At 21:30, does the demonstration of a simple exposition start on the second beat? The subject in that example seems to take four beats. If it starts on the second beat, then it would conclude on the first beat of the next bar (in 4/4 time). Following this, the answer would start on the second beat. This approach seems to allow a seamless splice between alternating subjects and answers since they don't overlap. In the few fugues I've written so far, I usually find myself needing a bridge after the answer to get myself back to where I can have another subject enter, so it's good to know how I can skip that, if I want to.
I actually have in my notes for this episode “don’t forget to mention that it’s always a good idea for a fugue subject to start on a rest”. Of course I proceeded to forget to do that. But…always better this way. Tonal answers don’t need little connections, and you will always be on the right chord when the subject ends, considering you’ve designed it to end on scale degree 1 or 3. This is the real benefit of tonal answers, once you get the hang of how to deform the subjects.
Hello Maestro Canzano. I really enjoy your presentations and your performances. Your articulation and phrasings are genius. My primary instrument is the organ, but I do play the harpsichord and piano. I am so happy to see professional keyboardists starting to teach and emphasize improvisation. The French titular organists like Latry and Roth are fabulous improvisors, but it is standard practice for organ students to have considerable improvisational instruction. I know that it has always remained important for harpsichordists as well. I am happy to see that it is starting to be embraced again by pianists. You are a good pedagogue. Thank you for this presentation. Do you play the organ by chance?
Hi, Mr. Williamson. Thanks so much for your very kind message! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I do play the organ, and I’ve worked at various Episcopal churches for 16 years, with a few years off here and there for school. But still, I wouldn’t say that I’m an organist’s organist. You won’t catch me playing any Widor symphonies or anything like that, that’s for sure!
@@parallelfifths2824 Thank you for replying. I listened to you improvising on '"We Wish You A Merry Christmas," on the organ. Based upon that, I imagine that you could play most anything on it. You are very creative with your improvisations. I would probably think that you have played the toccata from Widor's Fifth Symphony. Sorry to stray from the subject in this thread, but the organ you were playing for that aforementioned improv, was it a tracker or an electro-pneumonic action? Many musicians like to say that switching between organ and harpsichord, as opposed to organ and piano, is easier due to similar action on the keyboard. That is not true at all for pipe organs with electro-pneumonic action. While there is some truth that tracker (mechanical action) pipe organs may have similarities in keyboard action, when one plays on a tracker of four to five manuals, that is actually quite heavy. Anyway, I really like your improvising on this video. Your phrasing and articulation really give life to your performance. In my opinion, in some ways anyway, the harpsichord is the most difficult of the three major keyboard instruments in that the dynamics can't be changed. All the coloring and textures of a piece need to be brought out through masterful articulation, phrasing, and embellishments like trills and mordants.
@@edwardwilliamson1863 No need to thank me for replying. I can't always get to everyone, but I really do genuinely enjoy chatting about this kind of thing, so I really appreciate your thoughts! Your imagining of my playing Widor is wishful thinking, unfortunately! I'm really not an organist, although I've held that title on and off for almost a decade and a half. I really can't speak about the type of organ or its qualities. I agree that the harpsichord is incredibly difficult among keyboard instruments. I would say that manualiter organ is the easiest. Clavichord, in my opinion, is truly the most difficult. With harpsichords and clavichords, the difficulty is compounded by the rarity of meticulously-maintained, well-built instruments.
@@parallelfifths2824 Truer words have not been spoken as far as instrument maintenance LOL. I remember subbing for a church a few years ago. Their pipe organ was ONCE a fabulous instrument, an old Austin 4 manual. The trouble is they did not maintain it properly, and pipe organs are maintenance hungry. One entire division, which , naturally, included some loud reed stops such as a state trumpet, was prone to ciphering. It did cipher on a couple of occasions, naturally, while I was leading the congregation through the opening hymn. Made it through the service with no further ciphering. My postlude was Fredrick Swann's "Trumpet Tune." Fortunately, the State Trumpet did it's duty well for that piece. I have to say, though, that you really improvised fabulously on that organ piece you have on your channel. I can improvise, but my skill level is no where near your level or talent. I am watching your videos, by the way, and seeing what I can glean from that wonderful source. It is truly disconcerting that so many conservatories and schools of music have put improvisation on the back burner, because it is a valuable tool for all serious and professional musicians. Organ majors study it and are required to take courses and lessons in it I know. They get no serious offers or postings to large churches and cathedrals without that skill. The titular organists of France and Cathedral organists of England are very skilled at improvising. Your technique on the harpsichord is so effortless, and you have masterful phrasing and articulation that really makes the music sparkle and come to life. I am in awe of your improvisations that you demonstrate on your channel.
