Topic: New Bach Video Prelude n 22 in B-Flat minor BWV 867 WTC1
Dear Friends,
This week, on our journey to discover WTC1, we meet the Prelude and Fugue in B flat minor.
This Prelude and the homologous fugue two of the most sublime pieces of the work. The deep darkness of the key of Bb- minor inspired the old master with ideas of holy earnestness, and cast a sacred lustre over his tones, such as is rarely to be met with in his writings. Perhaps in both these pieces one ought to think of church, looking especially on the prelude as a fervent prayer, a tormented and dejected heart beseeching for the loving mercy of the Almighty.
The many organ -points (nearly the whole piece is studded with them) hold the melody, as it were, with invisible bands, and the rising thirds of the principal motive with the repetition of note which follows, together with the feminine ending so full of expression, appear like a "heartfelt request, like raised-beseeching hands.
The whole piece is evolved in an astonishing and masterly manner from the two motives, the second of which always preserves its direction (falling suspension-resolution), whereas the first is worked out both in rising and falling form, also occasionally combined with its inversion.
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
