Questions tagged [j-s-bach]
For questions about the composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Do not use the tag for just his works.
135
questions
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How to study Bach's harmony? [closed]
I'm interested in studying the music of J.S. Bach, but I don't know where to start. The main reason I'm studying it because I'm very interested in Bach's harmony, so that would by my main objective as ...
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1answer
39 views
About the rules of inversion in BWV 1087 (14 canons)
Basically, I'm a bit confused about how to interpret the idea of "inversion" in a mirror canon.
For example, consider the sixth canon of BWV 1087.
So I simply took the inverted image of ...
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1answer
102 views
what is written in the end of (manuscript) fugue of BWV 998?
By the end of fugue of BWV 998 (manuscript), we have this:
Which should connect with the 4th measure:
But I have no idea of what it says in the last measure... nor do I see anything on the 4th ...
15
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1answer
1k views
What does "super" in title of organ pieces mean?
Johann Sebastian Bach wrote a couple of Trio Supers and Fantasia Supers, e.g.:
Trio super 'Herr Jesu Christ dich zu uns wend', BWV 655
Trio super 'Nun komm der Heiden Heiland', BWV 660 (Bach, Johann ...
4
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2answers
115 views
Did Bach call for male countertenor for the Alto solo part for his cantatas / passion oratorios?
I see a recent trend for countertenors to sing the alto parts for Bach's cantata / passion oratorios such as Maarten Engeltjes in Magnificat and Tim Mead in St. Matthew Passion.
Is this recent trend ...
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0answers
38 views
Author of this piano solo arrangement of Jesus Joy of Man's Desiring [closed]
From the little I know, it seems that the Hess arrangement is seen as the most common reference when it comes to Jesus Joy of Man's Desiring for piano solo.
I stumbled upon another arrangement which ...
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1answer
73 views
The last note in Bach's Chaconne for Solo Violin
When playing the final note in Bach's Chaconne for solo violin, at least the way Arthur Grumiaux performed it during the 1960s (heard on a recording), it's an open D string and then a fingered D on ...
7
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2answers
162 views
Did Bach name his pieces?
I was listening "Brandenburg Concerto N° 4" and "Concerto for 2 Harpsichords in C minor, BWV 1062", and wondered: aside from the catalog number (that came later), did Bach name his ...
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1answer
165 views
How did Glenn Gould know, in 1955, the proper ornamentation for Bach's "Goldberg Variations"?
This question has its origin in Why does the Open Goldberg score have a G rather than A in bar 9 of variation 25?. See that Q&A for background information.
At what time, and on what basis, was ...
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2answers
4k views
Why didn't Bach sign his manuscripts?
From what I can tell when looking up images of Bach's manuscripts, he often didn't sign them. Is there any specific reason for this?
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4answers
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Who was listening to Bach's compositions in his lifetime?
Who ever encountered his work? Was his music played somewhere else in Europe, or only where he lived? What strata of society had any chance of coming into contact with his music? What might be the ...
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5answers
109 views
Can an offbeat note be loudest when playing Bach?
My primitive understanding of Bach's music tells me that an offbeat note cannot be the most accented or the most important note in a phrase. But in the last gesture of the ubiquitous C major prelude, ...
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1answer
97 views
What is Bach doing in these pieces?
Is this a certain progression in both pieces?
Both parts are here slowed down: https://sndup.net/7w6t
The first part is from that piece
(2:18)
The second piece:
...
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3answers
130 views
Fitting chords to the opening phrase of the Toccata (and Fugue) in D Minor BWV 565?
What are some of the acceptable ways to harmonize the first one and a half bars of BWV 565? In particular, what are some of the chords that would fit on the the opening A? Neither i nor V seems to fit ...
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1answer
52 views
Name of style of piece inside the G Minor BWV915 toccata of Bach?
In Bach's Toccatas for keyboard works (BWV 911-916), I would like to know if there is a name for the style of music that is sometimes put in the middle of the toccata.
For example: in the G minor ...
9
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1answer
534 views
Obscure markings in BWV 814 I. Allemande, Bach, Henle edition
I am looking at Bach's French Suite #3, BWV 814, Allemande, and the ornamentation typesetting is confusing me.
I am familiar with mordant vs. trill, and the standard description of ornaments for Bach. ...
