Baroque Improvisation: The Circle of Fifths Revisited

Nerd-video on circle of 5ths sequences containing elaborations on structure, basslines and especially diminution concepts.
Harpsichord playing, editing, musical examples and concept by Michael Koch.
Recorded at the Musikhochschule Detmold, Germany.
#circleof5ths #improvisation #harpsichord

[@AlessandroSistiMusic]

00:00 - Introduction 00:49 - Derivation of the circle of fifths motion ("C5") 02:28 - Diminutions of bass voices in C5 * 03:23 - of upper voices * 03:47 - of all voices 04:18 - Example in 2 voices 04:39 - Circle of fifths with 6th chords (down 3, up 2): basic structure * 05:00 - Block chords in 4 voices 05:28 - Trio style, two examples * 06:06 - with simple "broken" diminution * 06:37 - with passing and neighbour tones * 06:58 - bass diminution example 07:28 - The 9th in harmonies above this bass * 07:57 - with diminutions in the bass + inverted upper voices * 08:17 - with diminutions in the upper voices 08:38 - Ligature del basso (tied bass) * 09:55 - connection with C5 10:10 - Diminutions with tied bass * 10:39 - Further resources * 10:58 - Diminution from Durante * 11:31 - Two voices in LH, diminutions in RH 12:08 - Conclusion: these three bass lines are related and invertible. Practise! Thanks for this, Michael! Fantastic work as always. I love this longer explication of this point that you made in the earlier video about Insanguine 7. The harpsichord sounds great! I'm jealous that you can access this almost anytime you're at work 😀

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Thx so much Alessandro! I wanted to do it myself but just managed to upload and planned to to that the other day! But THANKS anyway! :DD

[@AlessandroSistiMusic]

@@en-blanc-et-noir You're welcome, Michael! I don't mind adding timestamps when I can; you already put all the work into making the actual video, and I'm super grateful for that!

[@ezenelson3356]

A video I've been searching for all my life

[@ZapataCarratala]

Amazing, feel the urge to transpose!

[@AcousticBruce]

Exactly!

[@aurora_stream]

That two voice example at 4:27 almost sounds like it came out of Handel’s Passacaille in G Minor HWV 432! I absolutely love it

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

ha! ...because it's exactly that diminution! I guess it's a standard, I heard it as well several times being used by routined baroque improvisers!

[@ADarkandStormyNight]

Loving this channel, several of these videos I rewatch on a regular basis.

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

EHRE!

[@yungpianist4644]

Merci l'algorithme de me faire découvrir la meilleure chaîne KZbin visiblement, incroyable contenu !

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

:D je ne parle pas de Francais, mon ami. Mais merci!

[@andreas8967]

Super !,,

[@AaronGlenn88]

I'll need to keep this video on repeat for a decade lol very good structure!

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Thanks man! :D

[@playbach3243]

Grand Merci !

[@Zimzamzoom95]

These videos are so cool.

[@prevatican2catholicshow]

Brilliant as always, Michael!

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Thanks, Nikhil! :D

[@fifibg]

this is fantastic...

[@rose1444]

Insane leçon, thank you very much

[@uhoh007]

Sick Harpsichord!! Awesome presentation informed by the latest scholarship. Red pill never tasted so sweet!

[@TheBabelCorner]

I hope I could encounter this video earlier

[@georgepavlov3350]

Wow yes sir …Thank you kindly

[@luisdiaz05]

Excellent, I'm practising this right now! .👍🏾

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

feeling the urge to transpose yet? :D

[@franklinenfor9592]

Wow amazing concepts. thanks for this sir. It is really amazing. How may one get some of these baroque pieces in this video please?

[@maximilianomartinez4949]

Bravo 👏

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Thank you! :DD

[@longhaulblue]

I've just discovered your channel. And it's inspiring. I play jazz and am a big fan of Bach. I need to study your videos in closer detail. It contains many hints on how to learn and practise baroque improvisation. Thank you for your efforts in making these videos.

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

happy when it‘s helpful

[@lesliesanford1113]

Love those Picardy thirds.

[@aidanmays7825]

For years I've been trying to understand the arpeggiated 7th chords after the opening of Bachs d minor cello suite. Thank you for this video! Edit: on a second look it seems to be more similar to the 4 voice version you talk about. Different inversion with the 4ths/5ths movement in the base but the harmony is the same

[@peterwloszek5472]

Very nice!!! Thank you so much! I wish I could have a PDF of the examples!

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Thx, Peter! You can drop me a line per mail - you'll find the adress on the channel main site.

[@aundbmusik]

Superschön Michel. Sehr nerdy aber wollte immer wissen was als nächstes kommt. Sehr liebevoll gemacht❤️

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

sweet... Berni! :D

[@pablobear4241]

I'm a brokie as of now, but whenever I get money (should be in a year or two) you are getting some. You are a god for putting this out for free.

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

hahaha :D alright

[@inhorama338]

Awesome content ! Thank you !

[@johnrothfield6126]

0:56 Faux Boudon Worthy of careful study! Great video! Makes me want to get a piano or harpsichord!! Guitars and Fiddles are all I have here. Harpsichord sounds great.

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

thanks, John! :D

[@wilsonbecker1881]

You’re incredible EBEN

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

:D

[@amitmarkel]

What a fun video. A small thought :) 4:12 to suspend the bass la to be dotted and by so avoid the tritone do fa#, and have the do align with mi

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Thank you :DD... But I can't quite follow your suggestion: in my taste this is unnecessarily overcautious. Where did you learn to avoid the tritone in a situation like that? I mean: theres a lot of way more harsh things (esp. in 17th century music). I'd argue this is just common daily bread situation: accented passing note. Even from the perspective of a counterpoint-bad-cop: highly legal stuff.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Amazing. This is way out of my pay grade, but when you said it was Circle of Fifths, I felt I should be able to realize this. Maybe I'm dreaming, but is that bad?

[@christiant.8098]

Thank you for your video, Michael! I’ve just been wondering about the term “circle of fifth” meaning “Quintfallsequenz”. Do you have any idea if there is a more appropriate English expression for it (to not mix it up with the “Quintenzirkel”)?

[@renematei708]

Circle of fifth sequence?

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Pheeww... I dunno, I always thought it's somewhat synonymous, which is rather strange for germans!

[@someguy5261]

Cheeky bastard, love it.

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

LOL thanks man! :DDD

[@herbertgersterer2915]

i barely understand half of it but your videos are very nice!

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

Thx Herbert, your name sounds German though... Also: vielen Dank! :D

[@PaPa-kr5yt]

Hi Handel? The Passacaglia from HWV432?

[@DuarteDomingues_Official]

You should have the harpsichord lid always open when you are playing.

[@en-blanc-et-noir]

next time :D