Suggestions welcome for an all-Bach first half including the E minor Partita

SDC Legendz Repertoire
1

I am due to give a recital in late December and I am racking my brains to find another work by Bach that would complement his E minor Partita BWV 830 for my first half.

I have a few pieces in mind but none that really takes my fancy:

-Toccata in E minor BWV 914 (not that keen on the fairly rudimentary fugue)
-Toccata in C minor BWV 911 (nice but a bit repetitive)
-Fantasia and Fugue in A minor BWV 904 (à la Sokolov, back in 2004:innocent:)
-Chromatic Fantasia & Fugue in D minor BWV 903 (hmmm…love the wildness of the Fantasia, not so much the fugue)

I need something “meaty and juicy” :stuck_out_tongue_closed_eyes:to either precede the grand Toccata or to follow the mighty Gigue from BWV 830.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions you guys may have!

2

How about da Italian concerto?

All dat Italian orchestral saysage is very meaty and juicy.

3

Hmmm…that could work! I love the 2nd movement…I was initially thinking of a somber work but a bit of sunshine with the outer movements of BWV 971 could be a nice contrast.

The relentless energy of BWV 944 tempts me but my poor audience would probably end up utterly exhausted with the combo:hot_face:

4

U zhud follow da profound epic gensui of da BMW830 wiz da

Equally epic zolfeggio zheeyat from da otha BACH mofo

Da applauze zhud lazt around 15minz, zatizfyin yo tymin requirementz :sunglasses:

2 Likes
5

15 minz applause for da Zolfeggietto?!? WTF? :exploding_head:

Let me order a Pogo wig straight away:see_no_evil:

6

Tru, if u play it in da correct speed :stopwatch: :sunglasses:

1 Like
7

I fear that the grandeur, depth and shattering pathos of da Zolfeggietto might just about overshadow BWV 830:yum:

8

Haha jeez.

Are you a former sdc member?

9

it appearz u haff da rite idea, REZPEC :classical_building: :sunglasses:

10

My suggestions:

  • Italian Concerto
  • Marcello Concerto
  • Toccata in d major (my favorite one)
  • 4 Duets

What are you playing in the 2nd half?

1 Like
11

Da Brew will def approve da italian conc

:it:

:sunglasses:

12

Thanks a lot for your suggestions, Kreso!

The Marcello Concerto would actually be a very good opener.

In the second half, I am thinking of Liszt’s Funérailles and Sonata.

2 Likes
13

Rezpekkkkk

14

What also could work is BWV 992 (Capriccio sopra la lontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo). It’s a nice early piece of Bach, not that often played.

15

juz play sum KAT bach

pozzibly da badinerie n fugue

16

BWV 830 is very intense and “spiky”. One idea is to precede it with something of the direct opposite, slow, gentle and flowing, to make the Partita feel like a finale of sorts. One thing which springs to mind is the 904 F&F (which at least can be played like this, compare Feinberg ie), but it’s so large in scope that 830 might feel a bit compressed afterwards by comparison.

Difficult…

17

Some program suggestions from other pianists. Most pair it with Beethoven or Schubert however. Another idea picked up by a few pianists is to pair it with something modern - Bartok, Webern, etc.

Bach BWV 830 pairings 
PA#042. July 5, 2009: Manchester, England (Audience Recording | FLAC)

•	Bach: Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830 (from Klavierübung, Book I)

•	Bach: English Suite No.6 in D minor, BWV 811




DF#001. January 13, 2013: Bartók National Concert Hall, Budapest, Hungary (Radio Broadcast | FLAC)

•	Bach: Toccata in E minor, BWV 914
•	Bach: Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830 (from Klavierübung, Book I)

•	Bach: Toccata in C minor, BWV 911
•	Bach: Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 (from Klavierübung, Book I)

Encore:
•	Bach/Busoni: Chorale Prelude in G minor, BWV 659 (BV B27 No.3) (Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland)




MiPl#040. August 8, 2000: Mülheim, Germany (Audience Recording | FLAC)

•	Bach: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier
o	Prelude & Fugue No.5 (Book II) in D major, BWV 874
o	Prelude & Fugue No.16 (Book I) in G minor, BWV 861
o	Prelude & Fugue No.15 (Book II) in G major, BWV 884
o	Prelude & Fugue No.22 (Book II) in B-flat minor, BWV 891
•	Bach: Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830 (from Klavierübung, Book I)

