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Bach, Johann Sebastian : 6 Partiten Nr.3 Allemande

Work Overview

Music ID : 39164
Instrumentation:Piano Solo 
Genre:allemande
Total Playing Time:2 min 50 sec
Copyright:Public Domain

Commentary (1)

Author : Ooi, Kazurou

Last Updated: April 16, 2023
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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 Allemande has a very dense texture. It is fundamentally in four voices. While it may be perceived as modulating to C major in m. 2, beat 3, it can also be considered a temporary shift. In any case, the tension that ascends in m. 1, beats 1-2, reaches its peak in beats 3-4, and resolves in m. 2, beat 3.

From m. 2, beat 4, it ascends again in sequence, leading to a cadence (final form) in m. 4, beat 3. Since there is also a sense of an abrupt shift to C major from beat 4, the color should be changed here.

In m. 5, beat 3, an ascending sequence begins again, reaching the highest note of the first half, C, in m. 6, beat 2. Whether this C constitutes a peak point is left to the performer's discretion.

Harmonically speaking, I personally feel that the soprano A-sharp in m. 7, beat 4, has higher tension. The first half can be considered to have modulated to E minor and then proceeded directly to a Picardy cadence.

As you may have noticed, the flow of the first half involves an ascending sequence, followed by a slight descent leading to a cadence. This is repeated three times, with the pitch gradually rising each time. Let's determine the dynamics based on this observation.

Similarly, let's analyze the second half to grasp its flow.

Regarding voice independence, please refer to m. 10, for example. At beat 3, the ear perceives F-G-A-D in the right hand; although F-G-A and D are actually written as separate voices, when played normally, it inevitably sounds like F-G-A-D. Similarly, in m. 11, beat 1, the right hand sounds like E-F-G-C, and in m. 11, beat 3, it sounds like D-E-F-B. In other words, the writing anticipates this perception, so it may not be necessary to aim for extreme voice independence throughout this Allemande.

Writer: Ooi, Kazurou