I Only Get 3 Hours to Practice Bach's BWV 543. Then Record It For Real.

I challenged myself to learn J.S.Bach's famous Prelude and Fugue in A minor, BWV 543 in 3 hours from scratch and then record the result. Will I succeed?
0:00 this challenge explained
0:32 why this challenge?
1:05 start of practicing
1:16 why this organ sounds like a vacuum cleaner when switched on
2:03 Organ shoes
6:04 travelling to the Contiusorgan in Leuven
8:14 switching the Contius organ on
8:28 choice of stops for the Bach Prelude & Fugue
11:40 Live Recording of J.S.Bach Prelude & Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543
23:27: what did I learn?
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[@pokerandphilosophy8328]

I think Wim played it perfectly and it's very nice of him to have marked with a red circle every place in the score where Bach made a mistake.

[@AuthenticSound]

That's by far the best description of mistakes I've ever heard :-) Epic!

[@dougr.2398]

This comment made me laugh aloud! Thank you!!

[@dansnow2197]

A truly amazing video. And to think that the writer, director, producer, actor, cameraman, recording engineer, and editor is the same person who learned this difficult piece in three hours then recorded it live. It should be nominated for an Oscar in the short documentary category. It would win.

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you for the lovely words, Dan - the Oscar nomination would take too much of my time right now though, so much to do!

[@achaley4186]

Wim and family! CONGRATULATIONS! This was magnificent! I loved it in every aspect, visually, storyline, artistic value, shots of playing, feet playing and score….I learned a lot about the feet just by watching…it looks to me that one could consider the feet as two fingers! I also see how you got leverage with your body by placing your feet in the back rail of the bench at times. Playing was excellent. Hallelujah Wim! I hope this video earns you many more Patreons and subscribers! ⭐️🙂⭐️❤️⭐️🙏🏼⭐️

[@anjaschouteden6749]

thx AC, it was a mega challenge

[@dantrizz]

That was a really enjoyable performance. So glad to see your organ skills on such a fine beast of an instrument

[@herrdoktorjohan]

Congratulations Wim. You managed to do an impressive job with this piece with just 3 hours of practice. The insights into how you went about it are very much appreciated as well, as well as the cameo by the one and only Sibo.

[@michaelschwaiger8071]

I really love the style of this video! I very much liked the short explanations - the shoes, the organs, the reed stops, the different registrations etc. Great!

[@AuthenticSound]

Great to read Michael!

[@handavid6421]

This new style is very refreshing!

[@AuthenticSound]

Great to read!

[@NikhilHoganShow]

Great video, Wim. I appreciate all the effort that went into the production of this video, not only the nice playing as well. Like the variety of content too, keep it up.

[@AuthenticSound]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@joemess98036yahoo]

Not finished yet, but your performance so far is fabulous and that is a magically great sounding organ.

[@davidmay3443]

Perfect! Amazing! I just can’t stop watching your performance, I love so much this piece. Thank you!

[@susankinney5193]

Wow, finally finished the 3 hour video on Patreon... took this long as I was only able to watch in bits and pieces here and there, but yep, finished the whole 3 hr video this morning, and now this video is even more amazing than it was the first time I watched it! Plus, having gone from never hearing this piece at all to hearing it practiced for 3 hours and then hearing this, I'm in love with this piece! Thanks for sharing all of it!! 😊

[@AuthenticSound]

Wow, thanks!

[@rlunger1]

Best piece EVER, and great introduction to the INSTRUMENT for newbies!!! Ross

[@kandelz]

What an amazing and underrated video!

[@lesgibson969]

Such a cool video. Thank you.

[@lluisrafalessole-classical5068]

Excellent Work 🎹👏

[@susankinney5193]

Amazing job with fantastic visuals. Organ playing not too bad either! lol...This looked like a lot of work but it also looked fun to make. Hope to see more like these! Tell the family we said hey!

[@MootPoot]

glad this was recommended to me! good stuff

[@edwardyee3603]

Bravo! Very astonishing especially the fugue in 3 hours and on a new instrument! Congratulations!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks a lot!

[@alvaro_gavilan_rojas]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the great BWV 543. Warm video!

