Víkingur Ólafsson - Bach: Prelude in C minor, BWV 847 (The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I., No. 2)

Víkingur Ólafsson is a musical free spirit with a mission. Ólafsson’s second Deutsche Grammophon album, the pithily entitled Bach, contains a mixture of original works and transcriptions, which the pianist has woven together in intriguing style. “It would all mean nothing without Bach,” says Ólafsson. Having studied his music intensively, he here casts new light on some of the composer’s many different faces. Excerpts from the Well-Tempered Clavier such as the Prelude and Fugue in E minor, BWV 855 or contrapuntal gems such as the Sinfonia No. 15 in B minor, BWV 801 showcase him as, in Ólafsson’s words, “the master of the short story”, while the larger-scale but playful Aria variata, BWV 989 forms the structural heart of the album.
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Víkingur Ólafsson - Bach: Prelude in C minor, BWV 847 (The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book I., No. 2)
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#VíkingurÓlafsson #Piano #Bach

[@ClaptonDennis]

Wow, best performance of this piece ever what I listened. Outstanding, great dynamics, Vikingur is an awesome talent.

[@olivierfritzfeller7654]

Tellement magnifique. Incroyable. Sublime. Bravo. Merci. Cordialement. Olivier F

[@jeremyborrega8212]

Juste magnifique: vitesse parfaite, aucune hésitation, une grande maîtrise.

[@rik-keymusic160]

His articulation is superb!! 😮

[@ichtisek]

Yes!

[@cldavis33]

Hell yes- I love Thomas Swan's version, but this guy puts some different accents and brings out different harmonic themes. Bach is a freak of a composer. You could accent many things and it has a different sound. I play this everyday, and it's harmonically very deep and wonderful.

[@tormagnussen]

Merkilegt! Takk fyrir frábæra frammistöðu, Víkingur

[@goranklaren]

Beautiful! Love the tempi and the extremely high attention to details.

[@bakuto.1055]

Tempo*

[@johnbeuck]

@@bakuto.1055 0:57 / 1:08 / 1:16

[@bakuto.1055]

@@johnbeuck ?

[@johnbeuck]

@@bakuto.1055 these are the tempo changes in the piece. So using the plural was correct.

[@matteom8818]

@@johnbeucki'm italian and "tempi" it's perfect 👍

[@cebennett11]

Magnificent musical artistry! Thank you for the gift from God!

[@user-cg1ih5ys6r]

Спасибо. Очень нравится эта часть ХТК.

[@kevinkazakevich5766]

The Prelude and Fugue in E minor BVW 855 is a different piece and he does a amazing performance on the piano transcription. I did not know such beautiful music existed.

[@all1964]

I 'm studying this one now 😊 so perfect👌

[@Backtomonarchy]

All me too....

[@Twilight55685]

Same

[@cooltheboi8688]

Me too

[@arcadiobenyahiakouider6656]

guys are u down to create a piano group to debate about anything we want

[@nightbringer6066]

@@arcadiobenyahiakouider6656 im a little late but i'd love to

[@karennoble1168]

Beautifully played AND with great class AND sensitivity. Extraordinaly talented young man! Beautiful hands.

[@BlancrouKiki]

All the family loves your performance . Great Sound Man .

[@levylam8880]

Uhhh... where’s the Fugue???

[@user-ll9xt5pq6u]

What's the Fugue????

[@FelixErlan]

here is kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXi5fWiga6d4gdU

[@derandere4965]

It follows right behind. No wait - it's run away. After all, it's a fugue.

[@JerryEboy69]

there is a video of him playing the full piece

[@RomanIDrozd]

Absolutely the best performance. First of all the tempo and very logic dynamic. CONGRATULATIONS.

[@classical.pianist]

Clean, steady, unique, focused. Very fine execution.

[@vvalhmont55]

Yes. But cold. Something's missing

[@classical.pianist]

@@vvalhmont55 C minor isn't a particularly warm key. Now, if the C major prelude were cold, that would be upsetting.

[@JerryEboy69]

@@vvalhmont55 The fugue. That's what. The actual playing didn't feel empty; try out his full recording (includes the fugue)

[@sinasaidi5882]

Beautifully rendered in high tempo...bravo

[@mrdupeep]

Beautiful

[@kapuzinergruft]

Großartig und agil, ein gehetztes Schneetreiben über einem Feld.

[@tormagnussen]

Спасибо, Викингур!

[@antonioperillo1182]

FABULOUS PRELUDE AND MASTERPIECE OF INTERPRETATION!!!!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@Utroll]

Propre. Implacablement joué.

[@mandadadudu]

Magnificent!!!

