How to Practice a Bach Fugue

Some practice tips on Bach's C minor fugue from Well-Tempered Clavier Book I!
©2021 Jennifer Nicole Campbell. All rights reserved.

[@kbrinckmeier]

Great job, kollegue!!! Greetings Konrad

[@profsjp]

Fascinating - definitely angelic 🌞

[@paulburke2270]

Thank you so much! I just learned this Fugue. These practice tips are very helpful. God bless

[@JNCPiano]

Thanks again Paul ! Many blessings ! 🙏🏻🎶🙂

[@tonywhetton9015]

Thanks Jennifer ! I play (played) the prelude which wasn’t easy, and have interest in the fugue - also not easy. Thank for your insight ! Tony.

[@JNCPiano]

Thank you so much for your comment, Tony! I'm glad you found it helpful 🙂 Gratefully, Jennifer

[@MichellPianoIsland]

Great video

[@JNCPiano]

Thanks so much!

[@heidegger101]

excellent

[@JNCPiano]

Thank you so much! 🙂

[@jacobplaysthepiano130]

This is super helpful. I've saved this video for the next time I work on a fugue!

[@JNCPiano]

I'm so glad you watched and found it helpful, Jacob! Thanks so much 🙂

[@zuheyr1]

Thank you so much nut could you separately give the sheet music of analysis, like separate voices, key changes, subjects, etc

[@JNCPiano]

Thanks for watching! Although my own sheet music is full of analysis it's probably not all that readable and looks more like chicken scratch (gotta work on that!)! I'd highly recommend checking out the following: www.earsense.org/Earsense/WTC/index.html

[@zuheyr1]

@@JNCPiano you are fantastic, the link is amazing

[@JNCPiano]

@@zuheyr1 Wonderful I'm so glad!

[@MichellPianoIsland]

Hi Jennifer, do you perhaps have any more tips or ideas for JS Bach or any Baroque period piece Articulation & Dynamics in accordance with the principles of Baroque performance practice?

[@JNCPiano]

Hi there! I do have some suggestions I’ll work on putting together a video the next two months - any particular pieces?

[@gunmenow]

Do you practice it vertically or horizontally? Meaning do you follow multiple melodic lines or you only focus on current bars you are playing?

[@zuheyr1]

How do you distinguish the main theme and the others between the voices? Is there a rule, like main theme is always bass or soprano etc?thanks so very much

[@JNCPiano]

Great question! Often as a 'rule' I was taught it's best to always have the main fugue subject/theme to be the most present in the texture (other voices slightly less loud). That being said, I sometimes like bringing out some of the unusual counterpoint or countersubjects within the fugue. Whenever the bass has the subject, however, I really do enjoy bringing that out. Each fugue is different! The subject/main theme will switch between all the voices (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass) typically. Hope that answers your question? Do let me know!

[@josephslotnick4516]

Which Bach Fugue are you using for demonstration?

[@JNCPiano]

C minor from book I :-)

[@josephslotnick4516]

Ok I found it.

[@JNCPiano]

Great!