Bach BWV 998 Allegro played on the German baroque lute by Chris Hirst

[@wapolo1974]

Outstanding! You’ve done a brilliant job adapting this for the baroque lute.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you so much

[@Quatrapuntal]

I have released the fugue that goes before this piece now if interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ20aWuLgLyfjbs

[@rickjensen2717]

@@Quatrapuntal Outstanding 👏. I think the Prelude is actually the best section, although not so difficult to play.

[@naelrodriguezllobet2]

This looks so difficult! As a beginner lutenist I am left breathless…

[@Quatrapuntal]

I would say this and the fugue before it are the most difficult pieces for baroque lute, which is why they are rarely played on the correct instrument (as opposed to archlute etc.). I presume that as a beginner you have a renaissance lute? The technique is pretty different, especially the right hand.

[@naelrodriguezllobet2]

@ I see… I’ve been playing guitar for 6 years now so I had the basics of the lute without even having touched one before. And then I’m an undisputed fan of baroque music so I couldn’t imagine playing the renaissance lute! I only swear by Mouton, De Visée and Weiss

[@HarryVerey]

Fabulous rendition and being a guitarist it so refreshing to hear on the lute on which it should be performed. !

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks, BWV998 isn't often played on the lute and even less on this which is the kind of German lute Bach knew, mainly because it is so difficult. I would say it's the most difficult piece of music for this instrument, which I did as a personal challenge back during the lockdowns. I don't know if I would dare to play it live though! I also did the fugue that comes before this.

[@rjlchristie]

@@Quatrapuntal It took me almost 5 years to get PFA down on guitar for a licentiate exam and a few performances. It's a marathon.

[@xpump876]

Amazing..One of my favorite Bach pieces played exceptionally well on a possibly period correct instrument.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks, one of my favourites as well this was a bit of a personal challenge. It is certainly the right type of lute for Bach, which was played by all German lutenists including those he knew like Weiss and Weyrauch. The question is whether this piece was ever intended to be played on the lute at all (as opposed to the lautenwerk), I think probably not, which also explains why it is so difficult.

[@xpump876]

​@@Quatrapuntal I had this memorized years ago on guitar ( key of D) with all the bass notes revoiced, made it accessible to me. Playing those fast bass notes on the open strings with your precise and clear articulation must have taken a lot of practice! Yours was an amazing performance as your phrasing and timing were ..well, beautiful. Just how I think Bach would have wanted it to sound! Its always been my opinion the most beautiful string sound that exists are the open bass notes on a theorbo . Recordings really can't do full justice to how they sound live.

[@xpump876]

Indeed- i’d seen that 1st and commented “amazing..” I love the baroque lute..especially the bass notes are. I had a 13 course lute (L.Brown)back in my college days but sold it as i choose the guitar to concentrate on … I hope you don’t mind the following question How much would a Lute, similar to the one you’re playing, cost these days ?and whom are reputable “luthier’s”?

[@totallyunmemorable]

Probably took you the better part of an hour to learn that. ;) Seriously, that was fantastic. You must be extremely patient to dedicate yourself to the degree necessary to play that piece.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Yes many hours - I don't think there is anyone alive who could learn that to a decent standard on this instrument in an hour! I did this during the lockdown, as a personal challenge to myself. It's rewarding to have done it, but not something I would put in normal repertoire it's just too much work. Do you play the baroque lute?

[@guillermovidal800]

chris hirst art lute cool musico

[@heatherap]

I’m in love with this sound… thank you so much for sharing this beautiful instrument and music. 😍

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks for that and for the subscription - much appreciated!

[@bearshield7138]

Thank you for sending to this allegro, well done

[@christopherotto5433]

I'm going to have to watch all your videos if only to see what you do with the wall portraits

[@Quatrapuntal]

If you see the Bach Fugue BWV998 that goes before this Allegro, there is a bit of action there!

