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Bach, Johann Sebastian : Englische Suiten Nr.2 Courante

Work Overview

Music ID : 39093
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:courante
Total Playing Time:1 min 50 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (1)

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: April 1, 2024
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Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

This Courante, with its 2/3 time signature, is a French-style Courante. The French-style Courante was a dance not about speed, but about showcasing royal dignity and refinement. Therefore, the tempo is slow. Bach distinguished between French-style Courantes and Italian-style Correntes in his compositions.

The trills in the right hand on the third beat of measure 5 and the third beat of measure 6 in this Courante extend to a final sixteenth note, meaning the trill should continue until that point. If the tempo is too fast, these trills become truly virtuosic, and the left-hand eighth notes will sound very hurried and busy, which is not our intended goal.

The trill from the end of the second beat to the third beat of measure 14 is also nearly impossible at a fast tempo. A tempo of approximately half note = 60 is considered desirable.

In the first half, measure 7 is the peak point, and in the second half, measure 22 is the peak point. Please perform in a way that builds towards these points.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou