Slater, Help with WTK !

I'm looking for help from owners of a 'legitimate' edition of WTK.

Would someone check for me :

Prelude in C minor(BWV 847) - measure #6 left hand - the four last notes in the bar; in my copy , this is the only measure in which the two halves are not identical. - counting from the beginning of the Presto, measure #3 (#30 from the beginning of the prelude), left hand: A gets a natural (first beat) then a flat (second beat) than again a natural (third beat). Is this correct ? - should I have the piano tuned in WT in order to avoid injury to my ears in ET ?

Thanks,

Henle Urtext has F# A G A [same as beat 2].

Yes.

Thousands of performers and listeners 'survive' a lifelong exposure to ET. If you are used to it you don't really notice. There isn't only one form of WT and which one best suits Bach and WTK is a matter of dispute AFAIK.

They are identical in my Henle edition.

Yes, that is correct. How long have you been working on this one? This is one of those pieces that can be taken painfully slow and still sound good. Also, you can practice one measure over and over then 'glue' them together. Wait till you get to the fugue!

The only thing that happens to your ears in ET is that they get bored. The effect of the Presto in WT ( I use Werckmeister III ) is dazzling.

Mark Practice more, post less!

Thanks. In my copy I have F# Bflat Anatural Bflat, which sounds bad with the right hand.

This praeludium sounds 'harsh' if played slowly.

Thanks

Try playing it staccato at slow speed. Each note should be articulated, not slurred with the other notes.

Thanks

A couple of times. It's not difficult. The problem is that my copy, from the russian book, though 'electronically enlarged' is still very hard to read. And the tempo, as I heard it on a CD (harpsichord) is not big deal (I think less than 80 for a quarter).

Played slowly the 'dissonances' are painful to the ear.

I don't know if I'll play the fugue, though it is beautiful and as I reach the end of the prelude I play the first bars of it.

I understand that the harpsichord is devoid of any dynamics capabilities (versus the pianoforte), but listening to the CD every voice is crisp clear. How do you explain this ?

Don't I ? I have more than 560 unread messages in RMMP (and perhaps some people think I'm not polite because I don't reply to their posts) and didn't download girls for quite a while.

Today I practiced from 12:00 to 14:00 : the prelude and invention until 13:30 , another small prelude and a piece of CP Bach until 14:00. I gave up the 'warming' exercises. I simply do not have the time to practice all the 'open' pieces . Some days it is only Czerny or only Bach or only 'the others' (etudes). So two hours a day is not enough. If I'm lucky it is 3 hours or even four (splitted). The days I cannot practice, I play one piece only for 30 , 40 or 50 minutes ( whatever is available).

Carissimo mio, when I practice a piece I play it detached, legato, staccato, with various rhythms patterns, blocking alberti, 'deblocking' chords. This prelude I played detached (it easier than legato), very articulated (excelent finger gymnastics - remember that I've done HANON with fingers vey high) and also holding down the first note of each group of four, for the length of two beats (then holding down the first note in the group and the fourth one - that's what Dohnany teaches us that is very good for our mental health). To make the piece more live I play twice the second note in the second(& fourth) beat as two 32.

Regards,

Yeah! That's what is cool about it!

Wrongo dongo! A big harpsichord has 3 sets of strings. You can choose to use one set or all of them. There is a major difference in the dynamics. Also, choosing to roll chords or play them together provides dynamic nuance.

That is the advantage a harpsichord has over a piano in polyphonic music. Each attack is clear and distinct.

I use the C minor prelude as a 'warming piece'. Screw Czerny <oopsy>

How on earth can you, while playing, switch between sets of strings to emphasize a voice ? I mean, now you have the leading voice in the left hand and a moment later in the right hand. How can you select the strings - unless you are playing on two manuals ? On a pipe organ you have five manuals, hundreds of knobs and an assistant to pull them..

On my CD, the 'rolling' chords (as written on my copy) are played as a block.

On the other hand, I mean when the harpsichord is not recorded as a solo instrument but with an orchestra I can hardly hear some zum,zim and I wonder why the guy bothers to show at the recording ? Even during a 'recitativo' of some opera singer, the faint chords sound annoying. I guess, one should put a microphone inside the harpsichord in order to make a bearable recording.

I beg your pardon ...?

Raduchen, I said a BIG harpsichord. That means one with 2 keyboards. Organists have assitants. Did you know that? The assistant helps the organist change stops and combinations quickly. I could use an assistant/ page turner, myself.

Shitty CD or shitty player. Sorry.

Yes, you understand what I said.

Didn't I say so (about assistants) in my post ?