Pedaling in a Bach Prelude and Fugue...

[Xelles]

Ok, I'm tired of not seeing a thread about this. Is it absolutely mandatory to disclude any type of pedaling whatsoever in a Bach Prelude and Fugue?

[cziffra]

generally you would only do it at cadence points- otherwise the music sounds out of context.  bach was not a lushy romantic, and pedalling usually makes him sound like one.  

if you can find a way to use it to enhance the effect and still retain bachiness, by all means.  but generally keep it to a minimum.

[bitus]

use the pedal only when absolutely needed, and use it so that the audience cannot notice it. I think it's very unapropriate to say one should never use pedal in Bach. After all, Bach is more dramatic then a lot of romantics... but in a different way. He shoudn't be played mechanicly at all.
The Bitus.

[bernhard]

Ok, I'm tired of not seeing a thread about this.

Er...

Have a look here:

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1075497476

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1059889782

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1050165080

[ChopRock]

well, I think that's true that it wasn't written to sound mushy, with the pedal. however, you can sparingly use it appropiately. I'm playing Prelude in B flat minor, and as long as you don't pedal through the eighth notes, the melody is ultimately enhanced.

[Hmoll]

Of course you can use the pedal, and pedalling does not automatically make something sound "romantic." You just have to remember that Bach wrote for keyboard instruments without a damper pedal.

[liszt1022]

You have no reason NOT to use any and all capabilities of a piano when performing Bach. It all depends what kind of sound you're going for.

Bach didn't write for modern piano, he wrote for harpsichord. If you want authentic sound, play it on a harpsichord. If you want modern piano sound, play it on a modern piano & don't be afraid to use the pedals.

The bottom line (to me) is that you're playing it on a different instrument, so play it like it's for that instrument.

[bernhard]

Have a look at this very interesting thread as well:

http://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=perf;action=display;num=1059889782

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[johnreef]

Dampers are much more efficient in a piano than in a harpsichord. Thus the argument that using the pedal deviates from baroque practice is bs.

[cziffra]

Dampers are much more efficient in a piano than in a harpsichord. Thus the argument that using the pedal deviates from baroque practice is bs.

huh?

[anda]

the argument that using the pedal deviates from baroque practice is bs.

what is bs?

as for using the pedal... one of my teachers used to say the pedal is pianists' second right hand

i use both pedals even when i play bach - but that depends on how i want the work to sound. i never used the right pedal in a courante because i want the piano to sound as much as possible as a harpsichord (so i play as much as possible staccato). i always use the right pedal in a sarabande.

you must keep in mind that the right pedal has two important roles: to help the legato and, most important, to let you use the harmonics of the sound (sorry about poor english).

so, listen and try different ways of using the pedals, and adopt the one that sounds most like what you want the work to be.

[dj]

what is bs?



lol: "bologna sandwich" of course

[anda]

lol: "bologna sandwich" of course

ok! thanks... (i guess...)

[bernhard]

He is making fun of you Anda. (It is good fun, I am sure he is not being mean). But since English is not your first language, you will not get it (it was pretty funny though lol). BS means... (I cannot write it in full because it will probably be censored), so you will have to figure it out:

B - Bull (male of the cow)
S - s**t (excrement)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.