thraex
08-22-2006, 12:14 PM
Folio,
I didn't see your question before, and a simple ja oder nein :) probably would not do it.
Do you have his Sonatas and Partitas booklet?
There he writes on Segovia's and later arrangements of Bach's music:
for the Sonatas..
"the versions reorder the precise structural proportions of the work, and the balanced and brilliant economy of the barest essentials is lost.The present transcription contains every note of the original and works exclusively with the material provided by Bach."
for the partitas..
"In my arrangement technique I have continued along the path on which I set out in the sonatas and thus refrained from tinkering with one of the most highly praised masterpieces of music history. After all, why should I second-guess the composer?"
He later admits to do some octave doublings at most in the Ciaccona.
It is highly personal, I think, that is FB's approach, but as an artist or interpreter, you must follow what your culture and ear dictates, that is the so called freedom he gives us when transcribing..
But if you read the books by Helga Thoene
-Ciaccona Tanz oder Tombeau
-Sonata A-moll Ein wortlose Passion
She desciphered the gematrical meanings of the whole Sonatas and Partitas, I was in a conference on this books last year, and someone asked the same question as yours. The answer was:
these are analitycal results, but at one point music is absolute and if your instrument demands changes and additions, you are on your own and should follow your conscience and knowledge.
But certainly there is a colossal numerical-symbologic architecture that gets unbalanced when changing even a note. In my case, I would follow the not-daring to add anything approach..but the daring one can be at least as valid if well done by a good musician.
From what I have observed and talked with FB, he is a very direct to the point person, but he goes to extreme pains to accomplish what his musical ethics demand (and demand us his disciples, much to our own share of pain)
Nothing is simple with Bach :) but hoepfully we can play it with such simplicity that his true musical discourse is brought to surface.
I didn't see your question before, and a simple ja oder nein :) probably would not do it.
Do you have his Sonatas and Partitas booklet?
There he writes on Segovia's and later arrangements of Bach's music:
for the Sonatas..
"the versions reorder the precise structural proportions of the work, and the balanced and brilliant economy of the barest essentials is lost.The present transcription contains every note of the original and works exclusively with the material provided by Bach."
for the partitas..
"In my arrangement technique I have continued along the path on which I set out in the sonatas and thus refrained from tinkering with one of the most highly praised masterpieces of music history. After all, why should I second-guess the composer?"
He later admits to do some octave doublings at most in the Ciaccona.
It is highly personal, I think, that is FB's approach, but as an artist or interpreter, you must follow what your culture and ear dictates, that is the so called freedom he gives us when transcribing..
But if you read the books by Helga Thoene
-Ciaccona Tanz oder Tombeau
-Sonata A-moll Ein wortlose Passion
She desciphered the gematrical meanings of the whole Sonatas and Partitas, I was in a conference on this books last year, and someone asked the same question as yours. The answer was:
these are analitycal results, but at one point music is absolute and if your instrument demands changes and additions, you are on your own and should follow your conscience and knowledge.
But certainly there is a colossal numerical-symbologic architecture that gets unbalanced when changing even a note. In my case, I would follow the not-daring to add anything approach..but the daring one can be at least as valid if well done by a good musician.
From what I have observed and talked with FB, he is a very direct to the point person, but he goes to extreme pains to accomplish what his musical ethics demand (and demand us his disciples, much to our own share of pain)
Nothing is simple with Bach :) but hoepfully we can play it with such simplicity that his true musical discourse is brought to surface.