Bach and A Journey of Discovery

One of the great things about being a musician, and especially a pianist, is that there are always so many wonderful things to discover.  Whether it is related to the history of a work and the period in which it was written, or just learning more about how the composer developed it, there are endless small and wonderful revelations waiting in practically every measure.

 I’ve just started working on Bach’s Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826 with Mr. Cosmo, and I’ve learned something very interesting I'd like to share.

 The portion I'm playing in the video is the opening section of the first movement, Sinfonia. It's very slow and dramatic, in the style of a French overture. Another distinctive feature is what are called "double" dotted notes. This section is full of such notes, but because double dotted notation wasn't common at the time the notation was written as simple “single” dotted notes. Still, when actually playing it, the eighth notes are held out longer than written, playing them as if they were twice as long, and creating an even more intense musical atmosphere.

 These dotted notes can also be played a little softer at certain points, especially when you want to change the expression slightly and build more emotion into the work, which also offers the opportunity to make the piece less strict, sadder, and a bit more lamentable. 

 I currently like the idea of starting from a very intense standpoint, then softening a little when the right hand becomes a single note, and after that creating an even more dramatic atmosphere using a sharp rhythm to play the bass trill. Rolling the chords in the left hand is also a great option for adding drama.

The section on the video introduces the atmosphere of the entire partita, drawing you into, if you will, its worldview. I’m having a lot of fun continuing to work on this piece, as well as thinking about how to make it even more appealing.

 I’ll share more of my thoughts as I continue to study it.

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