To follow the chromatic order, I would have had to record p&f e-minor first, but I decided to do f-sharp-minor first, because I love it so much. It´s one of the most inspirated pairs of WTC II, both, the prelude and the fugue.
The prelude for me is a very lamenting and lyrical piece. Though I´m not a lamenting character, but more a blitheful one (Chris, I´m glad you teached me some times ago not to use the English word "gay" for to express "blitheful" ), I like this kind of Bach-pieces very much. Strange isn´t it?!

Though I´m happy with my interpretation, my only two small niggles of myself are the following:
1) In the prelude in the bars 14 and 16 I play the thirtysecond-notes may be rhythmically a bit too freely, but one could count that to "artistical formation", if you like.
2) I forgot to cut out a small slip in bar 50 of the fugue.

Feedback is very appreciated!

Here are the video-links. The mp3-file below is exact the audio-track of the videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4X8__9FMqI (prelude f-sharp-minor, BWV 883)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxqNuPH_qZk (fugue f-sharp-minor, BWV 883)



Back - Prelude & Fugue in F-sharp minor, BWV 883

This is up, Andreas. Good job - I like that Prelude a lot. It's sad and melancholy and brooding - nice!

very much for having put it up, Monica.

I´m glad you like the piece. Yeah, sometimes it´s really nice to be pondering. Sometimes even if you are a blitheful character.

Very nice, Andreas! I'm getting to know your Bach and learning that it's always clear, warm, and with just the right amount of rubato. Where you switched camera angles—is that an edit point? I have to ask because it's so smoothly done, I can't be sure.

Bruce

A great job once again! Yes this is wonderful pair (aren't they all...), especially the fugue. I'd like to skip forward to this one too but it's not the time yet. I hope when the time comes my re-recording will be somewhat near as good as this.
A strange moment halfway beat 1 of bar 21 of the prelude - is that an edit ?
The fugue I like a little slower and more introspective, but that is personal taste. Your first trill in the fugue seems to distort the rhythm a bit somehow. And in bar 49 of the fugue, beat two, you interchange the two LH notes (probably the error you mentioned). Apart from these little things, all is perfection here. I had to play this pair right away after listening to you

BruceSiegel wrote:


Thank you very much, Bruce. I´m glad you like my interpretation.



Yes, the moment of change of camera angles is the moment of the page turn. I stop here, turn the page and begin to play again, at the end I cut together both parts. That´s the technique to avoid a page-turn in your recording. You have to change the camera angle because otherwise you would have a "hitch" in your video-film. I´m glad you say, that you don´t hear the cut, I´m always very critical with myself concerning the cuts and usually you don´t hear them.

Techneut wrote:


Yes, of course, they all are...



Could you define that "strange moment" nearer, please. I can´t hear one there and there certainly is no edit.



Really, well, I will think about that...



Oh, right! Thank you so much for this valuable advice. I really have absolutely not noticed that somehow. So, probably I should re-record. No, I meant the very little slip on the third beat of bar 49. Another reason to re-record...



Yes, these little imperfections make my recordings more human than modern commercial ones. For me the main thing is, that I feel well with my interpretation, that means that I can express the music from inside and so it can be called "expressive" respective "musical" somehow. I´m glad to have inspired you and I attend your version with much interest as usual.

The A in the RH sounded a bit weak suddenly, as if it were from another take. That probably was intentional then.

Drat, I didn't hear anything wrong there. I'm getting old ...

So, don't re-record them then

Hi Andreas,

I just listened to your latest Bach offerings here. You play this prelude and fugue beautifully. The F#m Prelude is lovely. It flows very nicely and has a bit of a melancholy sound to it I think. You're always very respectful of using the pedal in Bach. In this prelude there are near constant passing and neighboring tones, which very often precludes the pedal, which explains why you rely on more precise "finger pedaling". But, I'm thinking that there might be just a few opportunities there for some very light touches of pedal. What clarity you bring to the voices in the fugue! It's an outstanding performance.

Just wanted you to know how much I enjoyed listening to this pair.

David

O.k., my friend, I think, you are right, especially because the interchanging of the d and b in the left hand doesn´t really matter something, because it´s the same harmony (b-minor-chord). Since you yourselfhaven´t heard the little slip in bar 49 it can´t be too bad. You are a true levelling board for me concerning precisness of listening and you have this ability more than me, that´s sure.
I think, my respect for my interpretation and my happiness with it makes me not to want to re-record this pair this time.

Rachfan wrote:


Thank you so much, dear friend, you know how much your praising words mean to me, because I appreciate you so much as artist!
Yes, though usually I´m really very attentive with pedal in Bachs music in this pair I use quite a lot of it, of course not in the passages of neighboring tones. In other passages indeed I have some light touches of pedal built in. I think, in summary I´m using more pedal while playing Bach than in former times. The reason for this is in my new volition to form a beautiful and soulfull tone (sound). I´m not any more so much on the "dry trip" concerning my Bach-playing, but I have come more on a resonant and warm sound-imagination. Your feedback is a sign for me, that you noticed that and that´s very encouraging!

Have warm greetings!
Andreas

I still don't know what it is in bar 49 that I'm supposed to have missed. The two interchanged notes are in bar 49 but I don't hear anything else wrong there. However, on re-listening, couldn't help noticing a mistake in bar 53 - RH plays C# instead of C natural.

Techneut wrote:


Thanks, Chris, you know, how much I appreciate such advices. You are absolutely right and you know, a real wrong tone is a reason to re-record for me. So I will do that.
I´m actually working on e-minor and I invest all my freetime into it at this moment, because this pair is really new for me. It still will take a while, though I still have finished to find out and to learn the finger-settings. I´m working on the voicing and the tempo at this moment.

Very beautiful performance - particularly in the prelude where you sustain good tone/colours, and the voices are very clear. I think you seem to really understand the "whirlwind-like" concept of the triplets searching through all of the harmonies.
Your fugue, in my opinion, is still a bit too polite - particularly when the second (dotted) subject/theme appears, it can have a bit more presence to be in contrast with the material from before. In general, the major build-up phrases you play very beautifully but I think could have more weight and have a bit of appassionato so that the fugue doesn't become one long and flowing piece, but rather collection of ideas with so many themes running together at once to highlight the struggle.

Well done!

dubya wrote:


Thanks for that, dubya! I don´t know, if I can agree to the "whirlwind"-idea in that relatively slow and complaining prelude, but I second the imagination of "searching through all of the harmonies", which is something typic for Bach here and there. I love that.



That´s a nice suggestion for an interpretation. I could imagine it sounds convincing, if it´s done well! I personally had another idea (this time) for my interpretation, more a soft and complaining one, as a continuation of the expression of the prelude. But I appreciate such ideas and inspirations. Thank you!