[@celesteyblanco2792]

Transporta a otra época. Muy bello.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Muchas gracias. Eu não falo espanhol mas falo português se consegue entender? Há outra parte que vem antes desta música, você pode ouvi-la aqui: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ20aWuLgLyfjbs

[@marcotempesta5614]

Che bell’esecuzione! Grazie! Molto bravo, il suono di questo Strumento é molto piacevole!👏👏👏🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@Quatrapuntal]

Grazie mille! Questo pezzo è uno dei più difficili per questo strumento, quindi raramente si sente al liuto.

[@marcotempesta5614]

Dobbiamo ringraziare le opportunitá che Internet ci mette a disposizione! Inoltre, se questa versione suonata con questo Strumento é una raritá, merita di essere condivisa il piú possibile e ovviamente apprezzata magari anche in un bel Concerto dal Vivo! Complimenti all’Esecutore e al Canale che lo condivide sul Web!!👏👏👏

[@Quatrapuntal]

Grazie, sì, naturalmente vorrei che fosse condiviso il più possibile. Ma non è così facile su KZbin con così tanta concorrenza e molti contenuti di bassa qualità!

[@cesar_8336]

This channel is a quite refreshing finding!

[@ethanmorrow4241]

You deserve more subscribers! Seriously, your content is crazy good!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks so much, we appreciate that. Of course we would love more subscribers!

[@ethanmorrow4241]

Baroque music deserves a renaissance. It is probably the most amazing music that most people haven't listened to yet!

[@estebanmardaraz212]

hermoso!!! gracias! increíble interprete.. admirable músico! amable instrumento! Gracias por hacermelo valorar!!!!!!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Muchas gracias, hay mucho más en mi canal

[@syntheticperson]

Beautiful

[@shaneborg3717]

Thankyou

[@charleshayeur4594]

Bravo super beautiful amazing

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you, it is one of my favourite pieces of music but also devilishly difficult! I also recorded the fugue that goes just before this piece: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ20aWuLgLyfjbs

[@juliestephens8472]

Beautiful!!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you

[@picksalot1]

Wonderful! I play Classical Guitar, but also have a Renaissance Lute, which I don't play enough. Contemporary Lutenists often avoid using slurs (hammer-ons, and pull-offs). I loved your use of them in the Allegro, and they helped capture the flowing quality of this piece and enhanced the phrasing. What are your views of using slurs on the Lute, personally and historically? Thanks. Subscribed 👍

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks for the sub! There is a big difference in technique between Renaissance lute (which in some ways is closer to the classical guitar, with few slurs) and the Baroque lute, where slurs are an integral part of the style. The original tablatures of Weiss and others use slurs constantly, almost everywhere that it is possible to use them. Partly this is because the RH thumb is a lot more stretched out because there are so many bass strings, so it is difficult to pluck every note quickly. Partly also they favoured a legato sound, which fits well with the very resonant sound of so many open strings. In my version of BWV998 I tried to make it as much like Weiss and contemporary lute music as I could, which means maximum slurs and use of the bass strings.

[@picksalot1]

@@Quatrapuntal Thanks for the reply and sharing your experience and insights. Playing BWV998 as Weiss may have played it was a good choice, and it is by far my favorite performance of that challenging and beautiful piece.

[@dianneskafte789]

Thank you for uplifting us with your sublime music.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you, although I have to give Bach quite a bit of the credit on this one! There is plenty more like this on the channel, please subscribe if you enjoyed it.

[@Pookleberry]

BRAVO!!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you - the part that goes just before this piece (fugue) is also on the channel if you enjoyed this.

[@docdoscojazz]

My jazzer friends love your playing.... kudos

[@Quatrapuntal]

Oh thanks, respect to the jazz world as well! Quite a different style to baroque but they have the importance of improvisation in common.

[@docdoscojazz]

@@Quatrapuntal I played classical guitar in my youth. I still have one in moth balls with a bin full of music. Refining one's skills is never ending. I got off into jazz and that became my passion. However I never forgot my roots. I look forward to new videos from you in the future...

[@RM-vw3ov]

Please tell me there are CDs available of the music here! So very beautifully played and recorded!!🤩

[@loumonte658]

Beautifully done.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks, this piece is a big challenge!

