish on the first beat of the next fragment. 8) Start your practice session each day by repeating a few times what you have already mastered the day before. In fact, it is best if you refresh the fragments you memorized 4 days ago as well. It is important to practice the old fragments because memorization requires reinforcement and repetition. Open the score of Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560 and start memorizing using the above steps today. If you will follow these directions strictly, you will be surprised how much more enjoyable and easier the entire learning process will become. You will have no more frustration in memorizing organ music. Do you have your own memorization techniques, which help you to learn to play this piece by hearth? Feel free to share your experience in the comment section. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to learn to play any organ composition at sight fluently and without mistakes while working only 15 minutes a day, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading.
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Do you like playing Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560 on the organ and would like to know what is the best way to practice it? Here are my 7 tips which will take your practice of this piece to the next level.
1) Practice is not performance. Very often people enjoy playing the piece in the way they would perform it during a recital or church service. However, if you truly want to learn to play this prelude and fugue with confidence, you first have to realize that the different approach is needed for practicing on your own. 2) Playing the piece in its entirety is not the best option. For the best results, avoid playing the entire piece from the beginning until the end until you are ready. The thing is that when you play this prelude and fugue, you are likely to make quite a few mistakes. Consequently, if you do not stop and correct your mistakes, you are likely to repeat them again and again. 3) Instead practice in short fragments. Subdivide this piece into manageable units of about 4 measures each. Remember that the piece is quite long and it is best to work on a few measures at a time. This way your chances of making a mistake greatly diminishes. 4) Don't underestimate the power of separate voices and voice combinations. In such polyphonic texture with several highly independent parts it is difficult to listen to each voice equally well. Consequently, you are likely to miss some important details in fingering, pedaling or articulation. Do not play all the voices together unless you have mastered them individually, in pairs and 3-voice combinations. 5) Later make the fragments longer. As your playing of this prelude and fugue becomes better, start expanding the fragments by doubling them in size. It is important that you become accustomed to gradually increasing the length of your practice without stopping. This way you will prepare yourself for public performance in the future. 6) Put the hands and feet together. After you master individual voices and voice combinations, it is time to play all parts together. If you were honest in learning the previous step, you will be surprised how fast and enjoyable is the practice process. 7) Make at least 3 correct repetitions. Try not to advance to the next combination or fragment unless you can play the current one at least 3 times in a row correctly. A master organist Marcel Dupre used a system of 10 repetitions in his teaching. This is an optimum example. However, in order to see the positive results with the shortest amount of repetitions, play without mistakes at least 3 times in a row. If you make a mistake, you will have to start counting from the beginning. Go on and start learning Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560 today by repeatedly practicing short fragments. And don't forget to take advantage of learning separate voices and voice combinations. By doing so you will discover that you are on the right path to the mastery of this wonderful composition. Do you have your favorite techniques which help you practice this piece? Share your experience in the comment section. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to learn to play any organ composition at sight fluently and without mistakes while working only 15 minutes a day, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. Playing the Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560 with convincing registration will result in more authentic performance. Organists who practice this piece should know general rules for choosing which stops to use. With this piece, the registration for public performance should be different than for practicing alone. If you are searching for the best ways to register this prelude and fugue, read the following 9 tips.