[@pauldoan180]

Bravo , great footwork. I'm happy you included the footage of your feet .

[@dllively7771]

Last 20 bars of the fuge was my earworm last night. I just happened by this video. A great learning tool on a number of levels. Wonderful Wonderful Wonderful performance. Thank you I am subscribing to your channel here and on Patreon. Thank you. don

[@aidan-hill]

I remember learning this Prelude and Fugue and thinking that I learned it pretty quick in two weeks time - this was a fun challenge to watch! And I'm glad to see others showcasing this kind of "start to finish" process of learning a piece - I just recently posted something very similar to this on my own channel for Messiaen's L'Ascension, albeit spread out over a much longer period of time than 3 hours!

[@AuthenticSound]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@antoniavignera2339]

Fantastico! Tarara’con i mantici antichi ,non dico del periodo di Bach..Che meraviglia vorrei essere presente per ammirare questa performance,mio marito dice ringrazia Wim che ti da la possibilità di seguire .Chiarezza di suono ,acustica perfetta che dire sentiti complimenti e grazie

[@benjamMin278]

OK! This sounds like J.S. Bach’s last work on the Organ…WOW! Fantastichkeit!!! I loved every second. It’s like landing on clouds and I was most assertively transported to heaven through your playing with the wonderful chords et al. My only wish is that I had speakers at this moment to enjoy it that much more. (sigh)

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks for watching! The piece is amazing indeed and yet... a very "young" work! Bach's maturity on a young age is stunning

[@benjamMin278]

@@AuthenticSound Amen!

[@utube4andydent]

This piece of music is played at the beginning of an Inspector Morse programme. “Service of all the dead” it’s quite an impressive performance and fits in with the story. It’s worth a watch just for this.

[@AuthenticSound]

thanks!

[@VladVexler]

This is a wonderful video.

[@SamuelJFord]

Remarkable. I'm learning this and I'm only just starting the fugue after a week - on piano mind you!

[@astian_sebus]

Often I ask myself: "What is your favourite type of organ?" North-German-Baroque, Middle-German-Baroque, South-German-Baroque, French-Baroque, Baroque Organs from the Netherlands, German-Romantic, French-Romantic, English-Romantic, ... It changes truly from day to day, from mood to mood, from piece to piece (obviousely). In the end, I can't tell. Yesterday I would've said, if somebody had asked me "Romantic Organs overall". Today, after hearing this magnificent organ played this well (after 3h of practising !!!), I would say "Today it's a baroque day." Tomorrow, this might change again...

[@user-xe2mo4fm2h]

Thats a challenge worth changing your identy and leaving the country for. Chappaeux! Thats my all time favourite Bach piece - trying to learn a heavily shorted transcription on my bass guitar - nearer 3 months for me - 3 hours! A real privilage to see behind the scenes of an organ performance

[@musicalintentions]

Bravo!

[@harryjoseph1802]

Wonderful to 'see' a work in progress. Ofcourse there's the proverbial 10,000 hours before the 3- hour challenge, even so it's staggering but surely a labour of love. To me, sir, no human activity even comes close or compares with this kind of 'training and execution'. Your videos are very down to earth & will encourage aspiring musicians a lot. I look forward to your recording of Bach's Six-Pack, the Organ Trio Sonatas BWV 525-530 in a like manner... Would've loved to see Bach's manuscript!

[@AuthenticSound]

I still have a few trio sonatas to do - I'll think about a format to put one of them in this video format though 3 hours is not enough for even one movement, the level of coördination expected in a trio sonata requires time to "settle". Thanks for suggesting it!

[@flavio5051]

you are amazing, Thanks for sharing.

[@miguelsalgueiropiano8003]

OMG, the sound of the organs are so diferent, i could hear both they are amazing

[@davidmay3443]

3 hours? 😳 I don't have access to an organ so I practice this piece in a little keyboard that I have and I have been practicing over 2 years 😂

[@TheBony45]

I need to challenge myself like this too

[@user-xb3tl9uw2j]

Its the best version what i ever heard!

