Nev video Bach Fugue n 21 in B flat major Pianoteq BWV 866

Dear Friends,

We continue our journey to discover WTC1, we are now almost at the end of this long but exciting journey....
Today we meet Bach Fugue (à 3 ) n 21 in B-Flat major  that is one of the most pleasing, most unpretending, most harmonious pieces of the Well-tempered Clavier. The climbing character of the voices is quite evident here, and hardnesses requiring special phrasing to make them sound euphonious do not occur. Also, in spite of the wide position of the three voices, the piece presents no technical difficulties, so that it must be reckoned among one of the first to be studied. The theme has a plagal character, i. e. its point of stress is first on the fifth of the key (f), whence it rises to the octave and to its third, first in quiet upward and downward gliding quaver movement, then pressing forward in a more livelymanner in semiquavers, and finally remaining aloft with unbroken semiquaver movement (concluding with a feminine ending), a true garland of flowers.
The theme occupies just four measures, and as Bach introduces the same in the voices without intermediate material, the even measure of the piece, justly noticed by Westphal, Spitta, etc. is the natural result (i. e. the symmetry,almost without disturbance of any  kind, of the construction). The answer only differs at the commencement from the transposition in the fifth, and, indeed, again for the reason that it has to make the modulation to the key of the dominant, and not to enter with the harmony of the dominant (which can only take place when the Dux has aheady made the modulation.
Instead of one countersubject carried right through, we here have two, strictly adhered to throughout the fugue.
Enjoy your listening.

My actual setting is:

Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage                                          Video Recording Samsung Galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.4.0
https://youtu.be/wQnNFZiaTJU

carmelo.paolucci wrote:

Dear Friends,

We continue our journey to discover WTC1, we are now almost at the end of this long but exciting journey....
Today we meet Bach Fugue (à 3 ) n 21 in B-Flat major  that is one of the most pleasing, most unpretending, most harmonious pieces of the Well-tempered Clavier. The climbing character of the voices is quite evident here, and hardnesses requiring special phrasing to make them sound euphonious do not occur. Also, in spite of the wide position of the three voices, the piece presents no technical difficulties, so that it must be reckoned among one of the first to be studied. The theme has a plagal character, i. e. its point of stress is first on the fifth of the key (f), whence it rises to the octave and to its third, first in quiet upward and downward gliding quaver movement, then pressing forward in a more livelymanner in semiquavers, and finally remaining aloft with unbroken semiquaver movement (concluding with a feminine ending), a true garland of flowers.
The theme occupies just four measures, and as Bach introduces the same in the voices without intermediate material, the even measure of the piece, justly noticed by Westphal, Spitta, etc. is the natural result (i. e. the symmetry,almost without disturbance of any  kind, of the construction). The answer only differs at the commencement from the transposition in the fifth, and, indeed, again for the reason that it has to make the modulation to the key of the dominant, and not to enter with the harmony of the dominant (which can only take place when the Dux has aheady made the modulation.
Instead of one countersubject carried right through, we here have two, strictly adhered to throughout the fugue.
Enjoy your listening.

My actual setting is:

Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage                                          Video Recording Samsung Galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.4.0
https://youtu.be/wQnNFZiaTJU

Thanks to you carmelo, watching and discovering this  WTC 1 has been both a musical treat and a fascinating glimpse into Bach’s great music. Your playing is always flawless and very nice individual playing. carmelo style.
I don't want to repeat myself all the time, but - it’s necessary:
Thoroughly enjoyable!
You have worked really hard on this project - good job, bro.
Almost at the end now!

Best wishes,

Stig