Bach Prelude and Fugue No.3 Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1 with Harmonic Pedal

[@maxwagner3181]

Bach to himself: How many sharps du you want? Bach: Yes.

[@jasonhuang6023]

Confugued by that too.

[@COTDBroski]

I really appreciate that even WITH the incredibly fast pace, it still is very particular and flavorful in my opinion. I go to Paul Barton's YT for technique and specific fingering. I think the "hammering" you consider he's playing like simply means that he's treating all notes equally to each other, so he can put dynamic emphasis on the thematic implementations. This is truly top of the line playing.

[@COTDBroski]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kF7GaYp9Z6yHl6s - Also. Richter plays almost the exact same way.

[@mscman4589]

Thank you, Mr. Barton, for your performances of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. It is a thrill to both hear and see these pieces performed. Love your other videos of Emilie and your wife and have placed Thailand in my "Bucket-List" of places to visit!

[@IvanGreindl]

Looking at your hands, this seems so easy to play... However, so many hours of hard work are needed to master such a 'job'. *Thank you* Mr. Barton for this wonderful sharing.

[@fmegeorge7346]

Just my humble opinion. A comment below talks about"cold" and "lacking personality". I have listened to more bach on piano than another 100 so-called experts put together, over a period of 40 years. The "warmth" and "personality" in a bach rendition does not come from the artist. It comes from bach. If you haven't figured that yet, then you play bach like one of the so-called "great" pianists, who simply f.. it up completely. Paul, I find your rendition stunning. Exactly the way I like it, and, I suspect, the way bach would.

[@amara560]

r/iamverysmart

[@johannesbekker1970]

Agree totally in the same class as Glen Gould

[@John-zq6pt]

@@amara560 no not at all, much of bachs music is not intended be loose and freely interpreted often it's supposed to be fairly metric.

[@JumpDiffusion]

@@johannesbekker1970 ....oh, dear....that's definitely quite a stretch...

[@hungariangypsy8183]

I agree but if the sound and character of pieces like this come from the composers clever writing and not from the interpretation of the performer, than what’s the point of any pianist ever?

[@fugueholic]

In the music history, there were many genius composers but Bach is the only one composer of 4th dimension. I strongly felt that emotion during listening to this set of pieces.

[@GuyMannDudeTheOnly]

Brilliant ! Paul Barton is a brillant man. We are lucky to have all these videos at our reach !

[@ganjarulez009]

This is my absolute favorite Bachprelude. Pure Joy. And you nailed it!

[@stevenwoerpel1884]

I can tell you from experience, if you learn the fingering incorrectly when initially learning a Bach piece, you will never be able to get it up to speed after putting months of work into it. Thank you Paul for providing this amazing content and flawlessly learning such an amazing and incredibly difficult piece of music.

[@DerTodKommtImmer]

True

[@bnaturalmusic]

Ooooh. So that's the main reason why my piano professor always said that i should adhere to the fingering written in Bach's pieces.

[@DangerRussDayZ6533]

@@bnaturalmusic Bach didn't include fingering in his pieces. Fingering is added by editors.

[@buckylove6918]

Fingering in Bach is starting to blow my mind a little bit

[@anthonyt3872]

I disagree, and I think this sentiment is somewhat dogmatic and overly dramatic, but to each their own. Relearning fingerings is not the end of the world, and will not handicap you from playing the piece at tempo. But when learning a new Bach piece it is a good idea to use the fingerings provided.

[@eahemming]

The way you played it sounds so joyful and whimsical, I love this performance.

[@maestrosock9360]

The harmonic progressions in this Fugue are unrivaled in its beauty by anything else in music.

[@zak2659]

I completely agree. This is Bach's finest work in my opinion. This is as good as it gets.

[@andreybeloff4333]

0:10 Prelude 1:21 Fugue

[@agento86]

Bravo, Paul! I absolutely enjoyed your treatment of the Fugue. The attention to character and spirit of both hands, the consistent tempo, the clarity and sensibility if your virtuosic technique make this a welcomed and refreshing interpretation. That was wonderful. That you for the gift!

[@PaulBartonPiano]

Thank you, Stephen for your kind and thoughtful comment.

[@rick9021090210]

That's what is so cool about classical music... a world of beauty can be expressed in just 4 minutes... Thanx for the amazing performance. Cheers!

[@AnishChari]

"This piece has black keys." "Which ones?" "All of them."

[@marcodonati572]

The epitome of perfection. Excellent!

[@peterjongsma2779]

One of Bach's absolute best.

[@pierrebastide6008]

A masterpiece played with virtuosity and sensibility.