1) Registration change in the fugue is not necessary. Although it is often possible to add a reed stop in the two-part cycle, such as this, the length of the piece does not suggest the need for stop changes after the prelude. Since this prelude and fugue last only about 3 minutes, it is better to play with one registration throughout. 2) "Organo Pleno" registration. The traditional way of registering a prelude and fugue in the German Baroque style is to use "Organo Pleno" registration or a principal chorus. This concept means that you should build a pyramid of principal stops, starting with the principal 16' or 8' and building upwards (4', 2 2/3', 2 etc.) 3) Use mixtures both in the manuals and the pedals. Try out the mixture alone on the main manual and see if it is based on the 16' (starts at 5 1/3' level) or 8' (starts at 2 2/3' level or higher). If it is based on the 16', then use 16' stop in the manual together with it. Otherwise, playing with 16' is optional. 4) Add flutes if the mixtures are too harsh. Check your mixtures and see if you like their sound. In some Neobaroque-style organs, the mixtures are really high-pitched and sound harsh. In such case sometimes it is OK to omit the mixture and use higher principals and mutations instead (1 1/3' and 1'). 5) Check if the principals are not too narrow. In many Neobaroque-style instruments, the principals are quite narrow in diameter. In such case, try to add 8' and 4' flutes for more rounded sound. However, under normal circumstances, principals and flutes should not mix in the Organ Pleno registration. 6) Couple the manuals if you want. If you have more than one manual which has a principal chorus as well, you can couple them both. This way your registration will be even more powerful. 7) Add pedal reeds for more spice. Use the powerful 16' and/or 8' reeds in the pedal division, such as Posaune and Trompete. If you decide to use only one reed stop, the first reed you should add is Posaune 16' and not Trompete 8'. This is because in Central Germany in the Baroque period, even relatively small organs very often had Posaune but not Trompete. 8) Check the balance between manuals and pedals. Once you choose the manual and pedal stops, try to listen to the overall sound ensemble. Since it is a polyphonic composition with highly independent parts, both manuals and pedals should be clearly audible but not too loud in comparison with each other. 9) Practice registration. It is best to practice using only the soft stops, such as 8' and 4' flutes with 16' in the pedals. This way your ears will not become tired and you can practice for a longer period of time. Remember these tips when you practice or perform the Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560 in public. It is a good practice to listen to different recordings of this piece on historical organs and to compare the registrations in each. Since every organ is different, try to follow your taste and ears based on your idea of the "ideal Baroque sound" for this composition. This way your playing will become more authentic and you will use your organ more convincingly. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to learn to play any organ composition at sight fluently and without mistakes while working only 15 minutes a day, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. Organ Playing: 7 Tips in Finding the Best Tempo in Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 5606/13/2012 Are you wondering what is the best tempo in Prelude and Fugue in B flat major, BWV 560? Are you struggling with playing this composition up to tempo? Or perhaps you are not sure at which tempo you should practice it? Here are 7 powerful tips in finding the best tempo of this piece. 1) The concert tempo. Since it is a joyful and energetic composition, the concert tempo of this piece could be around 70 beats per minute for the quarter note. 2) Same tempo in the prelude and fugue. When you practice this piece, keep the same tempo both in the prelude and in the fugue. Sometimes it is very tempting to change the speed in the fugue because of the meter change. Note that the quarter note in the prelude should be equal to the quarter note in the fugue. 3) Practice tempo. Practicing tempo should be much slower. For best results it could be very slow - around 40 beats per minute. In general, try to pick such a tempo for practice in which you could avoid making mistakes. If you make a mistake - slow down. 4) Keep in mind the acoustics of the room. The space that you are playing will be one of the major factors in determining the speed of this piece. If you play in your practice room or at home, you can perform much faster than in a cathedral or church with huge reverberation. 5) Keep in mind the mechanics of the organ. The type of organ action also determines the tempo of this piece. In general, if you are performing on the tracker or the mechanical action instrument, try to play a bit slower because of the action. On the other hand, if you are playing on the electro-pneumatic or electronic organ you can play much faster. 6) Play fast in short fragments. If you want to achieve faster tempo in this prelude and fugue, try to practice in the following way. Press an opening note, stop, think about what's coming up next and play in a concert tempo for 1 quarter note. Then hold the note. Prepare for the next beat and play it in a fast tempo. Then stop at the next quarter note and so on. Continue this way until you reach the end of this composition. 7) Increase the length of the fragments. After you have practiced several times while stopping at each beat, increase the length of the fragment by doubling them. Try to stop every half measure (in the prelude), later stop every measure, then continue increasing the length of the fragments until you can play the entire prelude and fugue at a concert tempo without stopping. Use the above 7 tips while practicing this wonderful composition today. You will discover how easy it is to practice it at the right tempo. While practicing this way you can achieve the concert tempo in no time. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to learn to play any organ composition at sight fluently and without mistakes while working only 15 minutes a day, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. 4 Tips in Choosing the Best Pedaling for Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 560 for the Organ6/12/2012 Knowing how to choose the most efficient pedaling in the Prelude and Fugue in B flat major, BWV 560 is not always easy. Sometimes an incorrect choice may lead to incorrect articulation. If you want to figure out the best and the most stylistically appropriate pedaling for this prelude and fugue, use these 4
