Grade 8 Piano Exam A 1 - Prelude And Fugue In B Flat - J S Bach - Abrsm 2023 & 2024
Abrsm 2023 & 2024 Grade 8 Piano Exam Category A 1 Song Name / Song Piece Prelude And Fugue In B Flat Composer J S Bach This Prelude and Fugue is taken from Bach's Das Wohltemperirte Clavier (Well Tempered Clavier) Part 1, a set of 24 preludes and fugues in all keys, arranged in chromatic order. The title refers to the type of tuning that would make it possible to play in all keys - equal temperament. Recommended tempo for this piece is 58 crotchet bpm - I chose to play it a little quicker at around 65 pbm. In the opening bars of this exciting prelude, it is wise to play the 3rd demisemiquaver notes of each right hand group a little lighter, so as to create a nice graceful sound, as it is important to avoid sounding too choppy and robotic. If using a metronome / tempo app for practise, consider setting it at double speed (i.e. something like 118 bpm - this will allow you to play each quaver of the left hand in time with a metronome beat and this might make practising with a beat a little easier. Obviously in the early stages of practising this piece, it will be necessary to play at a much slower tempo. I chose to play the left hand quavers in a staccato-type fashion in order to create a nice playful effect - this is typical of the Baroque style in this type of flamboyant piece. Scale runs however can be played in a more legato manner. No dynamic markings are written in, so this is left up to the performer to decide. J.S. Bach would have most likely composed this piece for Harpsichord, but the dynamic capability of such keyboard instruments in the Baroque period (1600-1750) wasn’t as diverse as that of a modern piano. Despite this, it seems right to shape the melodic lines dynamically, in keeping with a pianistic style. There is little more to be said about this magnificent piece, other than sharing the following information for reference: Bars 1-5: Subject in Treble (Bb major) Bars 5-9: Tonal Answer in Alto, with Counter-subject in Treble (F major) Bars 9-13: Subject in Bass. Counter-subject I in Alto (Bb major) Bars 9-13: Counter-subject II in Treble. Bars 13-17: Answer in Treble. Counter-subject I in Bass. Counter-subject II in Alto (F major) MODULATORY SECTION: Bars 17-22: Episode I, modulating from F to G minor Bars 22-26: Subject in Alto. Counter-subject I in Treble. Counter-subject II in Bass (G minor) Bars 26-30: Answer in Bass. Counter-subject I in Alto. Counter-subject II in Treble (C minor) Bars 30-35: Episode II from C minor, through G and back to C minor. Bars 35-37: Answer in Alto. Counter-subject I in Treble. Counter-subject II Bass (Eb major) Bars 37-41: Subject in Treble. Counter-subject I in Alto. Counter-subject II in Bass (Eb major) RECAPITULATORY SECTION: Bars 41-45. Answer in Alto. Counter-subject I in Treble. Counter-subject II in Bass (B flat major) Bars 45-48: Coda (Eb major) Good Luck