[@Mjixa]

Bach wrote music differently, I can’t imagine a Church without Bach music sometimes. Impressive and genius talent. You Sir are the best . A++++

[@bargledargle7941]

Fugue starts at 1:22

[@rhfactor2106]

This is effortless. Salute to you. Look at the fingers dancing on the keys ,to the beautiful music by JSB

[@mikehughes6582]

The esoteric crowd doesn't speak for everyone. I for one love this interpretation.

[@245artist]

Your channel deserves far more recognition as you are a truly talented artist! May I suggest that you link your patron account under your videos for people to be aware that they can support you. I've been a patron of yours for almost a year now and always look forward to your new videos. Cheers!

[@TheOpus480]

I've just started learning the prelude. Got a bit and a page left of right hand and then I'll move onto left hand and put them together. 😊

[@leomiller2291]

This fugue is brutal.

[@calebleckrone203]

Wdym that fugue is brutal? The whole things brutal

[@dosergiobr]

Well done. I respect pianists because they have to interpret two differenet lines at the same time... and I admire the organists too, because beyond the 2 lines, they have to play with their feet as well ... Oh my god :D

[@rubber7506]

Well, actually pianists play with their feet too since they have to use the pedal

[@janpietersen8546]

Some fugues have even more voices, like 4 or 5:)

[@alcidesduartefalcao2577]

Wow, perfect articulation! This is my favourite part in Book 1 and I can say that you are an excellent pianist, my friend, a great musician! Thanks to share it with us.

[@phrababushkath2350]

It only LOOKS easy - this is actually very difficult to play well - and here Paul Barton has interpreted this glorious piece ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFULLY!! BRAVO!!!

[@L1102]

It also not really looks easy

[@maru679]

Il finale di questa fuga completa in modo stupefacente tutto quanto, è come se tutti i tasselli da cui la fuga e composta (le voci, le melodie e il ritmo) trovino un punto in armonia dove assestarsi e concludere meravigliosamente in sintonia questa fuga.

[@adalbertogomesdossantos4545]

Muito lindo os prelúdios e fugas do cravo bem temperado de J.S.Bach. Execução que muito tempo e persistência pra conseguir toca-los. Já toquei todos num andamento lento, mais pra observar e sorver a beleza da harmonia.

[@manguimas]

Excellent performance, I can hear all the voices clearly!

[@cristopherdelacruz5829]

Same, i love it

[@poplife123]

Paul keep these rolling.....excellent work

[@woodsoux]

I loved this! Thank you for the wonderful range of pieces you find and play. It has added so much to my playing. Now, if only I could play as wonderfully as you do!

[@RichWoodwardMusic]

very well done - good clarity, balance, and overall artistry here

[@jasonwilliams6744]

Besides of your wonderful playing, I also love your camera angle + music sheet. Thank you so much for uploading this video. It is very helpful :)

[@leonwillett4645]

YES! My favourite recording of this. You capture the energy of it and the precision.

[@mattersofheart22]

wow, this is brilliant. Thank you Paul!

[@loving-everyone-equally]

Wow, it's a real pleasure to watch and listen to you play anything.

[@jayw8726]

Love how you bring the theme and contrapunctus alternatively to the foreground in a flowing background. 😍

[@alexreeves2686]

i forgot how important fundamentals are, because i always thought they were boring. but now looking back at it, it is musically pleasing and important

[@mymatemartin]

Ahhhhhh... 😤 Those amazing Barton hands once again dancing around on my phone... Sheer delight.

[@PaulBartonPiano]

Thanks, Martin!

[@warrendoris9669]

J S. Bach! The original keyboard virtuoso! This performance was awesome! Great how the melodic line is played with both hands.

[@flaze3]

You've made me want to play this!

[@tomasvasko3729]

Love this transposition into F# major in bar 48 in fugue

[@ShelbyBryant]

Wow! I think this might be my favorite prelude & fugue right now. Thanks for such a great performance!

[@jackschleich9475]

it all goes together so well, like someone who mastered the chords for this key signature 😅

[@paxwallace8324]

This is not Harmonically static music Bach modulates as means of architectural development and enrichment.

[@jackschleich9475]

@@paxwallace8324 most of this clavier music is like a carousel wheel except for the slow serious pieces

[@paxwallace8324]

@@jackschleich9475 that's definitely not true for his most adventurous ambitious pieces like WTC 2 in Bb minor. Very unpredictable modulations and dissonance.