powerful tips. 1) Write in each pedal choice for each and every note in the pedal line. While writing in fingering you can skip certain easy episodes and indicate the fingering only in the places which give you the most trouble, for pedaling I strongly recommend that you write in your choice for every pedal note. This is because many organists come to the organ with some experience on the piano and pedal playing gives them the most problems. 2) Avoid using heels. Since it is a piece written in the Baroque style, avoid using heels. Use toes only pedaling because on many Baroque instruments playing with heels is very uncomfortable. This practice comes from the traditional technique of playing the clavichord which was the most common practice instrument for organists in Germany at that time. By the way, some scholars believe this piece may have been written specifically for the pedal clavichord. 3) Use alternate toe technique. Most of the time in the prelude apply alternate toe technique which means playing with the left and right foot in alternation. This is especially obvious in the opening pedal solo and in other places in the prelude because of the duple meter. This technique allows you to create a perfect articulation in the pedal line with gentle alternation of strong and weak beats. In addition, it is quite easy to apply it in the passages with ascending or descending melodic line, such as in scales. 4) Use same foot technique. In the fugue which is written in the triple meter sometimes it will be necessary to play some notes using the same foot. In this piece, this rule is valid in situations when there is a change of melodic direction. In addition, you will also have to use the same foot in the prelude where the melody changes direction. Use the above tips for writing in the pedaling for the Prelude and Fugue in B flat major, BWV 560 today. After you have figured out and notated your pedaling, make sure you practice with correct pedaling choices repeatedly. This will allow your pedal playing to become automatic, fluent, and free of mistakes. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to learn to play any organ composition at sight fluently and without mistakes while working only 15 minutes a day, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. Organ Playing: 4 Tips in Choosing the Best Ornaments for Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 5606/11/2012 Ornamentation in the Prelude and Fugue in B flat major, BWV 560 has its own rules and every organist who practice this composition should be aware of them. However it is not uncommon even nowadays despite the wealth of information available to play the ornaments of this piece incorrectly. In this article, I will give you 4 tips in choosing the most stylistically appropriate ornamentation for this piece.
1) All of the trills and mordents notated in this piece stylistically have to be played starting from the upper note. For example, if the trill is written on the G, start it from the A. Likewise if the trill is placed on the A, start it from the B flat (not from B because of the key signature of 2 flats). Your cadential trills could consist of 4 or 6 notes depending on the speed. For example, in the trill on the G, you could play A-G-A-G or A-G-A-G-A-G. Try to hold the first note of the trill a little longer and speed up later. 2) Use fingers 2-3 or 3-4 in the right hand for the trills. These fingers were traditionally used in playing ornaments with the right hand in Bach's time. For some people playing with 2-3 is easier than with 3-4. Try both versions and decide which one is more suitable for your finger technique. 3) Start the ornaments on the beat. Quite often people play the trills and mordents before the beat. In other words, they start the ornament before as un upbeat and finish it on the beat. This is not correct. The Baroque ornament should take some rhythmic value of the note on which it is placed. In order to achieve that be aware of the beat on which the ornament should be played and practice slowly. 4) Look at each cadence and mark additional ornaments. Note that it is stylistically perfectly acceptable to add suitable trills and mordents on important cadences. This is especially noticeable in the fugue. Here you can add an upper mordent at the end of each subject entrance. Sometimes you can experiment with the lower mordents, too. While performing the ornaments, try not to play the notes which are foreign to the current key, such as B flat major or F major. Use these tips as you practice this piece and try to re-create the authentic ornaments. Remember that ornamentation is also a part of performance practice, so if you want your playing to sound like in Bach's time, pay careful attention to the trills and mordents, practice them in a slow tempo first until you master them. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to develop unbeatable sight-reading skills, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. 8 Tips in Choosing the Best Fingering for Organ Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 5606/11/2012 Are you stuck in finding the best and the most efficient fingering for Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 560 for the organ? It is important you find the best fingering solutions because they will save you time practicing and you will learn to play this composition fluently and without mistakes easier. Here are 8 tips which will help you write in fingering for this piece.