[@wolkowy1]

Excellent! Bravo! - this new-style of upload is very well constructed and full of positive energy. In fact, it will force me to look and hear it several times, each - for focussing on another aspect. For myself, I was interested in following your own fingering written with your hand-writing on the musical-sheet, but then I missed the beautiful church (by the way, I suggest slowing a bit the camera movements), your feet-working on the pedals which must be very interesting (even though I'm not an organ-player), etc. I'm happy to know that each one of your audience will find his own 1st place of interest, and then will be 'forced' (in the positive meaning of the word) to look and hear it again and again. From the musical point of view, I would suggest, if I may, to slow a little bit the tempo of the Prelude as well as the Fugue, and to stay longer on the final chords. It will sound more impressive. As for the registration of the Prelude, I suggest to add a sharp 4' for the hands, or moderate somehow the long pedal-points in the foot, because they cover the sounds of the upper voices. Thanks a lot for this most fine upload, and all the best for the future up-coming uploads.

[@pobinr]

Lovely to hear this magnificent fugue played at a lower tempo than one normally hears. Many people play Bach too fast. It's complex music. Not appropriate to play fast. I'm no expert but your playing sounds perfect to me. Fascinating visually too

[@johnsilverton639]

James and Peter Conacher were brothers of Scottish ancestry. They were partners until Conachers got the contract to remove the Father Willis organ from the Albert Hall Newport in Wales and install it in the newly built Town Hall in Huddersfield.This was on the advice of the great English teacher and player Sir Walter Parratt who was born in Huddersfield. Peter Conacher was unable to carry out the contract as he was also an Huddersfield Town Councillor so to avoid a conflict of interests his brother James formed his own company and installed the organ. There are many small James Conacher organs here in Yorkshire. They are very charming. You are so lucky to have one in your home.

[@AuthenticSound]

My organ origins from Huddersfield!

[@johnsilverton639]

@@AuthenticSound You are so lucky to have it in your home. James had worked in France with Cavaille Coll and his organs had a more French sound than Peters who had worked in Germany with Schulze

[@michaelnancyamsden7410]

Back again. This video is great. Wondered where you got the organ shoes.Love this music.

[@AuthenticSound]

Amsterdam, www.danswinkel.nl/schoenen-voor-muzikanten/orgel-schoenen

[@fredhoupt4078]

Bravo.

[@ArtVanAuggie]

I'm thanking ghod you didn't try and turn this into the Grand Prix. I heard too many organists try and cover up mistakes with speed. I can't believe that with the instruments of his time, Bach was playing at the speed of light. All trackers are one-offs and play very differently. I was surprised how well you did with such limited practice sessions, especially the performance instrument. Bravo.

[@gwojcieszczuk]

Love it.

[@timotheuspeter734]

Great challenge and great success! I must say that the fugue is one of my absolute favourite ones by Bach with a (to me) quite distinctive feel. Thanks a lot, that was nice to watch.

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you very much!

[@DanielFerreira-ep6dq]

Great!

[@Renshen1957]

I would love to hear the A minor Fugue from the Well Tempered Clavier Part I as written on your Haus Orgel. For a good part of J S Bach’s career the organ at his disposal until his move to Leipzig had similar resources.

[@CR33SIVE]

Amazing

[@farahmohammed1963]

Wowwowwow!! What a truly amazing feat! Bravo to you for accomplishing such an arduous task!!🌺 By the way, was that inside your home in the beginning of the video? How absolutely lovely, with all your beautiful instruments!! Thank you for this fascinating video! I loved how you demonstrated you practice technique, traveling to the church, and showing footage of that gorgeous organ!! Really appreciated following along in the score too. Showing us this whole process was absolutely riveting!! Congratulations!!🌺😊💕🎶

[@AuthenticSound]

glad you enjoyed the video! Yes, that was inside our house

[@charlesbyrne5594]

Makes piano virtuosity look like child's play!

[@fredrodriguez3913]

Watching this was super stressful for me, as someone with performance anxiety. I’m absolutely amazed at your ability to meet such a seemingly impossible challenge. I’ve attended recitals by performers who had months to prepare, who may not have sustained the same momentum, confidence, and even accuracy.

