Topic by carmelo.paolucci

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Topic: New Bach Video - Prelude n 3 in C-Sharp Major BWV 872 WTC 2

Dear Friends,

The Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp major (BWV 872) from Book II of Johann Sebastian Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier is a piece of extraordinary elegance, luminosity, and counterpoint mastery.

Characterized by a bright, pastoral tone, the prelude opens with a transparent, quasi-improvisatory texture built on gentle arpeggiated chords that flow into a continuous stream of sixteenth notes. What makes BWV 872 truly remarkable is its bipartite structure: after the opening toccata-like section, Bach transitions into a distinct, dance-like fhetta or fugal section in 3/8 time.

In this closing section, Bach introduces a lively, brief subject that undergoes concise yet ingenious imitative counterpoint. The texture remains light and buoyant, featuring nimble passage-work, delicate voice-leading, and expressive suspensions. Rather than expanding into a dense, heavyweight fugue, Bach keeps this fugal coda fleeting and exuberant, bringing the prelude to a radiant and triumphant close in its home key.
Turn on the audio and let me know what you think!
Greetings from Italy

Carmelo

This video was played with these settings:
Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage, Tamara House.                                                                                        Video Recording Samsung galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.4
Editing: Wondershare Filmora
https://youtu.be/15eWi0X5sEw

Reply by budo

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Re: New Bach Video - Prelude n 3 in C-Sharp Major BWV 872 WTC 2

very beautiful Carmelo!  it was so peaceful.  the ending was quite a surprise for me, i hadn't heard this before so definitely wasn't expecting such a change.  wonder why he did it!

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Reply by Pianoteqenthusiast

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Re: New Bach Video - Prelude n 3 in C-Sharp Major BWV 872 WTC 2

carmelo.paolucci wrote:

Dear Friends,

The Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp major (BWV 872) from Book II of Johann Sebastian Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier is a piece of extraordinary elegance, luminosity, and counterpoint mastery.

Characterized by a bright, pastoral tone, the prelude opens with a transparent, quasi-improvisatory texture built on gentle arpeggiated chords that flow into a continuous stream of sixteenth notes. What makes BWV 872 truly remarkable is its bipartite structure: after the opening toccata-like section, Bach transitions into a distinct, dance-like fhetta or fugal section in 3/8 time.

In this closing section, Bach introduces a lively, brief subject that undergoes concise yet ingenious imitative counterpoint. The texture remains light and buoyant, featuring nimble passage-work, delicate voice-leading, and expressive suspensions. Rather than expanding into a dense, heavyweight fugue, Bach keeps this fugal coda fleeting and exuberant, bringing the prelude to a radiant and triumphant close in its home key.
Turn on the audio and let me know what you think!
Greetings from Italy

Carmelo

This video was played with these settings:
Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage, Tamara House.                                                                                        Video Recording Samsung galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.4
Editing: Wondershare Filmora
https://youtu.be/15eWi0X5sEw


Good rendition
because you have right tempo, not too fast as some people who is like driving Formula 1.
And,
because how you play the end 1,51 - 2,22.  The prelude abruptly explodes into……yes as you say…. ”to a radiant and triumphant close in its home key”.

For the first 24 bars, doesn’t the prelude features gentle, written-out rolling arpeggios reminiscent of the famous C-major Prelude from Book I……… ?

Does not get better than this, Bach played by carmelo.
Thank you carmelo.

Best wishes,

Stig

P S I am now uploading my Airteq pieces in this forum. Made a mistake and uploaded to Airteq forum.
They have changed the name here now. :
Recordings featuring Modartt’s software
A place for Pianoteq, Organteq and Airteq users to share their own recordings

Reply by carmelo.paolucci

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Re: New Bach Video - Prelude n 3 in C-Sharp Major BWV 872 WTC 2

budo wrote:

very beautiful Carmelo!  it was so peaceful.  the ending was quite a surprise for me, i hadn't heard this before so definitely wasn't expecting such a change.  wonder why he did it!