[@loumonte658]

Indeed. It takes masterful skill to transfer from keyes to strings.

[@sofiainsolit]

So beautiful

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks - this is the 3rd of 3 parts to this piece, the 2nd part (fugue) is on this channel as well. I haven't got around to recording the 1st part yet!

[@kbkesq]

Your recording and performance are wonderful. Capture the spirit.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you, the piece is very challenging but worth the effort!

[@willgard2017]

Wonderful, made me pull out copy!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you

[@vaciemoslaslatas1587]

Esto es hermoso...

[@markmcarthur-christie2743]

Good grief, that's impressive! Gorgeous too, mind. Looks like we share a predilection for two certain splendid luthiers just off the Walworth Road.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks. I only have one of their lutes and it's from 1995, so well worn in. Most of the bass strings are still original so means they don't ring on too much after 25 years, very important with this piece as the bass moves pretty quickly and it would just be a blur with new strings ringing into each other

[@Orquesta.de.Improvisacion]

Congratulations for your really beautiful interpretation. The adaptation really works! Is the tablature available to buy? A big bachian hug!

[@Quatrapuntal]

No I am afraid not. I would encourage anyone who wants to play this to go through the process of making their own version from the original anyway. There are various ways of playing it (especially the fugue - also on this channel) so my way might not suit others. It is very challenging in any version! The most difficult piece for baroque lute I would say.

[@Orquesta.de.Improvisacion]

​@@QuatrapuntalGreat. What about playing this work in D major?

[@Orquesta.de.Improvisacion]

​@@Quatrapuntalwhy didn't you play the prelude?

[@Quatrapuntal]

@@Orquesta.de.Improvisacion I think I tried different keys, D is too low and you would end up playing parts of the melody on the 6th string. Although it goes pretty high, F is the most resonant in the D minor tuning. It was so much work to prepare those 2 movements and I was hoping that they would get more views, so in the end I couldn't be bothered to ge honest! But I realise that is the easiest and shortest part, so maybe will do it in the future.

[@Orquesta.de.Improvisacion]

Thanks. Yes, F major is more resonant and brighter. Your interpretation is fantastic, I support you to record de prelude. It's not a big difficulty in comparison with the fugue and the allegro. Thanks!

[@lindapixton2862]

How awesome you play!!!!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you, this is pretty much the most difficult piece of music for this instrument, a bit of a personal challenge. There is another video of the part that goes before this as well if you liked this (Bach BWV998 Fugue)

[@olivierpinerofr]

Fantastique ! Bravo 🙂

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks, this piece is very tricky!

[@alejandrogarciafavila9239]

Respect! Great interpretation on a great piece of music

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks, this is probably the hardest piece of music for this instrument so certainly a challenge. Have you played BWV998 yourself?

[@alejandrogarciafavila9239]

@@Quatrapuntal unfortunately no. I am an amateur classical guitar player that loves Bach. The prelude fugue and allegro is probably my favorite work. The mos challenging pieces from Bach I have played are from the third lute suite and the prelude from the second.

[@raffitorossian6994]

It was really an amazing performance of a very difficult melody of Bach. You are a giant artist. i enjoyed it, I felt it deep in my heart. Good job...Thanks for uploading. I wish you health and much more success.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it. I wonder if you have heard contemporary lute music? That is my main interest actually, try this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6Crp3dpbbV5m7s

[@AndersDroid-kw3fq]

Just amazing, so beautifully played! Bach forever, to the stars and beyond!

[@Majnun74]

Amazing🙏🏻✨

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you. Did you manage to sort your guitarra out? Bearing in mind to play it properly you will need to make some of the false nails (unhas) and make sure you have enough nail on your first finger and thumb to use them.