[@modernmozart813]

The best version so far on the KZbin 👏🏻

[@TiaraTheTaco]

Well said mozart

[@modernmozart813]

@@TiaraTheTaco 😎

[@javawaj4359]

a piece of music Thank you so much. It's so good to hear each song. 음악 한 곡 정말 감사합니다. 모든 노래를 들을 수 있어서 너무 좋아요.

[@snacklepussPSN]

Bach made contributions or rather discoveries were made through Bachs works by todays Math; Science and Physics without Bach ever knowing it: Reality is truly amazing: Richard Fenyman speaks about Bach above all others: FYI: It is my own contention [opinion] that if you practice with a mirror at an angle in front of you to see both hands reflected - you will acquire greater accuracy; fluency and timing through finer dexterity and even get better posture etcetera: You can even strengthen your hands by putting a loose but firm elastic around the tip and or middle of the pinky and attach this to the other middle of fingers 4 to 3 and 2 in practice: One hand at a time: I discovered this hidden gem by trying to get more power into my pinky due to broken bones ~ knuckles; and metacarpals from my younger days: An elastic band is basically the same as bones to tendon: Except this is an extra one: BTW: Tight enough so you have to control it more and sort of have to give attention to press harder with it than usual: You`ll get the feel for it yourself: After a while your playing is much better as is your control; and sense of touch on trills for example; without the elastic:

[@SGIFEATHER]

Perfect, as usual!

[@ianmac2963]

Thank you Maestro.

[@IOxyrinchus]

The preludes in particular are the highlight of the well tempered klavier book for me. And let me just say, Paul, you played it it incredibly, all the melodies just sung out and it was articulated well on the whole, it was just perfection, same with the fugue. I must hear you play prelude no. 21, that would be a real treat. Fantastic work Paul.

[@cristopherdelacruz5829]

The preludes are a lot better than the fugues in my opinion.

[@IvanGreindl]

*Superb* performance, M. Barton. Thank you for sharing.

[@aznchopinpianist]

Great upload +Paul Barton! The fugue was my favorite

[@dukeofpiano4020]

You made it look so easy !

[@fatihs7117]

Wow! This is very beatfiul💯

[@france4me117]

So beautifully executed and well played

[@HonestSaxSound-unEdited-]

Bach= Perfection. Many thanks for this wonder dear Paul. Saludos de Argentina.

[@ranatha]

I like this kind of music

[@willstout5988]

Bach is the best at the fugue. Taking a class on writing canon and fugue right now and it’s truly mind blowing just how many examples we see out of Well Tempered Clavier. Learning from the man must have been truly something else

[@adalbertogomesdossantos4545]

Parabéns ao intérprete! Executou com precisão e beleza!👏👏👏👏

[@republiccooper]

At first I was wondering why you didn't post something from the WTC2 (which I find so much more interesting). But after having heard this so well played I eat my words. Congrats!

[@PaulBartonPiano]

Thanks, Republiccooper!

[@PeachtreeDrive]

I just uploaded some videos of my Bach playing…. But it’s just “first lessons in Bach” :) Hoping to one day be this good at piano. I love this song and am absolutely amazed people can play pieces like this and someone had the genius to create it.

[@tomasaguirre.l]

Can u make a bach playlist on ur channel please? 🙏🏻

[@Zigotoy_3234]

You have a nice touch 👌

[@oldschoolgameslphouse5547]

Bravo amazingly well played 👏🏼

[@JhonKey-b5j]

Bach e Chopin..non c'è nulla sulla terra dopo loro per la musica...la massima espressione ...il supremo talento non riproducibile

[@celloguy]

Schubert, Mozart, Janacek… etc etc

[@ruperttmls7985]

2:32 baroque happiness and joy!

[@Zephyrus47]

Soon, I too will be able to play all of the Well Tempered pieces.

[@thebestsecreatary]

This good???

[@apostolismoschopoulos1876]

That's the spirit!

[@luisalfonsotorresllantada3297]

Will you upload any videos for us?

[@Zephyrus47]

@@luisalfonsotorresllantada3297 Yes, and they will be tremendous!

[@Zephyrus47]

@Craig Yates I've only been playing piano for 4 months, and have already gotten Prelude in C Major and Minor down and a tiny bit of Fugue in C Major. I still need to master the piano fundamentals so I can learn them faster.

[@giorgiogiorgini4458]

Bravo, bravissimo, complimenti Maestro!!!! From Italy. Ciao!

[@leo17921]

before learning this piece i actually copied the entire score on musescore and then changed the key sig to d flat major. it was 100x easier that way

[@leo17921]

@Nathan Barker musescore.com/leo179/bach-wtc1-no-3-d-flat-major :) it kinda took a while but it wouldve taken even more time to figure out all those double sharps lol

[@Fildoggy]

wait why, thats just replacing all the sharps with flats? Is it just because of the double sharps?

