close

Bach, Johann Sebastian : Französische Suiten Nr.2 Courante

Work Overview

Music ID : 39123
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:courante
Total Playing Time:1 min 50 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (1)

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: March 17, 2023
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

In this Courante, the bass line of the accompaniment progresses continuously, while the right hand proceeds at twice the speed of the left. The concept of voice independence is almost unnecessary, as the right-hand and left-hand voices maintain their independence even when played straightforwardly.  

Therefore, what this Courante requires is 'directionality'. For instance, when viewed broadly, where would the peak point be within measures 1-24? From the perspective of pitch height, measure 17, with the right hand's A-flat, presents the highest note, so let's consider this point. The preceding measure 16 is the final cadence of an ascending sequence, one measure per phrase, starting from measure 9, but it concludes in E-flat major, so from a conceptual standpoint, the tension might not be particularly high there.  

Conversely, when considering the sequence beginning from measure 17, there are two descending sequences: one spanning measures 17-18 and another spanning measures 19-20. In any case, I believe it is acceptable to consider measure 17 as the peak point.  

Another possibility within measures 1-24 is that if the chord in measure 24 is considered as a G minor Picardy third (a cadence where a minor-key piece ends with a major triad) starting from measure 23, this final chord can be heard both as a G minor Picardy third and as the dominant of C minor. In either case, the tension is high, so reaching it with a crescendo, despite it being a descending sequence starting from measure 21 (one measure per phrase), feels entirely natural.  

In any case, a performance that conveys a sense of direction to the audience is desirable. Please determine the directionality through analyses such as those described above. Proceed with the analysis similarly for the latter half. In measure 50, the highest note in this Courante, C, appears. This could also be considered a peak point.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou
No videos available currently.  

Sheet MusicView More

Scores List (24)