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3answers
884 views
How does one maintain voice integrity when longer and shorter notes of the same pitch occur in two voices
Here is an excerpt from Bach's BWV 796, measures 8–9. (Unfortunately, ABCjs renders the ties in exactly the wrong direction!)
X:1
T:Sinfonia No. 10 in G Major, BWV 796
M:3/4
C:J.S. Bach
%%staves [(1 ...
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2answers
265 views
How to think about this moment from BWV 816
I've been tasked by a textbook I'm going through to make a harmonic analysis of the G major "Gavotte" from BWV816, "The French Suite" specifically minding a handful of questions ...
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2answers
127 views
What does a prime mean in figured bass?
What does a prime symbol after a bass figure mean? For example 6' or 6 4' 2?
I came across this in a 1956 edition of J.S. Bach's BWV 1035, by Otto Heinrich Noetzel. Looking at the written right hand, ...
5
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3answers
343 views
Extra notes (triplets) in a Bach manuscript?
My question relates to an answer by @Peter to this earlier question Different versions of mordents in Bach Invention No. 1 In C Major, BWV 772
Here's what we usually see
However, in Peter's answer, ...
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1answer
158 views
What do these arrows mean?
I've noticed on Edson Lopes pieces he highlights (I think) certain phrases. Not sure what he is trying to tell us when he puts a section between these arrows. Notice arrow pointing left and down, then ...
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0answers
57 views
Does Bach's lute partita BWV 997 Sarabande also appear as an orchestral piece?
I am practicing the Bach lute suites and I am aware that a few of them also appear as works for other instruments (BWV 1000 is also the fugue from the first violin sonata, for example).
My question is ...
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3answers
227 views
How to "fix" Toccata and fugue?
Disclaimer: I know Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (BWV 565) is a classic, and a very good piece for many musicians. It's just that it's not right for me, for the reasons below.
So I really like a lot of ...
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1answer
141 views
How do you play a lower or upper mordent with two notes like in Bach D minor prelude 926? [duplicate]
How do you play these two mordents shown
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1answer
141 views
Harmony analysis of Bach's first prelude?
I am currently trying to analyze the harmony in Bach's first prelude from the first book of the Well-Tempered Clavier. To do this, I identify the chords, the inversions, borrowed chords, the melody, ...
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1answer
150 views
Bach's WTC Edition; Fugues with Separated Voices [closed]
I know that there is an edition of Bach's WTC, in which every voice in the fugues is written in a seperate voice. This edition makes it easier to understand and practice the polyphony in the fugues. ...
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1answer
1k views
What is the preferred order of practicing Bach Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin? [closed]
As a violinist, it's always been hard for me to come up with an order of practicing Bach Sonatas and Partitas (BWV 1001-1006).
I also know that it's not all about playing, and expression is the key ...
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11answers
7k views
Why does Bach sometimes end with flat 7ths?
I've been studying the Bach inventions, and I see a common patterns in the first 3 inventions: They tend to include the flat 7ths in the very end. Examples:
C major:
D major:
E♭ major:
From a ...
5
votes
2answers
364 views
What is Echo (a type of dance)?
This question is about a type of Baroque dance called Echo. For example, Bach: Overture in the French Style in B Minor, BWV 831 - VIII. Echo.
Why it is called Echo? I searched in wikipdiea, but out ...
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1answer
197 views
Did J.S.Bach know the categories *major* and minor* when he wrote his WTC?
Something interesting: I've read the other day that Bach when he wrote his WTC there he didn't know the terms *major" and "minor".
I can't find the source again but may be someone can help me. May ...
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5answers
3k views
Enharmonic key signatures in Bach's Well Tempered Clavier
I have been listening to Bach's Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 and have noticed something intriguing. I have two (related) questions about it. The work consists of 24 preludes and fugues in each major ...
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4answers
408 views
Why did Bach call them "Inventions"?
Wikipedia defines a musical invention as a short composition (usually for a keyboard instrument) with two-part counterpoint and goes on to say inventions are mainly associated with Bach.
OK. So ...
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1answer
84 views
Can you help me analyse some Baroque playing?
im trying to make serious study of Ted Greenes Baroque improvisation lessons on Youtube, and am hoping someone more experienced can tell me the function of a particular two chords;
The section of the ...