1) Write in fingering in technically difficult places. Some organists have a very systematic approach to fingering. Before they practice it, they write in fingerings on every single note. If this seems too much for you, for the best results I recommend you write in fingering in every technically challenging spot of the piece. 2) Consider the fingering for two voices in one hand. Playing with correct fingering one line passages is not as difficult as episodes with double notes in one hand. Therefore, it is especially important to figure out the fingering in places when one hand has to play two voices. 3) Avoid thumbs on sharps and flats. Since it is a Baroque piece, try to avoid placing the thumb on the sharps and flats. However, it will not always be possible to follow this rule since the key is B flat major and the scale starts from the flat. 4) Avoid finger substitution. Substituting one finger for another while holding one key is one of the ways of achieving a perfect legato. However, since this piece is written in the Baroque period articulate legato touch is more appropriate. Therefore, finger substitution is more suited for the performance of Romantic and modern organ music. 5) Avoid finger glissandos. As in finger substitutions, finger glissandos are the trademark for the Romantic and modern organ music and therefore not suited for the performance of this piece. Moreover, glissandos sometimes are the result of accidental fingering choices. 6) Play the same intervals with the same fingers. If you see several intervals of a third in a row, it is stylistically correct to play using the same fingers. This technique creates perfect articulation. 7) Try different solutions. Sometimes there is more than one version of fingering which suits your hands. Feel free to experiment with different fingerings and choose the most efficient. 8) Stick to your fingering. When you have written in your fingering on the score, try to use it in practice. Do not play with accidental fingerings but apply your written in fingerings repeatedly for the best results. Use the above tips and write in your fingering in Prelude and Fugue in B Flat Major, BWV 560 today. By choosing the best and the most efficient fingering you will save time practicing this piece and be able to play it fluently, without interruptions and with confidence. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to develop unbeatable sight-reading skills, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. Before attempting to practice Prelude and Fugue in B flat Major, BWV 560 on the organ, it is important to analyze the structure and form of the piece. This analysis helps to know the piece inside out. In other words, you will have to know how the piece is put together. In this article, I will share with you 7 easy steps in analyzing the form of this composition.
1) Notate all cadences. A cadence is a melodic or harmonic figure which indicates the closing of a musical idea. Note if a cadence ends on the tonic chord (final cadence) or on the chord other than the tonic (half cadence). 2) Find all important modulations. A modulation is a key change with a cadence. Usually the modulations in such a piece will be to closely related keys. In this piece such keys either have the same number of accidentals or differ from the home key by only 1 flat. 3) Find all sequences. A sequence is a harmonic or melodic idea which is repeated in an ascending or descending order. Sequences are perfect tools for travelling from one key to another. In such case, the new accidentals usually appear gradually one by one. 4) Count the number of fugue subjects. This fugue opens with a theme or a subject which is 6 measures long. Go over the entire fugue and mark the numbers of the themes with pencil. 5) Indicate which voice has a subject. Take a pencil and write in S (soprano), A (alto), T (tenor) or B (bass) next to each entrance. 6) Notate tonal areas of each subject entrance. Remember to check for additional accidentals which will be determining factors for different key areas. Similarly to the prelude, in the fugue the modulations will be to closely related keys. 7) Mark scale degree numbers of each subject entrance. Keep in mind the home key of B flat major. Then write the scale degree numbers or chords (T, S, D etc) relative to the tonic key. For example, the subject in B flat major will have 1st scale degree or the Tonic while the answer in the F Major will have 5th scale degree or the Dominant. Apply the above 7 steps in analyzing the form of this piece today. While doing so, you will put yourself in the composer's shoes and will have a much deeper understanding of how the piece is put together and be ready to start practicing it. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to develop unbeatable sight-reading skills, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. The last from the famous cycle of 8 short preludes and fugues, the prelude and fugue in B flat major, BWV 560 is also one of the easiest to master. Earlier it was attributed to J.S.Bach but currently it is believed to be by someone from the Bach circle, possibly by Johann Ludwig Krebs. Although the prelude has virtuoso pedal solo and the fugue's imitative writing style makes it look technically challenging, it is possible to learn it if you follow these 9 easy steps.