[@leo17921]

fildog yeah the double sharps are so hard to read lol

[@TechnoRaabe]

you could have also put it in c major instead lol

[@pontuslundstrom5831]

What a brilliant performance! This piece is like sparkling wine. I feel as if one could not drain it of its joy no matter how hard one tried. It is still one of my favourites of the WTC and took me tremendous effort to learn a couple years ago. I've been wondering why in most interpretations the quavers in the subject of the fugue are played mostly or completely staccato, as you do here too. To be clear, I'm not trying to critique anyone. I just find it fascinating. The way I like to play it is to slightly emphasise the on-beat quavers and play them very close to staccato whereas the off-beat quavers I play to full duration and tie them to whatever comes after. Maybe I'm breaking all the fundamental rules of baroque keyboard play there but that way I just find the fugue "dancing" more naturally. I guess this might have something to do with the fact that I used to play the Cello so I might be applying my intuitions of bowing a string instrument also when playing a keyboard. To record and share all this great music is a great service to the world. Thank you for that!

[@raulperez2308]

it isn't stacatto nor full duration of a quaver. it's actually quite hard to do it consistently over the course of a piece, it's like a heavy stacatto, non-legato if you will. it's the same style for the left hand in prélude 6 (book 1). bach didn't really use a stacatto in the sense that, for example, beethoven did. i don't know if i explained myself well, but it's kinda hard to describe on text

[@pratiquesartistiques_]

This comment is really interesting

[@pontuslundstrom5831]

@@raulperez2308 I think I understand what you mean and yes, I'll give you that my usage of "staccato" was somewhat inaccurate. Still, IMHO, the passage, which is part of the fugal subject after all, feels too disconnected or "loose" if the notes are played equally "portato". As does the bass line of BWV 851. I mostly find Richer's recording very pleasant but in this case it sounds slightly clinical. I quite like the phrasing by Kimiko Ishizaka or Glenn Gould. It's a matter of taste I guess :)

[@GaSh23]

detached is probably a better description

[@azurelleb]

I believe the right term is portamento. It’s customary in baroque music to play them detached to emulate the sound of harpsichord or clavichord.

[@literallynobody25]

This is how my brain is when I'm trying to fall asleep

[@robertbairdmusic]

Amazing performance!

[@jeholman1]

You are a badass, so much life in this thank you

[@newgeorge]

I´m practising this at the moment and in my copy they put it into D flat. SO MUCH EASIER!

[@skydude221]

Haha what????????

[@babyskunkcat]

ConcerningJ he’s doing an arrangement in D flat instead of C sharp so it’s easier.

[@andresequeira4461]

That misses the whole point of the Wohltemperierte Klavier books, since he wrote each pair to be played in that specific key.

[@skydude221]

@@andresequeira4461 d flat is c sharp???

[@newgeorge]

@@andresequeira4461 Yes of course! No one can tell because the notes are exactly the same only read in a simpler way. It just means far less double sharps which I find very confusing to play

[@DavidArdittiComposer]

Great understated ending.

[@ghouston69]

Ahh brings back memories of practicing this piece as part of my jury recital when I was in college.

[@TheeMilesMonk]

Bach has so much soul

[@Philobach]

tout a fait d accord !!

[@joaobatistadeoliveira4733]

o mais difícil é conseguir ter e manter a força de vontade para aprender algo que demora muitos anos, e não se tem a minima ideia de que vai chegar lá.

[@lucpraslan]

I can't help thinking this would be easier to play if it was written in Db Major.

[@axeman2638]

it would make no difference to the playing, just make the reading easier.

[@lucpraslan]

@@axeman2638 I know, I know, I know. A musician would say, "Not at all, it's written how it's written!" And they would be completely correct. It's only a lazy toad like me who would wish it to be something more emharmonically palatable. P.s. Yes, I'm a lazy toad! 🐸🐸🐸

[@axeman2638]

@@lucpraslan you could always transcribe it into Db.

[@magik5066]

@@axeman2638 too much effort

[@michaelprozonic]

or C major

[@elvisrios756]

Bar 62, 00:51, bass clef, my score Czerny edition has C ⅛ and then B, A, G, A all 1/16 notes. This and other youtube versions have F, E, D in ⅛ notes. Any one can shed light on why this is, and which version is more accurate? Thanks!!!

