Bach Again - lifecourses.califecourses.ca/sites/default/files/BA Session Two.pdf · Invention 1 – BWV 772 Bach’s autograph fair copy penned in 1723. Title Page Translation Straightforward

Bach Again

A LIFE Institute CourseSession Two - Spring 2018

Bob Fabian – LIFEcourses.ca

Correcting Mistake!

● I used a new (to me) computer last week. There were no problems on my desktop at home. In the classroom, it refused to smoothly play any large video file. I’m going back to my old computer.

● On to a sampling of the two versions of the Christmas Oratorio – authentic and jazzed up

Christmas Oratorio

Nikolaus Harnoncourt Concentus Musicus Wien Peter Schreier - Tenor Robert Holl - Bass Soloists of the Tolzer Knabenchor 80 min, Part I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98UjjwzJBFE74 min, Part IIhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SHDTNy_rUM

Something Different● Jazz treatment of the same

music● Respectful, but very

different● Less complex … less

engaging?

WDR Big Band Sound

10 min, Part 1https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zeWQA7bsF0

Today’s Session Plan

● Counterpoint● Creative tension between opposites● It’s musical expression from Bach on …

● 2 Part Inventions● 1st Invention, double time● 1st Invention, 5 great pianists● 1st invention, violin & cello

● Art of Fugue● Endless alternative versions

Figure-Ground

Classic Examples

Thesis, antithesis, synthesis

● a beginning proposition called a thesis● a negation of that thesis called the antithesis● a synthesis whereby the two conflicting ideas

are reconciled to form a new proposition– Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions (Wikipedia)

● Echos back to Greek philosophy, but most strongly identified with Hegel

Tension

● Theme plus support (figured base)● There’s little tension between theme and base● The tension comes along the time dimension

● Counterpoint (fugue)● Themes play against each other● The tension is internal● Fugue: theme against itself

Counterpoint, in 6 minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BixPLIWcb0s

Invention 1 – BWV 772

Bach’s autograph fair copy penned in 1723

Title Page Translation

Straightforward Instruction,

in which amateurs of the keyboard, and especially the eager ones, are shown a clear way not only (1) of learning to play cleanly in two voices, but also, after further progress, (2) of dealing correctly and satisfactorily with three obbligato parts; at the same time not only getting good inventiones, but developing the same satisfactorily, and above all arriving at a cantabile manner in playing, all the while acquiring a strong foretaste of composition.

Provided by Joh. Seb. Bach: Capellmeister to

his Serene Highness the Prince of Anhalt-Cöthen.

Anno Christi 1723.

Invention No. 1, double time

Bach - Invention 1 - Piano Tutorial Easy SLOWhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymZC3Mw96zk

Real Performances

Walter Gieseking, Rosalyn Tureck, James Friskin, Tatiana Nikolayeva, Glenn Gould

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Kennedy & Friend

Nigel Kennedy - Bach - Inventions on Violin and Cellohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEcnInjMkEc

Complete Performance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bL7oyuqEwA

The Summit

J. S. Bach - The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080, Contrapunctus 1-3,4,6,9,11,18 (Keller Quartet)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mShMnZmC8A`

The Art of Fugue – BWV 1080

"At the point where the composer introduces the name BACH[for which the English notation would be B –A–C–B ] ♭ ♮in the countersubject to this fugue, the composer died."

Art of Fugue

● 15 fugues and 4 canons in D minor● open score (no instrumentation)

● "The governing idea of the work was an exploration in depth of the contrapuntal possibilities inherent in a single musical subject."

● Christoph Wolff

Proper Lecture

Michael Parloff: Lecture on Bach’s ‘Art of Fugue’ at Music@Menlohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl8M1VyASvk&t=108s

Glenn Gould’s Version

Next Week - “Authentic”

● Authentic ● The same sounds as in Bach’s lifetime● The same impact as on Bach’s listeners

● Evolution of instruments● Keyboard, string & wind instruments

● Evolution of performance● Mendelssohn’s Bach● 20th century performance● 21st century performance?