1) Analyze the form of the piece. Look for cadences and modulations in the prelude. Indicate all important key changes on the score. Count the subject entrances in the fugue in each voice and indicate tonal areas of each entrance. 2) Write in fingering. For the best results I recommend you write in fingering in every technically challenging spot of the piece. It is especially important to figure out the fingering in places when one hand has to play two voices. 3) Write in pedaling. Write in each pedal choice for each and every note in the pedal line. Since it is a piece written in the Baroque style, avoid using heels. 4) Figure out the ornamentation. All the short and long trills notated in this piece stylistically have to be played starting from the upper note. Only the mordents have to start from the main note. 5) Articulation. Since it is a piece written in the Baroque period, the basic articulation is articulate legato. This touch means that you should leave small spaces between each note unless indicated otherwise by the composer. 6) Tempo. Because of the joyful character the concert tempo of this piece could be quite fast. Keep the same tempo both in the prelude and in the fugue. Note that practicing tempo should be much slower. 7) Registration. The traditional way of registering a prelude and fugue in the German Baroque style is to use "Organo Pleno" registration or a principal chorus. Note that it is best to practice using only the soft stops, such as 8' and 4' flutes with 16' in the pedals. 8) Practice the piece. For the best results, practice in short fragments and in voice combinations. Try not to advance to the next combination or fragment unless you can to play the current one at least 3 times in a row correctly. 9) Memorize the piece. This is an optional step but I highly recommend it. After memorizing this composition you will have a much deeper understanding of it. In fact, if you truly want to master this piece, you should be able to play it by heart. Refer to the practice instructions in step 8 for memorization as well. Follow the above 9 steps and start practicing this wonderful composition today. In order to achieve the best results, be precise in each step. You will have to show some patience and perseverance but the results will be well worth your effort. By the way, do you want to learn my special powerful techniques which help me to master any piece of organ music up to 10 times faster? If so, download my FREE Organ Practice Guide. Or if you really want to develop unbeatable sight-reading skills, check out my systematic master course in Organ Sight-Reading. Since it's Bach's 327th birthday today, I thought it is appropriate to commemorate his genius by outlining some of his greatest achievements. At the end of this article, I hope will enjoy the video of one of my favorites Bach organ compositions - Ton Koopman's performance of chorale prelude "Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele" from the Great 18 organ chorales. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was arguably one of the most influential composers, organists, and pedagogues of all time. He surely can be considered as one of the greatest composers in the history of music. The features of D major Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier II, B flat major Prelude and Fugue from the Well-Tempered Clavier I, the cantata “Ein feste Burge ist unser Gott”, St. Matthew Passion, Clavierübung III, and ”Musical Offering” will demonstrate his genius. The first sign of his greatness is Bach’s productivity. Although part of his compositions is lost, what has survived shows that his compositional output was far greater than any other composer who lived before or after him. In addition, Bach created music in almost all known genres of the time, except opera and ballet. However, his vocal works, such as St. Matthew Passion have elements of baroque opera (da capo arias). Furthermore, he composed instrumental and vocal, sacred and secular music. Bach tends to exhaust all available possibilities within the piece. For example, D major Fugue from WTC II and Kyrie, Gott Vater in Ewigkeit Clavierübung III show that he used all available pitches of the scale for the beginning of the subject, time and pitch intervals, and form of the subject. If one particular possibility was unavailable, he would modify the subject in order to imply that one entrance of the subject. In addition, as is evident from the Fugue in D major and Kyrie, Gott Vater, he draws a piece from a short idea from which everything is constructed. Bach used his musical ideas so economically, that it seems at times there is hardly any other motive besides the theme and countersubject. In case of D major and B flat major preludes and fugues from WTC, Bach seems to be very much concerned with the relationship between the pieces. Very often prelude foreshadows the fugue by having initial notes of the fugue subject. In addition, Bach’s interest in polyphonic