[@rayoflight62]

Æxecutio Magistralis !!! What more to say. The chair is wonderfully attuned with the rest of the environment. Bravo Maestro Vikingur...

[@madwoman8297]

Wow, just wow!❤

[@samibenorman9154]

I really like this version.

[@MrInterestingthings]

His voicing is wonderful and the accents.Remarkable way of sounding this one . I 'd love to hear his shaping and sounds in the fugue ? It makes more sense his way . Now lets hear Rosalyn Tureck ! I dislike other keyboards but Pinnock and the one who conducts now Ton Koopman breathe music !

[@julianmanjarres1998]

Bill Evans looking as young as ever

[@kamiltamiola2066]

Simply breathtaking.

[@chofas737]

Increíble!

[@rajeshmohanty2070]

Your album is soo good!! Well received as well!!!

[@victorlloyd5271]

Is the fugue on the album?

[@dmswan3172]

Stunning oerformanceM🎹🌹🎹

[@ciscoviking4209]

Sublime !!!!

[@alakabetz]

amazing playing.

[@user-bq6br4bk1z]

Er hat Bach verstanden. Spielt besser, als alle andere Pianisten.

[@antonioperillo1182]

The sound of this grand piano is excellent and it couldn't be different: it's her Majesty Steinway and sons!!!!

[@hamzahidris7201]

I wonder how to bring such a beautiful voice ...

[@jacksoncrist3984]

Ok... I understand if you don’t play the fugue but you can’t title the video Prelude and FUGUE! Just call it Prelude in c minor lol 😂

[@eduardemanuelprindii5602]

Idk but i dont find the word "fugue" in the title

[@markusang]

@@eduardemanuelprindii5602 it got changed

[@Zimzamzoom95]

@@LoquaciousLemonade it used to. they changed the title, presumably after seeing this comment.

[@Jorgereflexivo]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eXi5fWiga6d4gdU

[@jacksoncrist3984]

@@Zimzamzoom95 yea they changed the name of the video 😂 it used to say prelude and fugue

[@romeozulu57]

Very good playing indeed !

[@larysayevdokymova-rizk6036]

Bach leggiero ⚜️beautiful

[@andrearodigari4840]

The best performance ever.

[@LangKuoch]

Incredible performance and musicality aside, Vikingur is a heck of a cool name

[@gillmahoney4742]

Myvery first peice of music that i ever learn, not even scales

[@femalehitchhikersguidetoth8990]

This song is my mind racing

[@erikarommel]

Fitting piece for Jeanne to warn Werner in "Le Silence De La Mer".

[@ichtisek]

Perfect😮❤

[@PatrickDieterKlavier]

Yes! GREAT!

[@usertyfoon]

Impressed!

[@lydiausou3907]

i was like, "WOooh he played both Prelude and Fugue under 2 minutes? Let's see how fast is this guy!!" but there he is... with just the prelude. lol Anyway nice playing!

[@kuzey2791]

Lmao me too

[@lydiausou3907]

Ku Zey you feel me lol

[@kuzey2791]

@@lydiausou3907 if Sokolov played this he could play it under 2 minutes

[@eugenelevin9809]

@@kuzey2791 You know Sokolov has recorded 847 right

[@femalehitchhikersguidetoth8990]

That intro tho

[@jakelolzhaha]

Every time you blink, you move forward in time. Could be a second. Could be five years

[@karlheinzivanessamov1230]

Bravo .Mr

[@mous3y490]

nice to see you here mr. gould’s chair.

[@michaelli3190]

Fresh, new and convincing!

[@reallynotpc]

Silent in admiration!

[@marksmith3947]

Nice that he doesn't bang out this prelude like almost everyone else

[@Prfghevgkka]

Perfect

[@MrInterestingthings]

How does he make all yhose sound levels in just the prelude. I can't I'm a gine his fugue!

[@thetruth4865]

gr8 interpretation

[@michaelberkovsky7474]

Bravo old pal!

[@N_talltrees]

My favorite prelude. Mathematical and driving.

[@mikrokosmiko1]

magnificent

[@michaelhanrahanmoore1622]

My favourite version is by horowitz but this is good. I agree with the comment about too much reverb. I also like bach very dry.

[@Engineer9736]

Was this a piano test to see how quick the keys can respond?

[@andrestruus5475]

Superilus!

[@marinatai9527]

Bravooo

[@paulgonzalez5957]

Wow🥳

[@captaintimebomb1994]

Well there’s no Fugue Lol

[@margitrobertet9780]

It's on his spotify

[@laurentkompf5638]

La perfection

[@anaisbordes609]

Je suis fan de ce morceau ...👌😊

[@nss4472]

It was rather magic till the moment when he started to mark every 5th...😳😢 Anyway: great crescendos, I truly like that! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@MMMMCMLXXXII]

When he marks the 5th😳😳

[@yeahyes3615]

Uhhuh never mark the fifth right 😳 his body movements werent the only thing he did incorrect(ly), that fifth got marked butchu cant do that, the judges wont like you, botches your songs in competitions. Next time i go, i’ll remember only to make like, 3 fifths but not every one

[@toohuman2]

Can you clarify what you mean by marking the 5th?