I saw that you studied at Julliard. That must've been a great experience, because that is one of the very best conservatories and very competitive to get in. I imagine that you have met Professor Paul Jacobs, who is the head of the Organ Department. He is absolutely fabulous, and plays all his recitals by memory. Reger, Bach, Messiaen, Vierne, Dupre, Jehan Alain, Buxtehude. He is also a fabulous improvisor. I know harpsichord is your primary instrument, but you play the organ quite well to improvise like you did on that video where you improvised on the Christmas hymn for mass. I imagine that you do rather well on the piano as well? I know you compose, but do you conduct as well? I have been watching your improvisation videos and am enjoying learning from you. You are a good pedagogue as well. More people need to come to your channel; they will be glad they did. Improvisation is so vitally important to professional musicians, and sadly it has been an aspect of musical performance, other than titular and cathedral organists, that has been ignored or forgotten by concert pianists and other instrumentalists over the last half of the 20th up until the 21st century. Thank you for featuring it on your channel.
I'm just starting with this therefore, I know nothing, but just listening to you playing the subject: would it be possible to use the a flat and have a plagal response? is that a thing? thank you
Yes. And in fact, this is something I do in the minor section of the first fugue. As with all videos, I watch them after and bemoan 1000 things I should have said. You can do this with any subject that starts on scale degree 5, whether it has the 4th scale degree afterward or not. That is the usual solution to things that start with 543: is to answer them 'in IV'. Technically you are supposed to look at it like you have started in V and answer in I (rather than start in I and answer in IV).
@@parallelfifths2824 oh wow so much info! thanks for answering! I think all this knowledge is amazing and invaluable! I truly hope to be able one day to teach this to my students
When improvising, do you think in terms of the two outer voices with the inner voices filled in with "automatic counterpoint in the fingers"? What about when realizing a basso continuo for accompaniment? I'm practicing thoroughbass, and I was wondering how important it is to have a stepwise flowing upper voice (Chorale style). My understanding is that for accompaniment, a static voice sticking to one or two notes for an extended period is to be expected (not sure if a flowing upper voice is even a desirable goal however). But surely for improvisation a flowing upper voice, prior to adding figurations/diminutions, is desirable?
Depends, I’d say. When the melody is in your left hand, the right hand can be quite simple and chordal. Playing and decorating lots of chorales with simple passing-note counterpoint and performing as a continuo player has given me the skill to be able to get whichever rhythms I want out of whichever chord progression by adding some passing tones. This slight complication of texture is often enough to ward off impressions of melody/accompaniment.
And to answer your first question, yes. My forebrain is not thinking about all that much. I am mostly using my ears and fingers. Every now and again I will actually have a thought like "I can't cadence here a second time" or "time for the B section". But these are just flashes. I am mostly listening and composing the next few notes.
Ottimo lavoro, bravo!
Grazie di cuore, Giorgio. Sono onorato di avere il supporto di un musicista così stimato.
At 21:30, does the demonstration of a simple exposition start on the second beat?
The subject in that example seems to take four beats. If it starts on the second beat, then it would conclude on the first beat of the next bar (in 4/4 time).
Following this, the answer would start on the second beat.
This approach seems to allow a seamless splice between alternating subjects and answers since they don't overlap.
In the few fugues I've written so far, I usually find myself needing a bridge after the answer to get myself back to where I can have another subject enter, so it's good to know how I can skip that, if I want to.
I actually have in my notes for this episode “don’t forget to mention that it’s always a good idea for a fugue subject to start on a rest”. Of course I proceeded to forget to do that. But…always better this way. Tonal answers don’t need little connections, and you will always be on the right chord when the subject ends, considering you’ve designed it to end on scale degree 1 or 3. This is the real benefit of tonal answers, once you get the hang of how to deform the subjects.
You put the Arrrr into Paarrrtimento
10/10. 200 Dads awarded.
Hello Maestro Canzano. I really enjoy your presentations and your performances. Your articulation and phrasings are genius. My primary instrument is the organ, but I do play the harpsichord and piano. I am so happy to see professional keyboardists starting to teach and emphasize improvisation. The French titular organists like Latry and Roth are fabulous improvisors, but it is standard practice for organ students to have considerable improvisational instruction. I know that it has always remained important for harpsichordists as well. I am happy to see that it is starting to be embraced again by pianists. You are a good pedagogue. Thank you for this presentation. Do you play the organ by chance?
Hi, Mr. Williamson. Thanks so much for your very kind message! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I do play the organ, and I’ve worked at various Episcopal churches for 16 years, with a few years off here and there for school. But still, I wouldn’t say that I’m an organist’s organist. You won’t catch me playing any Widor symphonies or anything like that, that’s for sure!
@@parallelfifths2824 Thank you for replying. I listened to you improvising on '"We Wish You A Merry Christmas," on the organ. Based upon that, I imagine that you could play most anything on it. You are very creative with your improvisations. I would probably think that you have played the toccata from Widor's Fifth Symphony. Sorry to stray from the subject in this thread, but the organ you were playing for that aforementioned improv, was it a tracker or an electro-pneumonic action? Many musicians like to say that switching between organ and harpsichord, as opposed to organ and piano, is easier due to similar action on the keyboard. That is not true at all for pipe organs with electro-pneumonic action. While there is some truth that tracker (mechanical action) pipe organs may have similarities in keyboard action, when one plays on a tracker of four to five manuals, that is actually quite heavy.