[@RinasSam]

Some editions may not be accurate, either adding notes or using sources with mistakes. Czerny's edition sadly falls into this category. The versions you can rely on are called "Urtext" versions, which come from a handful of trusted sources such as original manuscripts and whatnot. Popular Urtext editions of Bach's include Henle, Weiner-Urtext, and Barenraiter, all of which are very solid. I think you can get a copy of an old Barenraiter edition from imslp. These editions are the most accurate and trustable when it comes to Bach.

[@elvisrios756]

@@RinasSam Thank you so much for your response. After comparing with old manuscripts by Bach's son, I agree with this version, F,E,D in 8th notes.

[@RinasSam]

@@elvisrios756 Happy I could help. Good luck!

[@jimbob7351]

Hi Paul, I've noticed that you have played some pieces from the well tempered clavier. I'd just like to know if you are going to record all of the preludes and fugues. Thanks, and by the way this is an amazing performance, one of the best that I've heard

[@geronimo2764]

Bach would be proud of you !

[@josiper6662]

The prelude almost sounds like Scarlatti

[@randomcubing7106]

exactly

[@davisatdavis1]

It sounds a lot like Sonatina in C Major by Scarlatti. Although there's no hand crossing involved in this one.

[@classicalhero7]

More like Scarlatti sounds like Bach.

[@PORIO171]

@@classicalhero7 more like when did anyone ask

[@joshlangford7242]

@@PORIO171 sick

[@RM-gm7lu]

Thank you so much for sharing.

[@ivoriankoua3916]

BRAVO!

[@renatoargh]

Wonderful interpretation, thank you 🤯

[@luuktorn]

SHARP HORROR

[@ninofunka1106]

It is mate

[@user-oy6nb4nd7v]

It's easier to discern and play the notes than you might think, despite the sharps. What really seems difficult for players seems to be getting the harpischord style right on the piano.

[@jackschleich9475]

don't lie boy, it could easily be flat horror too😅

[@HS-dq3cj]

espetacular parabéns com certeza muita dedicação !

[@thomasyang8983]

This piece is my favorite

[@thomasdastillung4097]

At the start of the video I had to check if the youtube speed was not 1.25 and it wasnt...this goes fast !

[@PurpleStreakUkulele]

Amazing performance. Thank you.

[@merlinsmustche]

Omg the key signature

[@kaiandchanellesimmons502]

Just think of it as D-flat major five flats; it's actually my favourite key.

[@josetieneoro]

I was looking for this comment.. wow, just wow lol

[@anthonyb2745]

Only an asshole writes in C#M.

[@ytyt3922]

It’s the same as D-flat. Who knows why Bach chose C# major instead.

[@andrewcleaver2858]

@@ytyt3922 It would have defeated the purpose of 24 preludes and fugues in all keys otherwise. I'd be more concerned with the modulations into 'G# Major' and 'D# Major' as well as 'E# minor' (obviously enharmonic) early on. Plus C# Major - all black keys, not as challenging as the key signature makes out, just the reading is tricky.

[@manuelgonzales6483]

Stunned and amazed 😂

[@Requizem]

I just don't understand how one can practice a piece like this. Could you please make a video about how to practice a piece as complicated and fast as this one, Paul?

[@betterthantelly2993]

Set your metronome slow and don't speed up until you know what's what.

[@thakill100]

1 hand at the time at first and then once you’ve really mastered each hand then combine

[@midnightmusic1087]

Practice. It’s that simple

[@federicoalcaraz2993]

The trick on the prelude is on the horizontal position of the hand depending on the keys (nearer with black keys, further with whites), and for the speed, work a lot on the relaxation and rotation of the wrist

[@TheOpus480]

Practice slow and build up speed. This is done by correct techniques and fingering and knowing whats next.

[@alanhearty]

Monsieur Barton on vous attend en France et en concert !

[@peterjongsma2754]

I've heard this on 2 guitars by Sergio and Eduardo Abreau. Dynamite.

[@philipmicciche8777]

Peter Jongsma dynomite! JJ Walker....

[@shibamusique]

1:44 G# Major melody

[@antoniangai7107]

I see 7 sharps and I close the tab

[@rcradiator]

Find a version in Db Major. That solves the 7 sharps problem as 5 flats is far more manageable.

[@TechnoRaabe]

@@rcradiator its actually easier this way, since every note from c major is raised by half step.

[@peaceandlove1999]

I’m learning it and am playing it in C, no sharps! I see double sharps and normal sharps and naturals as flats. I’m cheating 😅

[@GuyVignati]

Wtf it’s the well tempered clavier for a reason…it was written and has to be played in in C# major.

[@mightyoak11111]

Excellent performance. I can play this but not with the speed and precision that you demonstrate here.

[@НатальяКупреева-и1н]

Блестящее исполнение ❤!