Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Bach-- most beautiful piece for performance

I would like some suggestions for a November piano party I'm having. Is there a Bach selection that would be most beautiful for others to listen to.

My knowledge of, and experience with, Bach are limited, but I've found that the Fantasy in c minor (BWV 906a) gets people's attention.

Re-reading the question, I'm not sure it qualifies as the most beautiful—but it's grateful and effective, and the crossed-hands passages add an extra dimension of interest to a performance.

what's the hardest piece you can play currently?

I think Bach's Allemande in Partita no.4 is really beautiful and magical..

Here's Glenn Gould playing it .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfFKjgREXJk&mode=related&search=

Apple,

I'm playing Beethoven's Sonatina in F Major, Bach's Prelude in F Major, and Prelude in D Minor.

Given your current level, I would suggest the C minor prelude (BMW 999). Of all the little preludes, it is by far my favorite and is also one of the easiest. If you want to stretch a bit, try the A minor invention. It doesn't need to be lighting fast in order to be pretty.

Ted

The aria from the Goldberg variations is lovely and not too difficult.

As well as tthe Aria, the 24th variation (Goldbergs) is one of my fave Bach pieces form a "beautiful" pov.

If you want something really popular, how about Badinerie from suite 1067 (originally for flute and orchestra)? Arrangements range from relatively easy solo piano transcription (I have one, PM me if you need it) to arrangements for 2 piano like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Orchestr..._tracks_all_1/002-9318456-6939225#disc_1

Regards,

both prelude 1 and 2 (c major and c minor) from WTC1 would sound beautiful for any occasion. also, prelude 20 in a minor (WTC1), a dance piece, is good too. they're all relatively not very difficult to play.

I have copies of Prelude in C Major, Invention 2 Part XIII in A minor, Goldberg Aria, and Badinerie.
I love Goldberg's Aria but will sight read through the others and find one that I might be able to play before November.

I'm going to find a copy of Prelude in C Minor. I can play Prelude in C Major better than the others. I'm looking for A Minor Prelude too.

Any other ideas on Bach selections?

you can also try 2-part invention 13, a very beautiful piece.

Thanks, Signa
I'm off to the music store today to pick up a few more of these suggestions. I have spent quite a bit of time on his 2 part Invention No. 14 in B Flat major.

might as well buy the Sinfonias and Inventions (or 2 and 3 part inventions) sold together often.

there are some gorgeous pieces - Sinfonias 2, 3 and 5 are something else. The Goldberg aria is one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful of Bach's pieces but difficult, very difficult to play well.

Siciliano from BVW 1031? Stunning.

i agree with apple*, that sinfonia 2 is very beautiful. when i was learning and playing it, i felt touched by it.

Joangolfing-- Are you referring to the Prelude in C minor from the WTC BkI? If so, it is not one of the easiest to learn. The Presto section is quite difficult.

However, you may be much more advanced than I am and may not have any problems with it.

It is a beautiful compostion, and as you have until November to learn it, do give it a try. Gaby Tu

I now have the Sinfonias and 2 part inventions, CMajor and CMinor Little Preludes, Simplified Goldberg Aria, Badinerie, and Fantasia in C Minor.

I will be playing through them tonight to see which ones seem possible for me to play.

Gabytu, I think the Prelude in C Minor that I have must be a different piece, because this one seems quite easy.

I can't wait to try the Sinfonia #2.

Signa and Apple,

After playing through my newly collected Bach pieces I am drawn to the Sinfonia #2. I will be working on that one until my next lesson and find out what my piano teacher has to say about it.

LaValve, I listened to "Siciliano" and it indeed is very beautiful.

I will continue on with 4 preludes--FMaj, DMin, CMaj, CMin, my 10 simple memorized pieces, Beethoven's Sonatina in F Major, Andre Gagnon's Comme, and David Nevue's A Moment Lost.

I'm having the 100th birthday party for my Everett piano(1907)in November and inviting my piano teacher, her piano teacher, my piano tuner, and my 2 sisters. We are all playing selections that we love. My piano teacher's teacher is a Bach genius and I wanted some special Bach piece for that event.

only after a skinfull...

Nice idea a piano birthday party - it can even play happy birthday to itself...

LaValse,

Sorry about misspelling your name!!!!

I thought it was pretty funny, and considering the state I' in tonight faily appropriate - this european lager just goes straight through you...

Anyone have a recording of C Minor Prelude? I have never heard of it.

I'm so happy to see that you invited your tuner to the party

Norma

that Sinfonia is TRICKY... just when I think I have it down, one of the running scales eludes me.. or the couple sets of difficult trills above the melody carried by the thumb and index finger trip me up. The first of those trills is measure 7. It has taken me an inordinately long time to learn and I am still not finished.

it's a gorgeous, intricate piece.. worthy of any pianist.

Sometimes I worry that when we start talking about Bach preludes, we are not talking about the same thing. The ones that are usually recorded or performed in concert are the preludes and fugues from the two books of the Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC1 and WTC2). In each book there is one prelude (and matching fugue) in each key. So there are two preludes in C minor the WTC. It should be easy to find recordings of these.

There are also a set of "little" or "small" keyboard preludes which Bach wrote for his students which are much easier than those in the WTC. The C minor prelude that I mentioned before is from this set. Since they are student pieces it is much rarer to find recordings of these. However, Angela Hewitt's recording of the Bach French Suites also has recordings of all 18 Little Preludes. It is worth it to get the disc for the French Suites alone.

Ted

One of the most beautiful pieces of music ever written is, in my opinion, the F#m prelude from WTC2 it can be heard here:

http://www.claudiocolombo.net/Altremusiche/Bach%20Piano/WTK2-14.mp3

The site has lots of other free piano music: http://www.claudiocolombo.net/

Pianarchist,

I listened to the F#m prelude that you included in your post. It is very beautiful. I'm adding it to my Bach list of pieces to play.

I saw Constantin Lifschitz in NYC play WTC book 1 and 2. It was, in a word, mesmerizing!

Video of Siciliano as solo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YHOUj4kaOU

[QUOTE]Originally posted by joangolfing:

I'm having the 100th birthday party for my Everett piano(1907)in November


There was a gathering on the Cape last fall in which a PW member hosted a Sunday brunch to celebrate his piano's 100th birthday!

I think it's great you are planning ahead and working on a few pieces dedicated for the celebration; makes it even more special.

Oh, and don't forget the birthday cake! Here's a pic of the one we enjoyed. Just to prove we're all a bit daffy we even sang a round of Happy Birthday!

Terrytunes,

Thanks so much for that picture of the Steinway's 100th birthday cake. I'm going to print it off and take it with me when I order a cake next November.

One of the first pieces I memorized was "Happy Birthday" so I'll be ready to play.