[@jlkjlk8]

incredible.. one of my favorite and love this version, but Hoppy Smith played it well in the eighties

[@Quatrapuntal]

Yes it's a great piece, anything less and I wouldn't persevere with it given the difficulty level. I had an old cassette tape of it years ago (not sure who, might have been Lutz Kirchhof) must have been 25 years ago. I used to listen to it a lot and this allegro always stuck in my mind. I kept meaning to work on it properly over the years but never got around to it until now, having more time in lockdown

[@Quatrapuntal]

I have released the fugue that goes before this piece now if interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ20aWuLgLyfjbs

[@ScottPenick]

Wonderful performance! I'm sure Bach scholars would have a more well-informed opinion, but I suspect that the implications of the title 'luth o cembal' is probably that Bach imagined the piece sounding at its best on the lute, but since he was primarily a keyboardist, he wrote it with his most familiar instrument in mind. I think that tracks pretty well with your elaboration in the video description. I'd love to hear your performance of the prelude and fugue!

[@ScottPenick]

Ah, nevermind, I see you've done the Fugue. Listening to it now, and it's wonderful! Still hoping to hear the Prelude though :)

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you, it was quite a challenge! I think you are probably right about the title, it's an odd mix of languages as well and if you look closely the ink looks different to the music, although it could have just been written on later. It is certain that Bach owned and played lautenwerks, so highly likely he composed these pieces on that instrument. I find it difficult to believe that Bach would have written something impossible to play on the baroque lute as written - it's pretty basic stuff about not using chromatic notes in the low register. He knew various lutenists and heard them play. With the Prelude, maybe... I haven't played this instrument for ages though so would take a while to get back into it and there are lots of other things I need to record first.

[@ttaless]

Que maravilha isso.... Tenho uma fixação por essa música, há anos..... resolvi há uns 5 meses tentar executar ela, no violão... minha mão esquerda ainda trava, perto do fim da 2ª parte desse Allegro. É bem difícil.

[@Quatrapuntal]

Nunca toquei essa música no violão mas não tenho dúvidas de que é muito difícil, é um verdadeiro desafio no alaúde. No alaúde, há algumas mudanças muito rápidas para a mão esquerda e a linha de baixo (que na minha versão é principalmente nas cordas do baixo abertas como Weiss) é muito mais ativa do que qualquer música composta por um tocador de alaúde. Você já ouviu a versão para alaúde da fuga? kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ20aWuLgLyfjbs

[@ttaless]

@@Quatrapuntal Ouvi. Está fantástico!!! É muito bom ouvir essas obras em instrumentos antigos. Parabéns pelo teu trabalho. Ótima qualidade! Ótimo canal!

[@Quatrapuntal]

@@ttaless Muito obrigado. Voce e de onde no brasil? Eu estive lá anos atrás e ainda tenho alguns amigos no Brasil, ótimo país e gente!

[@ttaless]

@@Quatrapuntal Sou do estado do Rio Grande do Sul. A cidade se chama Ijuí. Uma cidade interiorana, pequena, de 80 mil habitantes. Eu estive vendo no site de vocês que você tocou no Brasil. Agora entendi como você consegue escrever em português. Muito legal!

[@Quatrapuntal]

@@ttaless Isso é bem no sul, só fui para o Rio e para São Paulo. Quando morei em Londres tinha muitos amigos brasileiros e também morava com alguns, então aprendi português. Eu também gosto muito de música portuguesa, então também queria aprender mais sobre isso. Há quanto tempo você toca violão?

[@RobMartino]

This is great!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks, this is pretty much the most difficult piece of music for this instrument, which was a bit of a personal challenge.

[@analogalien]

Bravo!!! Keep the videos coming. :)

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks for watching. There are plenty of other videos on the channel with different instruments like the Portuguese guitar, mandolin, baroque lute, mandora, melodica, cello & cor anglais. I am working on some new ones at the moment!

[@analogalien]

@@Quatrapuntal That sounds great. Will you be making a video with a Theorbo?

[@Quatrapuntal]

Yes I'm working on one at the moment actually. My theorbo is a rare and unusual kind (a German theorbo) and there are only a few in the world. I'm collaborating with a guy in Spain who plays a very unusual and rare instrument, the baryton. Please subscribe so you will know when it's out!

[@analogalien]

@@Quatrapuntal Yes, I subscribed right away!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Great, thank you!