Thank you so much Budo for your comment ! I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
Bach's decision to shift into an Allegro in 3/8 time at the end of this prelude is indeed a wonderful surprise! He transforms the peaceful, improvisatory opening into a lively, virtuosic toccata-like passage—a brilliant way to create contrast and build momentum before moving into the Fugue.
Thank you for listening!
Carmelo

Reply by kencarlino

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Re: New Bach Video - Prelude n 3 in C-Sharp Major BWV 872 WTC 2

Great work Carmelo! Even though I read the previous comments and expected a shift at the end it was still a bit of a surprise.   The repetition of the majority of the  piece must train ones expectation so the transition and the end becomes refreshing and you executed to smoothly!

Thank you for sharing!

Ken

Reply by DEZ

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Re: New Bach Video - Prelude n 3 in C-Sharp Major BWV 872 WTC 2

Well done Carmelo. There is so much that can be done with the contrasts in the different voices of the first half of this piece. The rising call of the opening arpeggios and held notes. The gentle repetition in the tenor and grounding in the bass. The sweet answer in the alto all contributing to the irresistible thrust forward to the second part in 3-8 … Although the piece is written in C#, 12-TET tuning puts it in Db a more romantic flavour. Have you tried playing it in other temperaments to brighten its character? Just a thought …

Reply by carmelo.paolucci

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Re: New Bach Video - Prelude n 3 in C-Sharp Major BWV 872 WTC 2

Pianoteqenthusiast wrote:
carmelo.paolucci wrote:

Dear Friends,

The Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp major (BWV 872) from Book II of Johann Sebastian Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier is a piece of extraordinary elegance, luminosity, and counterpoint mastery.

Characterized by a bright, pastoral tone, the prelude opens with a transparent, quasi-improvisatory texture built on gentle arpeggiated chords that flow into a continuous stream of sixteenth notes. What makes BWV 872 truly remarkable is its bipartite structure: after the opening toccata-like section, Bach transitions into a distinct, dance-like fhetta or fugal section in 3/8 time.

In this closing section, Bach introduces a lively, brief subject that undergoes concise yet ingenious imitative counterpoint. The texture remains light and buoyant, featuring nimble passage-work, delicate voice-leading, and expressive suspensions. Rather than expanding into a dense, heavyweight fugue, Bach keeps this fugal coda fleeting and exuberant, bringing the prelude to a radiant and triumphant close in its home key.
Turn on the audio and let me know what you think!
Greetings from Italy

Carmelo

This video was played with these settings:
Played on Yamaha P125 piano stage, Tamara House.                                                                                        Video Recording Samsung galaxy A54.
VST: Hamburg Steinway D Pianoteq Stage 8.4
Editing: Wondershare Filmora
https://youtu.be/15eWi0X5sEw


Good rendition
because you have right tempo, not too fast as some people who is like driving Formula 1.
And,
because how you play the end 1,51 - 2,22.  The prelude abruptly explodes into……yes as you say…. ”to a radiant and triumphant close in its home key”.

For the first 24 bars, doesn’t the prelude features gentle, written-out rolling arpeggios reminiscent of the famous C-major Prelude from Book I……… ?

Does not get better than this, Bach played by carmelo.
Thank you carmelo.

Best wishes,

Stig

P S I am now uploading my Airteq pieces in this forum. Made a mistake and uploaded to Airteq forum.
They have changed the name here now. :
Recordings featuring Modartt’s software
A place for Pianoteq, Organteq and Airteq users to share their own recordings

Hi Stig!

Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words and for taking the time to listen so closely! I completely agree with you about the tempo—keeping it steady lets the music breathe without feeling rushed. And I'm so glad you enjoyed that dramatic shift toward the end; Bach's writing in those final bars is just breathtaking, leading right into that triumphant home key.

You're also spot on about the opening bars—that gentle, rolling arpeggio texture definitely shares a lovely kinship with the famous C-major Prelude from Book I.

Thanks again for sharing the update about the forum and the Modartt recordings. I'll definitely check out your Airteq pieces over there!

Best wishes,

Carmelo