Tag Archives: J.S. Bach

My side-by-side harpsichord/piano chat with Elaine Comparone in her NYC musical sanctuary

My visit with Elaine Comparone, harpsichordist, was the first of my musical treats after touching down in hometown New York. While the weather was a bit gray and unseasonable, Maestra Elaine lifted my spirits with her impeccably beautiful reading of … Continue reading

Posted in Bach with Pluck, Bach with Pluck recorded by Elaine Comparone and Dusan Bogdanovich, classissima, classissima.com, Elaine Comparone, Elaine Comparone Harpsichordist, harpsichord, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Sinfonia in F minor BWV 785, Johann Sebastian Bach, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube video, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

J.S. Bach and blurred tonality (learning the three-part Invention or Sinfonia in F minor, BWV 795)

The Sinfonia in F minor is a tour de force work of art, perhaps evocative of the composer’s Musical Offering in its strikingly atonal sections. Yet there are definitive cadences in Major and minor keys that occur at the terminus … Continue reading

Posted in Bach Sinfornia in F minor BWV 795, Baroque music, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Sinfonia in F minor, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Learning a J.S Bach Sinfonia from the ground up (F Major, BWV 794)

On to three voice counterpoint, following a two-dimensional Bach Invention journey in the company of several piano students. So why not open the door to my private practice room for a layered learning sample a trois. I’m no different than … Continue reading

Posted in Baroque music, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Sinfonia in F Major BWV 794, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bach with and without Pluck

Elaine Comparone and Dusan Bogdanovic produced a stunning CD, combining harpsichord and guitar in their J.S Bach Inventions and Sinfonias collaboration. Both musicians have firmly established reputations as fine performers and recording artists so their get-together has surely been a … Continue reading

Posted in Bach with Pluck played by Elaine Comparone and Dusan Bogdanovic, Dusan Bogdanovic guitarist, Elaine Comparone, harpsichord, Harpsichord.org, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Learning J.S. Bach’s B minor Invention No. 15 (BWV 786) in baby steps

Both embedded videos track my step-by-step approach to learning this beautiful composition. In the part one Instruction, I play slowly through the right hand to explore the subject, its articulation, fingering, execution of ornaments, and follow-up strand of 16th notes. … Continue reading

Posted in classissima. om, classissima.com, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach two part Inventions, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons, word press, word press.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Piano performance: The moment of creation can be deceiving and how we can learn from video playbacks

I was telling a musical friend about the discrepancy between what we think we’re hearing during our own performances and what bears out in a review of our self-made recordings. This is why teaching and learning opportunities abound in comparing … Continue reading

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, J.S. Bach, J.S. Bach Invention in 13 minor, J.S. Bach Prelude in C minor, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, pianist, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano teaching, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, videotaping piano lessons, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bach to nature: Pairing a Prelude with scenes from Tilden Regional Park (Berkeley CA)

I didn’t think twice about getting double mileage from re-playing J.S. Bach’s ethereal Prelude in C minor, BWV 847. It turned out to be nature-inspired. On a late afternoon trail trek to Tilden Park, I came equipped with a modest … Continue reading

Posted in Bach Prelude in C minor BWV 847, classisima, classissima.com, Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley CA, word press, word press.com, wordpress, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Comparing Interpretations of Bach Prelude in C minor, BWV 847 (Well-Tempered Clavier Book 1)

Over a year ago, I posted a tutorial about the harmonic rhythm of Bach’s C minor Prelude (WTC I) to help myself and others navigate strings of 16th notes with an awareness of shape, direction, and resolution. This was my … Continue reading

Posted in Bach Prelude BWV 847 in C minor, classissima, classissima.com, harmonic rhythm and Bach Prelude BWV 847, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, Jorunal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, piano, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, word press, word press.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

I have to practice to keep up with my piano students

I have one particular adult pupil who’s pushed the envelope to its limit. He sends me demanding “new” pieces he wants to learn in short order. Not that I necessarily approve of the rapid turnover of compositions, but I have … Continue reading

Posted in Bach Little Fugue in C BWV 952, classissima, classissima.com, J.S. Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach, piano, piano instruction, piano lessons | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bringing the Keyboard closer to the long distance piano student

Yesterday, my Logitech cam was un-clipped from the Big Mac during a lesson to Greece. The pupil, hanging out on the island of Kos, needed a graphic representation of my hands braving a few difficult measures in Bach’s Little Fugue … Continue reading

Posted in J.S. Bach Little Fugue in C BWV 952, Logitech HD10080p, pianist, piano instruction, piano lessons, piano lessons by Skype, word press, word press.com, wordpress, wordpress.com, you tube, you tube video, you tube.com, yout tube, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment