New Video Bach Prelude n 7 in E Flat major BWV 852 from WTC I

Dear Friend,

This prelude is another small step in the long journey I have planned to travel: to record all of WTC I.
I hope you like it !

The grand piece with strict writing in four voices which figures as prelude, is itself a powerful fugue worthy to be placed by the side of the fugues in C#- minor, Eb-minor and Bb-minor. Who knows whether some passing whim may not have induced Bach to follow the piece by a second fugue of totally different character. A close examination shows — as indeed Bruyck recognized — a binary, likewise ternary division of the "Prelude" by different tempo superscriptions {Allegro deciso — Poco Andante — Tempo I"). In my opinion the first two sections compose the real prelude (with half close on the dominant), while the third (three times as long as the other two together) is a fugue of considerable development, in reality a double fugue. But
again there is a striking relationship between the thematic material of the preluding portion and of this fugue; and this may be seen first in the quiet second section.
As usual, Pianoteq is excellent on my piano.

My actual setting is:

Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage                                          Video Recording Samsung Galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.2.1

https://youtu.be/5rmeEFx7Zhg

carmelo.paolucci wrote:

Dear Friend,

This prelude is another small step in the long journey I have planned to travel: to record all of WTC I.
I hope you like it !

The grand piece with strict writing in four voices which figures as prelude, is itself a powerful fugue worthy to be placed by the side of the fugues in C#- minor, Eb-minor and Bb-minor. Who knows whether some passing whim may not have induced Bach to follow the piece by a second fugue of totally different character. A close examination shows — as indeed Bruyck recognized — a binary, likewise ternary division of the "Prelude" by different tempo superscriptions {Allegro deciso — Poco Andante — Tempo I"). In my opinion the first two sections compose the real prelude (with half close on the dominant), while the third (three times as long as the other two together) is a fugue of considerable development, in reality a double fugue. But
again there is a striking relationship between the thematic material of the preluding portion and of this fugue; and this may be seen first in the quiet second section.
As usual, Pianoteq is excellent on my piano.

My actual setting is:

Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage                                          Video Recording Samsung Galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.2.1

https://youtu.be/5rmeEFx7Zhg

At first, thank you Carmelo for the description about the piece.

I found people playing this fast, didn’t like it, but some good pianists played it about same tempo as you (one was Andrei Gavrilov).

I must praise you again for good tempo. And it is an expressive playing. I can see your empathy in the music every time you play.

Wonderful concentration. You're able to focus all your attention on the playing.
And yes, this prelude is unique among the 48 preludes because it already includes a fully developed fugue.

Thank you Carmelo for sharing.
For me it is always a pleasure to listen to you and Bach.

Best wishes,

Stig