devices (double invertible counterpoint) can be seen in the Fugue in B flat major from WTC I. The crucial element in Bach’s music is symmetry. All pieces mentioned above include various forms of architectural thinking. Proportionally, often his pieces can be divided in two (1/2), three (1/3 and 2/3), and four parts (¼ and ¾). Yet symmetry for Bach sometimes means even further (Clavierübung III, St. Matthew Passion or Cantata 80). Here the cycle is symmetrical in terms of general structure. Another feature which makes Bach so great is number symbolism. Perhaps the most evident example of this is Clavierübung III where Trinitarian symbolism is all pervasive. This is not only apparent in chorale-based works, but also in the Fugue in E flat where number of subject entrances reflect on number Mass, catechism, and non-chorale based pieces. In addition, Bach often included his signature in numbers. Bach’s all vocal works, such as Cantata 80 and St. Matthew Passion deal with text painting. In Cantata 80, especially noticeable place is opening Chorus where cantus firmus is in canon in outer voices and symbolizes God the fortress which surrounds us. In the St. Matthew Passion, all of the recitatives are full of instances of text painting where dramatic leaps, dissonant and unresolved chords etc. symbolize the particular dramatic word. Moreover, in case of Passion, Bach often, if not always employs simple images which are apparent from the particular phrase of the aria or chorale verse. Bach’s love for polyphony and learned devices, such as stretto, augmentation, diminution, retrograde, and inversion are most clearly displayed in the Musical Offering. To notice that, one can only look at one of the ten canons which are often notated so that the performer has to figure out the time and pitch interval, and the form of the canonic voice. Here Bach explores all the possibilities where not only accompanying voice but the Royal theme itself is in canon. Ricercare a 6 from the Musical Offering displays another feature of Bach’s music which makes him so unique, namely perfect balance between seemingly opposing and contrasting elements. Here polyphony and vertical chords are in perfect balance. In addition, symmetry and forward drive are in balance as well. Furthermore, his ability in this piece to combine emotions and mind are especially noticeable. Another important feature of Bach’s music in general is his universality in style and influences. He not only uses models of various composers for his own compositions, but often expands them and tries to make them more advanced. In addition, he combined French, Italian, and German practices into one universal musical language. That is especially apparent in E flat major Prelude from the Clavierübung III where Italian ritornello, French overture (dotted rhythms), north German virtuoso pedal part, and central German fugal writing is combined into one unified piece. Italian ritornello influence is always evident in the chorale preludes of the collection and arias of Cantata 80 and St. Matthew Passion. Furthermore, influences on Bach range not only geographically but historically as well. Movement III from the Trio Sonata of Musical Offering shows various features the style galant, the most fashionable style of the day, while Aus tiefer Not from the Clavierübung III is an example of the style antico which was a typical style of the Palestrina music. Sometimes, these two contrasting styles are combined in one piece (Fugue in E flat major from Clavierübung III). Among other composers, Bach is perhaps the only one who can be called musical scientist. His importance, influence, and greatness are often compared with his contemporary scientist Isaac Newton. Like Newton’s universal laws of gravity, Bach’s well tempered tonality is the universal product of reason. Bach, like a scientist works with the smallest musical idea and that way composes a piece of music. Bach’s worldview is still influenced by the classical quadrivium principle (traditional approach) but he also explores the newest tendencies and fashions. For Bach, the ultimate goal and reason of all music is glory of God and recreation of the spirit. In the beginning of the piece, he usually would write Iesu iuva (Jesus help) whereas at the end he would include Soli Deo Gloria (to God alone be Glory). His theological and pietistic statements are not only evident in his music, but in his own commentary to the Bible as well. Therefore, it is evident that Bach’s theological views deeply formed and influenced his music. The features discussed above clearly show that Bach is surely world’s greatest composer. By the way, do you want to learn to play the King of Instruments - the pipe organ? If so, download my FREE video guide: "How to Master Any Organ Composition" in which I will show you my EXACT steps, techniques, and methods that I use to practice, learn and master any piece of organ music. |
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