[@migueliteux5061]

Really nice playing. I’m wondering, did you put the high f strings around the tuning peg outside the box to keep it from breaking? I just got a 13 course lute and I can’t bring the high f to tune (A415) without it breaking.

[@Quatrapuntal]

It came like that, I presume that is how the original it is copied off is. Otherwise the string would have to go at a 45 degree angle after the nut to get inside the pegbox, which would make it likely to jump out of the groove in the nut, and be more liable to break. You would need a hole in the peg on the outside of the pegbox though to do it like this. Also depends on whether the string is at the correct tension and what it is made of. Thin gut strings are very liable to break, I use nylgut which rarely break.

[@migueliteux5061]

@@Quatrapuntal thank you, I guessed that it might have been made that way. It seems like a better design for that string. Thanks again

[@rowejon]

Has anyone studied the "ghost" music on the original manuscript? I see his regularly on original manuscripts shown on Utube.

[@Quatrapuntal]

I don't think I've heard about that, could you please explain?

[@rowejon]

Hi, You showed a shot of the original manuscript. It was obviously written on re-used paper/vellum that had been scraped, but the ghost of the earlier music text was there to see@@Quatrapuntal

[@Quatrapuntal]

@@rowejon ah OK I see what you mean now, good question! To me it seems like it is bleed through from writing on the other side of the manuscript, so I first thought that it's just written double sided. But looking closer, the faint notes on the first page don't match up with the notes on the second and vice versa. Perhaps there was a different piece written on the back? As far as I know this is a stand alone piece, not part of a set or collection. This is a clearer image: upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Bach%2C_Prelude%2C_Fugue_and_Allegro_in_E-flat_major%2C_BWV_998_manuscript.jpg

[@rowejon]

OK, in the new link, on the righthand page, low right, I think I can see clef & key signatures. Maybe Bach didn't sand/blot sheets completely & layed wet manuscript on top of this piece. I'm absolutely not a music scholar & I just wondered if anyone had studied what the ghost was. As I said earlier, I've noticed it on other original manuscripts featured in Utube videos.@@Quatrapuntal

[@Quatrapuntal]

I'm pretty sure that this is bleed through from writing on the back of the manuscript as well, if you look at the right hand page the notes are clearly backwards, as it would be if it's coming from the other side. What the music is though I have no clue! There is a Mozart piece that only survives in a painting of him, showing music on his keyboard that there is no other source for. As the painting is so detailed you can transcribe it from there.

[@zentechbeyond]

Omg lovely ❤️❤️❤️

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thanks! This Allegro is the 3rd movement of BWV998, there is another part that goes before this, the Fugue which is also on the channel. I haven't got around to doing the first part yet (Prelude).

[@ethanmorrow4241]

Right hand finger independence has always been an anomaly to me. Can you tell me how you developed it pls? You're an amazing player!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Hi thanks for the compliment! If you are talking about the guitar, the right hand technique is quite different that the 13-course lute. Most of the notes are slurred, whereas on the guitar each note would often be plucked with the RH. But the big difference is that most of the bassline is played on the open strings with the RH thumb, so your thumb has to do a lot more work than on the guitar. Classical guitar though often has more difficult LH positions because they have to fret most bassnotes. I explain and demonstrate this in a video if you are interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGWpknltmq1risk On the guitar, as with any instrument there's no substitute for practice and exercises I'm afraid. There are a set of 120 arpeggio studies by Giuliani which cover pretty much all RH patterns and a lot of guitarists have used that to get their fingers more independent. If you Google "giuiani 120 arpeggios" you will find it. Also scales that go across the strings, plucking quicker on one string is a lot easier than across several. Perhaps guitarists who have worked on this can offer some more advice? Please comment if you have suggestions.

[@ethanmorrow4241]

Quatrapuntal I can't find any videos for right hand finger independence exercises on youtube. Can you tell me some?

[@Quatrapuntal]

@@ethanmorrow4241 I presume you are talking about classical guitar (as opposed to acoustic/folk or electric)?

[@ethanmorrow4241]

Quatrapuntal I'm talking about general fingerpicking on acoustic guitar.

