Bach, Lute Suite in C minor (BWV 997) 2. Fuga

[@whitemagic7724]

Very beautiful visualization. Your visualizations have enriched my life, as not only do I enjoy them tremendously but so does my 2 1/2 year-old granddaughter. She asks for your music with visualizations all the time now, with a special fondness for the “circle” music, such as the Pachelbel canon and Phillip Glass’s music. Thanks so much.

[@smalin]

That means a lot to me. Thank you.

[@xavi2803]

One of my favorite fugues.. mature Bach (1747 I believe). And what a stunning subject.

[@caesare1968]

Precious, simply put. Above marvellous. Thanks effusively for giving us this masterpiece.

[@stjacquesremi]

I love the broken elipses when struck. they're satisfying to watch!

[@maryspike8020]

Wow. I have been seeing music in my head in a fashion similar to this for my whole life. I can't begin to explain it to people, and I certainly couldn't begin to do what you do, but I really appreciate seeing it. Thank you.

[@Margie4178]

So have I. This marvellous.

[@robinampipparampil]

Brilliant!. Bach music is so very beautiful. The visualization is awesome.

[@mr.bob4630]

Beautiful - musically and visually.

[@andreajoybelle]

Wow! what a gorgeous piece...even though I'm a devoted Bach fan, I wasn't familiar with this piece. Thank you for all you work - it just adds such a valuable "extra dimension" to the aural experience - very different to following notation!

[@av8153]

Outstanding !

[@foolim1]

Great!

[@AlanMearns-YesTheRaven]

Beautiful The baroque lute was tuned to a d minor chord. The Bach “Lute Suites” were more than likely written for the Lautenwerk, a harpsichord strung with gut strings to sound like a lute.

[@smalin]

How do you account for the passages that can’t be played with two hands on a keyboard?

[@GeorgeHammondMusic]

@@smalin There are two version. BWV 997.1 written for a Lautenwerk and BWV 997.2 for the lute - however this second arragnement might not actually be by Bach

[@smalin]

@@GeorgeHammondMusic The version the video is based on is from the manuscript (from IMSLP) with this title page: www.musanim.com/img/bwv997_titlePage.jpg One of the passages I'm referring to is this one: www.musanim.com/img/bwv997_fugue_mm93_103.jpg So, my question for Alan Mearns would be: is this the version you think is to be played on a keyboard? (If you're referring to a different version, please point me to it.) If this is the version you think is for lautenwerk, how would this passage be played with two hands? (I'm a keyboard player with fairly large hands, and the only way I can get anywhere near this is by using tricks and extended techniques that I've never seen in any music from this period.)

[@GeorgeHammondMusic]

@@smalin Thanks for the reply! I would agree looking at that passage(and others online) that it could be difficult to perform. Sometimes I think it would just be amazing for the great composers to be reanimated so they could have a go and correct everyone/explain their choices.

[@musiker1782]

Wow, that's lute suite performed with guitar! Soothing sound, beautiful video :)

[@smalin]

The piece itself might be considered as being "for lute" but here it is being played on guitar (transposed down to E minor, which is a better key for guitar).

[@musiker1782]

@@smalin guitar? Wow! I thought it really was a lute! Thanks for the clarification. This fugue is very soothing for me and I have heard it before. Thank you for this beautiful video!

[@smalin]

@@musiker1782 There are lots of recordings on KZbin of this piece being played on lute, but I liked this guitar version a lot, and was happy that the performer gave me permission to use it.

[@joshdabell4313]

Spectacular

[@arnaudruchon2368]

Very nice interprétation, nice sound ! The video help to to hear the different voices.

[@victorgonzalezserrano6376]

Gracias! Soy guitarrista y tengo la partitura de esta fuga, es bastante complicada así que este vídeo es perfecto para diferenciar cada una de las voces.

[@MitchBoucherComposer]

Thanks so much for this video, Smalin! This is a gift to listen to.

[@caesare1968]

Excellent, thanks

[@anatolyFedotov]

Perfect

[@duyagetme]

💖

[@amigosXcorrespondenc]

Amazing! Did you listen to David Russell's version of the complete suite that he just recorded some weeks ago? He is doing the 4 suites, the first 2 are already on youtube.

[@frenchimp]

A da capo fugue.

[@evaenzell4026]

Wait for it…

[@97mesut]

hey i played this! notice me

[@smalin]

I looked at your channel, but I don't see a video of you playing it. Do you play it on lute?

[@97mesut]

haha, thanks, no, i was just bragging that I used to play this on the guitar. Haven't touched the guitar in over a year tho, gotta get back to it.

[@BenitoAndito]

I wish Ted Greene were alive to play this on his Telecaster

[@duyagetme]

☔🌈🌈