6
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1answer
952 views
Strange Ornamental Symbol on Bach Piece
This is from the marvelous andante from Bach’s organ trio sonata BWV 528. What does this symbol mean on the stave of the second keyboard? I am assuming it is ornamental. Is it just a strange version ...
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5answers
829 views
Fingering for Bach's Toccata in E-minor BWV914
I am currently learning the Fugue of Bach's "Toccata in E-minor BWV914". My question is if I should play the first bar with the 5th finger or not. Meaning starting with "545 3423 1". I feel more ...
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3answers
432 views
Bach Invention BMW 792 - Fingering Advice
I am currently practicing a Bach Invention (BMW 792). There is a bar I'm not quite sure how to play/finger. I've attached a screenshot of the bar I'm having trouble with. Would very much appreciate ...
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3answers
254 views
Where did JSBach study composing? Was he an autodidact? [duplicate]
We know that Bach comes from a family of musicians.
But who was his teacher in composition?. Who did he study with? Or was he self-taught?
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2answers
387 views
Bwv 639 Bach/Busoni note length and symbols
I am currently spending some time with this piece of music and I am a bit confused as to how long I should hold some of the notes and what some of the symbols mean.
In blue: Should i repeat/hold the ...
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3answers
511 views
Why do I hear a major key lament bass in Bach's Chaconne in D minor?
I noticed as I listen to Bach's Chaconne in D minor, that not only do I hear a lament bass when Bach is in D minor but also when he is in D major. But why? It isn't like the lament bass is normally ...
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1answer
406 views
What are the "slight changes" Gounod made to Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier when he wrote Ave Maria?
The Wikipedia page for Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod) says:
The piece consists of a melody by the French Romantic composer Charles Gounod that he superimposed over an only very slightly changed version of ...
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2answers
1k views
How to realize a figured bass
I am arranging a Bach piece. I know, what the challenge it is to do it. But I have been able to successfully arrange Mozart and later, Beethoven, so I think I'm ready.
But here is the challenge I am ...
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1answer
214 views
Are there J.S. Bach pieces that do not start with the tonic chord? [closed]
I know some simple pieces where the initial phrase starts in the IV chord or the V chord, but I'm wondering if Bach used to do that.
4
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1answer
255 views
Tenor part written higher than the Alto part in SATB
I have read that Bach in his chorales wrote the tenor part high (frequently using ledger lines for this). Another source said that the Tenor part would be written higher than the Alto part - for ...
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3answers
58 views
How can one use theory/harmony in order to learn BWV anh 114?
How can one use theory/harmony in order to learn BWV anh 114?
I am only talking about theory/harmony in order to be able to play and memorize this piece.
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1answer
616 views
Modulation or passing through different keys in the following Bach chorale [closed]
This is Bach's chorale R.80. I want to know if the music has modulated to a particular key in certain, or is it only passing through different keys (and hence not a fixed modulation to only one key)?
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2answers
102 views
Chord in Bach's chorale
This is a part of Bach's chorale R.311. I am unsure of the starred chord. It uses a passing note in it as well.
According to me, I think this chord is A°/C, with the D as an accented passing note. ...
3
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1answer
131 views
What does the author mean in these examples of chorales & harmony?
This is an example in G major. I am learning about Bach's chorales & how he uses modulation. I came across a page online (choraleguide.com), & in one example given, I couldn't understand what ...
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4answers
4k views
A♭ major 9th chord in Bach is unexpectedly dissonant/jazzy
Measures 21-24 in Prelude VII from Bach's Well Tempered Clavier I
I was looking at the Prelude VII by Bach and noticed that on the measure 23 Bach ended that phrase with a A♭ maj9 chord. I was ...
4
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1answer
198 views
was the 12/16 measure usual in the time of Bach?
We met today this work by Bach with this strange time - strange to me as I've never met before this meter. Of course it is possible ... but I ask if someone knows another composition with this meter, ...
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1answer
237 views
Labelling chords in Bach's chorale
The image is a part of Bach's chorale BWV 94.8 or R. 291 (image taken from www.bach-chorales.com). I want to confirm the harmony of the 2 chords marked with a star. Is the chord with a blue star A7/C# ...