[@AuthenticSound]

where would you anxiety come from? It should be fixable!

[@fredrodriguez3913]

@@AuthenticSound I like your optimism! More practice, I suppose ;-)

[@fiat2081]

Wow, very nicely done! 3 hours of hard work can do marvels… Just a heads up: 7 bars before the end of the prelude the hands enter one beat later (easy to miss, I only realized that after a month playing it)

[@dougr.2398]

My Great Highland Bagpipe teacher (and others) referred to what you call “motor memory” as “kinetic memory”. Same thing!

[@michaelnancyamsden7410]

Thank you. This is great. Loved seeing everyone.

[@AuthenticSound]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mirceachiriac3610]

Amazing! Thank you for your dedication to this wonderful music.

[@AuthenticSound]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@Renshen1957]

I like the mysterious beginning, then the fulll organ just before the pedal enters.

[@chegadesalzburg]

Congratulations, amazing work!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks a lot!

[@emefcue]

I blast this from my car. Thank you!!

[@dougr.2398]

What is your expert opinion of the organ shoes with the “cleft” up the center of the sole of the shoe? Facilitation or too easy to snag on a pedal key? Cloven hoof or kosher shoe? Of course the thin sole of a dancing styled shoe gives greater sensitivity to the pedal key

[@AuthenticSound]

I never heard about these alternative shoes to be honest. Just correct position and a form of shoe that is as slim as possible is the best way to (hopefully) play as little wrong notes as possible

[@watchmakerful]

Really amazing! And one question. Why is this organ tuned about one semitone higher than modern pianos? And more than a full tone higher than the clavichords in most videos on this channel. Was this tuning common during that era?

[@charliegold3227]

You are inspirational, funny and helpful. That’s impressive

[@AuthenticSound]

So glad this was helpful!

[@anibalconcha6612]

That was GREAT!

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you!

[@Clavichordist]

Wow what a challenging piece and so short a time to put everything together. This like the 72 oz. (1.8 kg) challenge at the Big Texan Steakhouse in Amarillo, Texas where a whole meal including this large steak has to be consumed in 30 minutes! But seriously, from my experience I find it's these kinds of situations mean our attention to detail is higher and we accomplish a lot in that short time with some of my best playing coming from quick learning then performance later such as when I did accompaniment work. The pieces weren't as monumental as this one, but the work was the same and it all paid off in the end. I only wish I could apply that level of focus daily in my practicing, but you know how that goes. I agree knowing the lay of the land, recognizing notes, patterns, and slow practice even under time constraints really makes the difference. In the prelude, I noticed a descending pattern in the left hand that is imitated in the pedal at various points with each being a next step lower. Is it possible to bring this out a bit more on the organ, or is it too much work? Seeing this I know how I would handle these places on the clavichord and piano.

[@EdnerLopes]

Thank you for this, mister! You're an inspiration. Regards from Brazil.

[@AuthenticSound]

My pleasure!

[@antoniavignera2339]

Auguro una splendida performance!!!

[@lshin80]

Bravo! And brava to Anja for bearing with you 🤣🤣

[@PryahinFoto]

great! i spend 1 month to learn only one little prelude! I wish i will spend 1 week but 3 hourse it will be imposible for me forewer!

[@AuthenticSound]

But good and focused practice can save you lots of time, I'll come back on that in the future!

[@remi-chapalain]

Awesome performance ! Bravo !

[@ColinHarvey78]

Love this video - but why do you separate the downbeat from the second quaver in the fugue subject? It gives precedence to the 2nd quaver over the downbeat

[@ColinHarvey78]

Although I have to say - superb performance! I particularly admire the way you handle the demisemiquaver passage at the end - the rhythmic tactus is beautifully maintained throughout - including the 6ths - beautiful stuff! I’ve heard many professional commercial recordings which commit many far worse sins. Well done 👏 👏👏👏

[@EwicoCylinder]

Now that's a really interessting challenge to try. Of course impossible, but it was so much fun to wach. I really love and enjoy this Bach piece. Especially the Prelude because it is so calm. I'm just not a fan of the choice of your registrations, i like it more to start really soft and build it up slowly. I think that couldn't be prepared in 3 hours, but there could be possible found a great registration that's not to loud or to soft. Something in between could be a great match for it. Would it be okay to ask where you got those organ shoes from, because the one i have are in the middle way to large and it its really uncomfortable to play like this. I hope to see more from you playing on the organ in the Future.