•	Grieg: Eight Lyric Pieces
o	Bell Ringing, Op.54 No.6
o	Lullaby, Op.38 No.1
o	Butterfly, Op.43 No.1
o	Melody, Op.47 No.3
o	Scherzo, Op.54 No.5
o	Vanished Days, Op.57 No.1
o	Grandmother's Menuet, Op.68 No.2
o	March of the Trolls, Op.54 No.3
•	Schumann: Symphonic Etudes, Op.13 (edited by Pletnev)

Encores:
•	Chopin: Nocturne in D-flat major, Op.27 No.2
•	Moszkowski: Etude in F major, Op.72 No.6




AnSc#045. March 25, 1985: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, New York (Audience Recording | FLAC)

- Bach’s Klavierübung | Concert 2/3 -
•	Bach: Partita No.5 in G major, BWV 829 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830 (from Klavierübung, Book I)

•	Bach: Four Duets, BWV 802-805 (from Klavierübung, Book III)
•	Bach: Italian Concerto, BWV 971 (from Klavierübung, Book II)
•	Bach: Overture in the French Style, BWV 831 (from Klavierübung, Book II)

Encores:
•	Bach: Gigue from Partita No.4 in D major, BWV 828 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Sarabande from French Suite No.5 in G major, BWV 816




AnSc#078. October 6, 2013: Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco, California (Audience Recording | FLAC)

- The Bach Project -
•	Bach: Partita No.5 in G major, BWV 829 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Partita No.3 in A minor, BWV 827 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Partita No.1 in B-flat major, BWV 825 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826 (from Klavierübung, Book I)

•	Bach: Partita No.4 in D major, BWV 828 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830 (from Klavierübung, Book I)

Encore:
•	Bach: Two-Part Invention No.1 in C major, BWV 772a




GS#288. January 15, 2004: Symphony Hall, Birmingham, England (Audience Recording | FLAC)

•	Bach: Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach/Brahms: Chaconne from Violin Partita No.2 in D minor, BWV 1004 (transcribed for the left hand alone)

•	Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.11 in B-flat major, Op.22
•	Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.32 in C minor, Op.111

Encores:
•	Chopin: Etude in F minor, Op.25 No.2
•	Rameau/Rameau/Sokolov: La Livri (from Pièces de Clavecin en Concerts)




GS#122. February 12, 2004: Auditorio Víctor Villegas, Murcia, Spain (Audience Recording | FLAC)

•	Bach: Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830 (from Klavierübung, Book I)
•	Bach: Fantasy & Fugue in A minor, BWV 904

•	Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.11 in B-flat major, Op.22
•	Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.32 in C minor, Op.111

Encore:
•	Chopin: Etude in F minor, Op.25 No.2




RoTu#013. May 13, 1984: Home of William F. Buckley Jr., Stamford, Connecticut (Private Live Recording | FLAC)

- Buckley Recital 5/5 -
•	Bach: Klavierübung, Book I
o	Partita No.1 in B-flat major, BWV 825
o	Partita No.2 in C minor, BWV 826
o	Partita No.6 in E minor, BWV 830
18

Can you extend to Bach trannies?
Some buzz choral preludes obvious choice.

19

Thanks a lot for your great feedback, guys!

I love BWV 992 but I think it would be a bit light. A selection of Preludes and Fugues from WTC I & II could work well (as XSDC pointed out in the Pletnev (I think?) Mülheim recital).

Yes, Mikey, I could also go for a transcription. Having slept on it, BWV 543 arranged by Liszt could do the trick…but then, we have the same problem as with BWV 904. This said, with both works, I would at least stand a chance of getting the 15 minutes of applause mentioned by Da Zepp :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

Check this out (Lefébure playing it live in 1977…she has a memory lapse in the Prelude but overall, she does a really good job):

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KRL31z17kXV65cHXo6Rr7ewagSlI6ZGe

20

Precisely, I think any transcribed Bach would have to follow the Partita rather than precede it - but it’s a great half closer on its own. I think a set of DWK P&Fs ahead of the Partita is an excellent idea.