Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Partita No. 2, Capriccio

With Argerich's recent Bach video, an excerpt from the Verbier festival, I've become interested in the Capriccio from the C Minor Partita. Consequently, I've started working on it, but it seems like a tricky little piece.

Is it the hardest out of the partita? It's certainly very fast, and I estimate it would be about grade level 8 ABRSM.

Have any of you played it before?

Yes, I've played it many times. I don't know if one can claim it as "hardest" (do you mean of the partitas themselves, or movement within the cminor itself?), because something different is difficult to each of us, but no, it's not an easy task.

I've played it and agree with stores, it's by no means as straightforward as it sounds.

I did find it one of the more difficult dances in the suite, though.

The whole partita is brilliant and well worth investigating.

Also, as far as whether the Capriccio is the hardest movement in Partita 2, doesn't it all depend on how fast you decide to take things? I can hear that movement anywhere from MM=88 to 138. And the last section of the Sinfonia (the chief rival in difficulty, largely because of its length) has an even larger tempo range to my ears.

It's tricky no matter what you do, but that Capriccio doesn't have to be a velocity piece per se.

-Jason

I have played the whole Partita, must have been 16 or so. (Always wanted to do the E minor, but that was not to be, and a whole 'nother story there.)

I think Argerich's tempo is perfect. It works. Alas, her recording of the C minor Toccata has always intimidated any efforts on my behalf to attempt this very difficult piece. Even today, years later, it is hard to read through it without hearing her in the background. Sort of like the Chopin Bb minor Scherzo?

The muscularity of the opening rhythm points towards a less than frenetic tempo. It portrays strength, not fleetfootedness, to me. It is probably the hardest movt in the partita technically, but there are plenty of other Bach movts, especially in the Partitas, which are equally tricky. Some virtuosi cannot but help thrill themselves and others with their technical mastery: it doesn't always do justice to the music.

Grade 8 ABRSM is not just an estimate, it's actually one of the List A exam pieces for grade 8 2011/2012

Personally, I find that the Courante from the c minor partita, is the movement that always has me flummoxed. It seems beyond my comprehension, for some reason.

Notwithstanding the measure where the middle voice alternates between the left and right hands in tenths, I find the Capriccio to be loads of fun to perform.

Just be patient - and when practicing, don't raise the tempo until you are absolutely comfortable with where everything sits under your hands.

Try the courante with the quavers somewhat notes inegales. This may alter your sense of the rhythm of it. I have never quite had the courage actually to play it like that, but it may help to get into the swing of it. Literally. Remember too that it's in 3/2 time - there are a lot of incidental passing notes.

Ha! I probably lack the guts for that one. I guess the trick would be doing it without losing one iota of melancholy grace: A challenge in subtlety I'm not that sure I'm up for