[@AuthenticSound]

I bought them in Amsterdam: www.danswinkelamsterdam.nl/orgel-schoenen-kopen-in-amsterdam/

[@EwicoCylinder]

@@AuthenticSound Thank you a lot for your answer.

[@map-reduce]

3 hours of practice for Wim is 6 hours for everyone else! (Sorry, I couldn't resist the joke, but I do respect his theories and ideas!)

[@AuthenticSound]

Unfortunately these three hourse were in single beat... I wish otherwise though :-) - thanks for watching!

[@chronos3605]

I understand that in keyboard instruments the touch is different but l can't help but ask, compared to a piano, how heavy is the keyboard of a harpsichord and an acoustic organ ?

[@AuthenticSound]

It depends, in Leuven it is pretty heavy, much more than a modern piano in fact, it is a matter of being relaxed in combination with arm weight

[@diegopenablamey2742]

Astonished, have you ever played the piece before in some other time of your life? 😄

[@AuthenticSound]

no i haven't, it's a matter of focus and good practicing method!

[@diegopenablamey2742]

@@AuthenticSound i think that's very awesome. Is there any chance in the future to show us your practice method? it would be very interesting to see. Thanks Wim

[@AuthenticSound]

that's the plan - building also courses and especially bring people together in groups for learning and coaching. much work to do!

[@giussepemusicgaudenzi]

Where is that organ located? Its wonderful

[@jeremypresle3412]

In Leuven, Belgium. Here is a playlist including several other videos of this organ: kzbin.info/aero/PLackZ_5a6IWVxtKoELwedE_qae5YCmLTs

[@ExAnimoPortugal]

Now I want a pipe organ at home.

[@Saturae]

Hoi Wim, Misschien kun je ons uitleggen hoe je precies aan de slag gaat om zo'n stuk in drie uur tijd in te studeren? Wat voor technieken gebruik je?

[@AuthenticSound]

Dat is iets wat ik zeker ook plan om in een soort van cursus te gieten - en in toekomstige challenge videos zal ik hier en daar dieper op ingaan. Het formaat moet zich nog ontwikkelen! bedankt voor je feedback!

[@Saturae]

@@AuthenticSound Graag gedaan. Als ik weer in de buurt van Leuven ben, kom ik een keer kijken/luisteren naar het Contiusorgel :-) Ik ben uit Zuid-Afrika, maar woon tegenwoordig in Nederland. Bedankt nog voor al je filmpjes - ik vind ze echt interessant!

[@Organmannn]

Just amazing

[@AuthenticSound]

Thank you

[@KamilTokarski]

Will you release a vinyl record with your organ recordings?

[@AuthenticSound]

cd will come first, later we'll do a Kickstarter for the vynil

The Prelude is quite easy to play, even I managed to play it as a child, many years ago. The fugue, however, is an entirely different story. It's technically quite difficult, the pedalwork is very challenging, but on top of that it is one of Bach's longest organ fugues. I haven't even attempted to play it properly -- not only because it is technically above my level, but also because I didn't have the patience to read through it all. It would have taken me not 3 hours, but 3 years, and I still wouldn't sound nearly as good as this :D A lovely video! There is just one thing about it that I do not quite like: the background piano music is very distracting and completely unrelated to this... It gives the whole video a "cheap documentary" feel, which I think is out of place here.

[@AuthenticSound]

I didn't know you played the organ as wel Kresimir! I hear you in regard of the background music. As I've learned recently, "something" in the background is so naturally intertwined with video which is true. But using classical music - or the piece itself ) attracts the attention too much.

@@AuthenticSound I played it as a child, quite poorly, at that! Haven't touched it decades. But I still love it, especially when I hear someone plays it well.