[@Quatrapuntal]

So that I can understand better what you are looking for: 1. Do you read staff notation, or need it in tabs only? 2. Is your guitar steel/metal or nylon strung? 3. What style of music are you playing or want to learn?

[@guillermovidal800]

chris hirst art lute cool musico teorbo liuto

[@marcpayment]

Very very nice and gigantic work load!....what did make you choose the use of nails? you are exceptionaly talented. Congratulations and thank you for your performance. You surely make Bach very happy wherw he is!

[@Quatrapuntal]

Thank you for your kind comments. I am not using any fingernails, you can't play double strung instruments like this with nails it doesn't work at all. I also have a video of the fugue that goes before this Allegro

[@marcpayment]

....forgot to mention...it seems to me that the lutenists who rotate the right wrist clockwise also get a warmer tone being able to stretch their fingers more parallel to the strings , and flex the first joint more easily giving a kind of bow sound sliding flat on the strings .....what seems to be harder to achieve with no rotation, and the forearm perpendicular to the strings ...does it make sense ?

[@Quatrapuntal]

There are 2 techniques for the right hand - 'thumb under' used in the renaissance and 'thumb over' for the baroque. Historically people didn't have to play various lutes from different eras like today, they played the lute from their own time and country. As a lot of lutenists start off on renaissance lute they learn the thumb under technique, then some still use that for later instruments with more strings. I don't play the renaissance lute any more and was always interested in the later music so learnt to play thumb over. The classical guitar technique is thumb over as well. There is debate about how close to the bridge to play as well as many paintings show people playing quite close to the bridge. Right hand technique does make quite a difference to the sound, but the instrument also makes a big difference. Lutes often sound more different to each other than modern guitars which are more uniform. Do you play the guitar?

[@marcpayment]

​@@Quatrapuntal Grateful for your explanations. In fact , I played pop music at first and went to school to try to learn Jazz inspired by the music of Pat Metheny. I had a hard time with that and forgot about this dream. Sometime later , listening to Nigel North playing Bach, I fell in love with the tone .I saw the instrument on the CD box and after some research I found me one. A baroque lute quite like the one use for BWV998. I learn by myself , and always wonder about technic....I bought the book by Miguel Ysrael and look at vidéos.....I' m not a very good musician , In reel life I'm a mechanic and I'm very stiff, so I struggle a lot but never quit. It's a dream on progress. Thank you for your time. Marc

[@Quatrapuntal]

@@marcpayment Nigel was always my inspiration when I was learning, I think he is the finest modern player and makes such a good sound. I was lucky to get a few lessons from Nigel around 20 years ago and also saw him play a few times, such a great musician. Learning the baroque lute by yourself must be quite a challenge. There are some much easier pieces (I think BWV998 is about as hard as it gets) but the technique itself is difficult, especially in the right hand. Good luck!

[@guitarricktrue]

É um instrumento original de época, qual idade ele tem?

[@Quatrapuntal]

Há poucos alaúdes originais ainda possíveis de tocar, eles são delicados. Meu alaúde é uma cópia exata de um alaúde alemão de 1744.

[@DerlyPintosTapia]

Esperamos la fuga !!!

[@Quatrapuntal]

If this video gets 10,000 views I will record the fugue!

[@DerlyPintosTapia]

@@Quatrapuntal Jaja great.. don't hesitate, start recording,

[@Quatrapuntal]

La fuga ya está disponible

[@Quatrapuntal]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iZ20aWuLgLyfjbs

[@anthonyymm511]

LOL at 3:13.

[@Quatrapuntal]

I think you are the first to notice that!

[@maybestrings]

do you have the link where i can buy the score of this version？

[@Quatrapuntal]

No sorry it's not available, I would suggest doing your own version from the original keyboard version anyway as there are many places where there are multiple ways of doing something and my way might not suit others. Also to experiment with different keys. It doesn't fit easily on the 13-course lute however you do it!

[@maybestrings]

fine，and thank you for your suggestion.

[@DerPhiL]

How to learn and how to buy those :)!?

