Bach is Difficult! A Live Q&A for Curious Pianists
Join Dominic today to discuss the music of Bach! Bring your questions, problems and more to get answers and solutions!
Please note the change of time to 12:00pm PT!
Leave any questions below in the chat!
Follow this event link to tune in!
https://app.tonebase.co/piano/live/player/pno-bach-solutions-2025
We are going to be using this thread to gather suggestions and questions!
- What questions do you have on this topic?
- Any particular area you would like me to focus on?
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Tips on how to add extra ornaments especially when repeating a section.
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When first starting out on Bach (e.g. BWV 999), how to practice so that you can memorise the piece, all the notes and subtle changes...
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I wonder if you can speak to the role of extemporazation in Bach (and other Baroque composers), as to both ornamentation and rhythm. For example, when is unwritten ornamentation too much or improper; and am I allowed to decide to prolong the dot after a note while shortening the corresponding following note?
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Can you discuss about prelude and Fuga BWV 855/1 ?
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There is an ornament I would like to play in the B-flat, major Prelude from book 2 of the WTC . I can execute it when simply playing it by itself, but when I play the notes leading into it, I cannot execute it. For the life of me, I can’t figure out what I am doing differently with my hand when I play the preceding notes.
I will post a PDF of the measures in question later, when I get back to the house. And, i will see whether I can make a very short video of my hand position, while playing the ornament by itself, and then with the notes leading into it.
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I posted my questions in another thread but will copy it here.
I have a general question about tempo. In the past, I tend to rush through a piece and try to play at a fast tempo before I am ready. I started practicing at a very slow tempo so I will get all the rhythm and note correctly. I watch your other livestream where you talk about practicing close to your goal tempo with very short section, like 1-2 bars at a time. When I try to do the fast tempo, that is when I realize some of the fingering would not work. Now I have to go back and re-learn the new fingering. And it sounds worse than before and I feel like I am not making much progress. I cannot even get through a few bars at a time.
Question:
1. What practice tempo do you recommend in the early stage of learning a piece? Do you go back and forth with slow, moderate and fast every time you practice?
2. This is my first WTC prelude and fugue (WTC book 2 G major). What tempo do you recommend? I heard some insanely fast tempo and there is no way to get even close.
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rebecca LAM If you have written out your fingering for the Prelude, I'd be happy to look at it. Not sure I can help, but I can try.
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