[@peteacher52]

Indeed well done! I very much identify with your more relaxed tempo, quite similar to my "discovery" of this work when a teenager in 1963. I bought an LP of Jeanne Demessieux playing it at the Geneva organ. I literally wore it out, not knowing that a sapphire pin had to be changed @ 30 hours! One never tires of this work with repeat hearing. :-)

[@AuthenticSound]

Thanks for listening

[@cmcampbell]

Wow yes I just got one mistake. Incredible. If you did more no idea ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@AuthenticSound]

a LOT more - each red circle is one :-)

[@cmcampbell]

@@AuthenticSound :) sorry I did not know you marked the mistakes I was not paying attention to that. thank you for your reply it is so nice to know you read my comments. I am your fan.

[@dougr.2398]

This makes me want to purchase and read Albert Schweitzer (MD)’s biography of Bach. I might guess you own an historic copy by now?

[@AuthenticSound]

Schweitzer's bio is a great work, though a bit dated these days, as for instance his view on CPEBach and his father's legacy. I would recommend today Chr. Wollf's Bach bio

[@bonnybarfriendly8926]

A great challenge well done !! 👏 Let us know when you play on the west coast!!

[@AuthenticSound]

Will do!!

[@aidansmith2374]

Very impressive! I’m learning this piece right now and you can bet it’s taken more than three hours

[@AuthenticSound]

You can do it!

[@dominichebler5515]

Funny Video! (Maybe only if you know all of Wims work. Is it ment to be funny?) But very nice to watch.

[@michaelschwaiger8071]

I also feel that the 'practice' part is quite lighthearted - but that is not a bad thing...

[@dfspannie]

The wind doesn't bother me. The clacking of the pedals do. Know you cannot do anything about it. But there it is.

[@anjaschouteden6749]

it was quiete a challenge, but I think Wim succeed. Tommorow he will play it on a real concert

[@Pipe-organ-recordings]

Well produced but the best organists living on the face of the earth now could not learn that work cold in 3 hours, particularly the very awkward fugue. I assume you are working this up from learning it long ago?

[@AuthenticSound]

Never played it in my entire life! It comes down to have a clear system, focus, and certainly the pressure of the challenge made me focus!

[@Pipe-organ-recordings]

@@AuthenticSound that is pretty astounding. Could you I request the Dupre Opus 41 for your next 3 hour challenge?

[@bonnybarfriendly8926]

Yes!! Hello to beautiful Sibo!! Such a sweet 🐶 pup!!

[@AuthenticSound]

Sibo deserves a little "boss-fight" after being quite for so long :-)

[@user-xj4cd3uf7f]

Truthfully, how many times did you play this piece over the years, however casually, before you embarked on the three hour performance preparation? There is a lifetime of keyboard playing experience behind those 3 hours. Also, if one who is even at a professional level player like yourself, encounters a truly alien piece of music, an initial crawl-thru of the entire score would be required to build up the requisite experience of that piece so as to be able to go to a concert level performance because of the nagging fingering memorization by repetition which is required. A better test would be to play something out of your experience range and try that as the 3 hour performance prep ;-D

[@timotheeewart3498]

I need two years >_

[@irwingalexisalfaroperez508]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@ericrakestraw664]

I wonder if Bach only took three hours to compose this prelude and fugue.

[@AuthenticSound]

I can imagine he was able to improvise a somewhat less polished version of a work like this

[@ericrakestraw664]

@@AuthenticSound That's what I was thinking, too.

[@profeluisegarcia]

hmmm... it seems organ playing is not a matter of feet and fingers...but buttoks endurance¡

[@caesare1968]

Are you a Bach descendant?

[@laurentc1957]

Mais bien sûr, découverte de la pièce, trajet, combinaisons, accord des jeux… on y croit! N’importe quoi

[@jeremypresle3412]

À prendre comme un compliment j'imagine 🤗

[@cicicooper]

On le voit arrêter et reprendre le chrono qui est activé uniquement pendant qu'il est sur le clavier. Les temps de trajet, accordage etc. ne comptent pas.

[@cicicooper]

+ 10min pour se familiariser avec l'orgue avant la performance, en plus des 3h si j'ai bien compris

[@PipeDreamerJacques]

Took me a whole semester and Wim learned it in 3 hours. 🫠