Anyway, I really like your improvising on this video. Your phrasing and articulation really give life to your performance. In my opinion, in some ways anyway, the harpsichord is the most difficult of the three major keyboard instruments in that the dynamics can't be changed. All the coloring and textures of a piece need to be brought out through masterful articulation, phrasing, and embellishments like trills and mordants.
@@edwardwilliamson1863 No need to thank me for replying. I can't always get to everyone, but I really do genuinely enjoy chatting about this kind of thing, so I really appreciate your thoughts!
Your imagining of my playing Widor is wishful thinking, unfortunately! I'm really not an organist, although I've held that title on and off for almost a decade and a half. I really can't speak about the type of organ or its qualities.
I agree that the harpsichord is incredibly difficult among keyboard instruments. I would say that manualiter organ is the easiest. Clavichord, in my opinion, is truly the most difficult. With harpsichords and clavichords, the difficulty is compounded by the rarity of meticulously-maintained, well-built instruments.
@@parallelfifths2824 Truer words have not been spoken as far as instrument maintenance LOL. I remember subbing for a church a few years ago. Their pipe organ was ONCE a fabulous instrument, an old Austin 4 manual. The trouble is they did not maintain it properly, and pipe organs are maintenance hungry. One entire division, which , naturally, included some loud reed stops such as a state trumpet, was prone to ciphering. It did cipher on a couple of occasions, naturally, while I was leading the congregation through the opening hymn. Made it through the service with no further ciphering. My postlude was Fredrick Swann's "Trumpet Tune." Fortunately, the State Trumpet did it's duty well for that piece.
I have to say, though, that you really improvised fabulously on that organ piece you have on your channel. I can improvise, but my skill level is no where near your level or talent. I am watching your videos, by the way, and seeing what I can glean from that wonderful source. It is truly disconcerting that so many conservatories and schools of music have put improvisation on the back burner, because it is a valuable tool for all serious and professional musicians. Organ majors study it and are required to take courses and lessons in it I know. They get no serious offers or postings to large churches and cathedrals without that skill. The titular organists of France and Cathedral organists of England are very skilled at improvising.
Your technique on the harpsichord is so effortless, and you have masterful phrasing and articulation that really makes the music sparkle and come to life. I am in awe of your improvisations that you demonstrate on your channel.
I saw that you studied at Julliard. That must've been a great experience, because that is one of the very best conservatories and very competitive to get in. I imagine that you have met Professor Paul Jacobs, who is the head of the Organ Department. He is absolutely fabulous, and plays all his recitals by memory. Reger, Bach, Messiaen, Vierne, Dupre, Jehan Alain, Buxtehude. He is also a fabulous improvisor.
I know harpsichord is your primary instrument, but you play the organ quite well to improvise like you did on that video where you improvised on the Christmas hymn for mass. I imagine that you do rather well on the piano as well? I know you compose, but do you conduct as well? I have been watching your improvisation videos and am enjoying learning from you. You are a good pedagogue as well. More people need to come to your channel; they will be glad they did. Improvisation is so vitally important to professional musicians, and sadly it has been an aspect of musical performance, other than titular and cathedral organists, that has been ignored or forgotten by concert pianists and other instrumentalists over the last half of the 20th up until the 21st century. Thank you for featuring it on your channel.
I'm just starting with this therefore, I know nothing, but just listening to you playing the subject: would it be possible to use the a flat and have a plagal response? is that a thing? thank you
Yes. And in fact, this is something I do in the minor section of the first fugue. As with all videos, I watch them after and bemoan 1000 things I should have said. You can do this with any subject that starts on scale degree 5, whether it has the 4th scale degree afterward or not. That is the usual solution to things that start with 543: is to answer them 'in IV'. Technically you are supposed to look at it like you have started in V and answer in I (rather than start in I and answer in IV).
@@parallelfifths2824 oh wow so much info! thanks for answering! I think all this knowledge is amazing and invaluable! I truly hope to be able one day to teach this to my students
When improvising, do you think in terms of the two outer voices with the inner voices filled in with "automatic counterpoint in the fingers"? What about when realizing a basso continuo for accompaniment?
I'm practicing thoroughbass, and I was wondering how important it is to have a stepwise flowing upper voice (Chorale style). My understanding is that for accompaniment, a static voice sticking to one or two notes for an extended period is to be expected (not sure if a flowing upper voice is even a desirable goal however). But surely for improvisation a flowing upper voice, prior to adding figurations/diminutions, is desirable?
Depends, I’d say. When the melody is in your left hand, the right hand can be quite simple and chordal. Playing and decorating lots of chorales with simple passing-note counterpoint and performing as a continuo player has given me the skill to be able to get whichever rhythms I want out of whichever chord progression by adding some passing tones. This slight complication of texture is often enough to ward off impressions of melody/accompaniment.
And to answer your first question, yes. My forebrain is not thinking about all that much. I am mostly using my ears and fingers. Every now and again I will actually have a thought like "I can't cadence here a second time" or "time for the B section". But these are just flashes. I am mostly listening and composing the next few notes.
@@parallelfifths2824 Thanks so much for the reply :)
Nicola, how do you decorate cadences/countersubjects?
And how do you do it in a manner that perfectly harmonises with the answer?
Practice :).