thematically not chronologically, was compiled by Wolfgang Schmieder and published in
- The organ works are BWV 525-748 and the other keyboard works are BWV 772-
- In compiling the catalogue Schmieder largely followed the Bach Gesellschaft
Ausgabe, a comprehensive collection of the composer’s works that was produced
between 1850 and 1905.
Interpretation
There was a time when it was said that legato was the proper touch for Bach. The
organist and composer Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) said that this was the correct
style for the playing of Bach’s works on the organ. It was conceded that the legato rule
was modified on the piano when an upper part of the contrapuntal texture was in
semiquavers and a lower part was in quavers. In that case it was said that the quavers
should be played staccato.
As more research was done on historical performance style some said that a non legato
touch should be the usual touch, phrases should be rather short, and the final note should
be detached.
Some said that Bach should not be played on the piano at all, only on the harpsichord or
clavichord. Of those who allowed Bach to be played on the piano, some used the
typewriter approach, some used the metronomic approach and some played every note
staccato. Some played without dynamic nuance and imitated the terraced dynamics of
the harpsichord. Others brought in a very free way of playing. Some said that one
should not use the soft pedal when playing Bach on the piano.
In recent times things seem to have stabilised somewhat and there seems to be a trend to
play Bach musically with plenty of dynamic nuances and some rhythmic freedom.
The question of pedalling in Bach arises because neither the harpsichord nor the
clavichord had a device that lifted all the dampers. Owing to the evanescent tone of those
instruments such a device would not have been much use. The Silbermann piano, which
Bach knew, had a device that lifted all the dampers. As it was a hand drawknob there
was limited scope for its use unless one drew it for the duration of a whole piece or the
whole section of a piece.
Some pianists when playing Bach on the modern piano avoid the sustaining pedal, some
use it sparingly and some use it less sparingly. The solution to the above issues must
ultimately be found in the choice of the individual pianist.
Bach did not write specifically for the piano, so far as we know, and a performance of
Bach on the modern piano is, at least to some extent, a transcription.
Keyboard