Bach, Johann Sebastian : Sonate Allemande
Work Overview
Genre:sonata
Total Playing Time:3 min 50 sec
Copyright:Public Domain
Commentary (1)
Author : Ooi, Kazurou
Last Updated: October 6, 2023
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Author : Ooi, Kazurou
This Allemande allows for various interpretations. At least the first half, a section that flows slowly and gracefully, characteristic of an Allemande, presents no particular issues.
The challenge lies in the latter half. Following the ascending sequence from measure 15, it stops at measure 17, but then from there, it reaches the highest note of this Allemande, C, in measure 19. Observing the ascending thirds in the right hand in measure 22, and the ascending figures incorporating 32nd notes in measure 23, one tends to feel a significant increase in tension, often resulting in an Allemande with a sense of oppression played at a forte dynamic. However, that is not incorrect as one possible interpretation.
From here on, these are the author's personal views, offered for your reference. For the author, the key of C major, when considering other works in C major, is never a key that creates a sense of oppression. While 'grand in scale' and 'oppressive' are distinct concepts, and some of Bach's C major works indeed possess a grand scale, the key itself is pure and innocent, and never, in the author's view, an oppressive key. Therefore, even when reaching C in measure 19, the dynamic is not raised significantly. The same applies to measure 24. As it is a sequence, the dynamics should not remain flat when ascending; however, considering the key of C major and the nature of an Allemande, the dynamic is not raised to an extreme extent.