[@shengxu4020]

@@toohuman2basically accenting the fifth finger 00:40

[@nitro_elit349]

Nice

[@LouisManofMusic]

Beautiful rendition! Who did the video work?

[@wwbdwwbd]

Víkingur Ólafsson? Possibly the most Nordic name ever.

[@wuxb45]

A tribute to Glenn Gould❤

[@mikkoeskola2113]

I have heard this often and also at a slow, tempo🤔

[@jriquelmem]

I had to fasten my seat belt... 😀

[@michelinevinicius1402]

Superb, but why would he skip the trill at the end? shockingly modern. =)

[@FABIO_MARTINSS]

Wow , I can almost hear a "poliphonic" pattern with the higher note of the chord singing a 'melody" and a secondary 8th's notes arpeggio (both right hands) within the 16's notes arpeggio

[@yeahyes3615]

?

[@FABIO_MARTINSS]

@@yeahyes3615 @Yeah Yes right hand highest notes in half notes values : C.... C...... Ab......Ab.... B.... B.... C.... C...... Eb......Eb.....D....D....etc. Arpeggio medium region in eight notes values : (rest eight note) D C D :// (rest eight note) F C F :// (rest eight...) Eb D Eb :// Etc. And The Arpeggio in 16 notes values itself, without The highest note melody

[@Backtomonarchy]

What a talent!!!! Then I listened to Glenn Gould, and I understand.... 😀

[@palladin331]

Olafsson's tempo is twice as fast as Gould's, although Gould quickens the runs in the cadenza. This is a great example of how great Bach's music is. It is not restricted to tempo, articulation, instrumentation or anything else; no other composer has accomplished this level of genius.

[@Backtomonarchy]

palladin331 agree.... Still my favorite version is that of Marcin Dabrowski.... simply the best.

[@shirleyxialei9773]

Where da fugue go?

[@robweiss12]

i dont know

[@rubiksmaster301]

Where's the Fugue? It says "Fugue" in the title

[@ankontini]

How can we be sure that Bach meant this to be played that fast? In ballet we use it in a much slower tempo.

[@Kvs6263]

It is ment to be played with allegro vivace (about 144 beats)

[@Qee7en]

We don't. But then again, we don't know he wanted it slower either.

[@FunSketchMovies]

ankontini it does not matter.. if it sounds good, it is good

[@davidowen1408]

In my experience most classical pieces are played slower for ballet but that doesn't necessarily mean fast is wrong It's more a question of how well it is played and how convincing the artist in conveying the interpretation. This IS convincing.

[@tomlabooks3263]

@@Kvs6263 based on what?

[@kuiperroerdink1670]

Where’s the fugue?

[@a.wilson1979]

❤👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@user-yw9mw9hv8o]

where the fugue

[@tormagnussen]

Hraðinn og tæknin eru fullkomin

[@eyan1012]

L to the OG A-N he playing

[@sultanvoices]

I love this rendition. There is something of the Richter's rendition in this piece - more delicate, but still quite propulsive at the same time, a quiet, more introspective kind of intensity. The album cover also reminds me of Thelonious Monk's 'Brilliant Corners', for both this album and the accompanying 'Bach Reworks pt.1' (which I quite like as well). I wonder if this is an intentional nod in terms of art direction?

[@jaekn]

I felt the tempo was a bit too rapid and the voices don't really sing out enough.

[@mrelizeus2261]

There is not fugue but the praeludium is pretty good damn

[@marcelomarquescosta]

Looks like Hans Zimmer Batman Begins/The Dark Knight music theme.

[@alexkuzmin344]

Is the stool he uses a reference to Gould?

[@orbo4438]

Bruh where the fugue at

[@tubevalix]

Belle interprétation, pourquoi toues ces plans, ces changements de caméra, ces mouvements ?

[@ofri6309]

Where is the Fugue?

[@bruimprov]

One of my favorite upcoming Bach pianists. He understands Bach whose music is very difficult to play because of the balance of the voices. I uploaded an atonal improvisation of this piece,

[@MattiaLucchesiMattiaMusic]

la fuga è fuggita

[@lunasole3858]

Brawo 👍

[@gillmahoney4742]

If you were really honourable you give that information freely for all, for hose who cant afford i

[@misterfunnybones]

Jeff Berlin.