Bach Organ Works (non choral preludes)

[Contratrombone64]

Here's the first installment (BWV 531) Prelude and Fugue in C Major.

I perfectly understand that tempo indications for Bach's music are purely speculative as we have no idea, really what was intended. (The metronome didn't arrive until Beethoven's time). I base my tempo indications loosely on either of two Scandinavian recordings: Hans Fagius (Sweden) or Knud Vad (Danish) both of which I adore, for different reasons.

[Contratrombone64]

These were already posted but I've moved them here for the sake of being in the same spot.

[Mat]

David,

How do you create a PDF document like this?

[Contratrombone64]

I use Finale (notation software) and I own Acrobat Professional. Once I've typset the score, using my iMac, MIDI converter and synthesizer et cetera. I then print to PDF, bingo.

[Bombard]

I think that that is very smart.

[Contratrombone64]

Bombard, I was born in the 60s ... if I can work out computer music notation a horse could.

[Bombard]

Well thats true. Hey, isn't that allot like Bachs Pedal exercisium?

P.S. parden me if i spealt something wrong.

[Contratrombone64]

that's becasue it is Bach's Pedal exercise ... read the title of the thread.

[Tony79]

I'm not an organist, but I love the music for pipe organ and have an extensive vinyl an CD organ library of organ from ppp to sforzando! all things organ!

[dll927]

The original posting mentions that the metronome didn't arrive until Beethoven's time.

I have three or four complete sets of Ludwig's symphonies, one of which is by the Chicago Symphony under Sir George Solti. He carries on quite extensively about faster tempi than has been traditional for Beethoven's symphonies, and that B. himself left metronome markings on his manuscripts.

If so, why did it take conductors 150 years after Beethoven's death (1827) to suddenly discover the metronome markings? What I'm asking is, if the markings were there, why were they "traditionally" played slower? Somehow, I suspect a bit of just wanting to be different.

[rovikered]

The original posting mentions that the metronome didn't arrive until Beethoven's time.

I have three or four complete sets of Ludwig's symphonies, one of which is by the Chicago Symphony under Sir George Solti. He carries on quite extensively about faster tempi than has been traditional for Beethoven's symphonies, and that B. himself left metronome markings on his manuscripts.

If so, why did it take conductors 150 years after Beethoven's death (1827) to suddenly discover the metronome markings? What I'm asking is, if the markings were there, why were they "traditionally" played slower? Somehow, I suspect a bit of just wanting to be different.

That 'the metronome didn't arrive until Beethoven's time' is not strictly true.
An apparatus for fixing tempi was first invented by Loulie in 1696 (according to Percy Scholes :'The Oxford Companion to Music' -8th Ed. 1950 p.573) but the one in common use is based on the clockwork principle of Maelzel who was a contemporary of Beethoven.
With reference to Beethoven's metronome markings, it would appear that these are not always reliable. His marking of minim = 138 at the head of the 'Hammerklavier' Sonata is impossibly fast and no pianist plays it at that speed.
Is it, in fact, possible to play it at that tempo and would it be musical ?
No doubt, therefore, conductors and other interpreters have found it musically necessary to re-think Beethoven's tempo indications.