[@Quatrapuntal]

They are made by specialist lute makers to order, you can buy the renaissance type lutes 'off the shelf' although the quality of cheap instruments can make them difficult to play and sound bad. There are lute makers in many countries. You learn like any other instrument with a teacher and practice, also trying to learn as much as possible about how they played historically. Are you interested in learning the lute?

[@stephano.816]

Any evidence for these assumptions of yours? "There is little doubt now that the piece was not composed for the lute, but for the lautenwerk or lute-harpsichord" "The title "Prelude pour la luth o cembal" (Prelude for the lute or harpsichord) is apparently not in Bach's hand and was added later."

[@Quatrapuntal]

In the rest of the description there is plenty of evidence for this, I have not heard of any lutenist who believes that BWV 998 was actually composed for the lute and I have not seen anything that supports that it was. Perhaps the strongest indication being that the last part of Bach's MS is written in keyboard tablature. Plus the key, plus the fact that it is impossible to play as written, plus the bassline which is much more like a keyboard piece than something by Weiss or other lutenists. Bach owned 2 lautenwerks. This mentions the title and other issues: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/bachs-lute-suites-clive-titmuss/

[@stephano.816]

Thank you. I was afraid that you would cite Titmuss. His article has many shortcomings and creates certainly some new myths, by e.g. claiming the title on BWV 998 not being autograph which is not backed up by _any_ Bach scholar in the available literature, AFAIK. If the manuscript shows Bach's first and personal copy, as it certainly looks like, keyboard tablature doesn't exclude the intended instrumentation (which BTW is not hard to learn and would have been familiar to any educated musician). Likewise, if technical difficulty or textural matters would rule out the autograph instrumentation by the composer, many modern works for classical guitar written for famous artists could not be counted into the repertory anymore. And, to re-use an argument by the eminent Bach-scholar Klaus Hofmann, how else could a work for lute by Bach in his mature style have possibly looked like?

[@stephano.816]

Here's a link to a video about a modern composer struggling to write for the baroque lute. Food for thought... kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaXboXhjbL6li7s

[@Quatrapuntal]

Without travelling back in time we can't be 100% certain, but there is nothing that I know of other than the title that argues positively that it WAS written for the lute. I don't know about the title, other than it does seem to be in different ink to the actual music and the writing of his name doesn't seem to be the same as his other signatures, but I am happy to be proved wrong about that if it is the case. If you look at other few lute parts in cantatas and especially the earlier version of 'Komm, süsses Kreuz' from the St Matthew Passion, Bach did understand how to write for the actual lute (no coincidence that aria is in D minor). Bach heard and knew various lutenists including Weiss and had such a deep understanding of other instruments, I am not convinced at all that he would write something which is impossible to play, fits very badly on the instrument in any form and is in a very unsuitable key. He always chose keys carefully and thought nothing of transposing pieces to fit different instruments. I also find it very hard to believe that he would have notated a lute piece in keyboard tablature. Yes other pieces such as the violin solos are very technically difficult, but none actually impossible as in this piece. Such a master as Bach would not have been so sloppy.

[@stephano.816]

I totally agree that we cannot be 100% certain, which is exactly the point why I don't like quick and easy claims by well-meaning musicians about how and why Bach did or did not things, while scholars have been at pains for decades to carefully compare and judge evidence from sources and insights of other scholars, often voicing not much more than probabilities within the boundaries of reason. The result are popular internet narratives, sometimes based on old refuted theories (like "14-course lutes didn't exist"), sometimes on no evidence whatsoever. This may sound a bit harsh, but please don't take it to personally. I like your version and as players we have every right to do with the music whatever seems suitable. At the same time we should respect the work of the scholars and try not to undermine their efforts of gathering factual based knowledge. And, to come to the important point of difficulty/playability, we have tons of evidence for people struggling with this issue for the last 300 years for virtually every instrument, including the voice, often calling Bach a bad composer.

[@VA-lo4ul]

You need to breathe!

[@Quatrapuntal]

I think I was breathing otherwise I would be dead, I can't hold my breath for 3 and a half minutes...