Andante C. P. E. Bach Grade 4 ABRSM 2021 - 2022

By Franz Conrad Löhr - http://www.bpk-images.de/?18671877727020631900&MEDIANUMBER=00092233, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44147555

Character/story of the piece - there seems to be little information available concerning this piece, and the ABRSM Grade 4 list states that it has been arranged. There are no clues in Lang Lang’s book as to which piece of music it has been arranged from. One would then assume that the dynamic markings, tempo indication along with the words at the start have been added by the arranger. The player of this lovely piece could think of two people/singers in conversation with the upper voice stating their concern in the first phrase. There is pain and distress projected in this piece. In the second phrase, the lower voice starts to become more prominent. However, in the second section there is an air of resignation with both voices complementing each other before one final restrained outburst from the upper voice. Words could be composed to accompany the upper melodic line.

Form - this piece is in binary form although it doesn’t strictly adhere to the rules of this form. In bar 7 it looks as if the first section will end in D major, the related minor. However, Bach immediately uses an ornament, returning the music to B minor.

Main part of the music - the focal point of the piece is in the penultimate bar. Bach rarely writes a full crotchet beat in this piece and in bar 15, he writes one prior to the last ornament in the piece. Considering the character of the piece, the dynamics should not exceed a mezzoforte level.

Phrasing - there are four phrases in this piece, all commencing with an anacrusis. The player should consider how the use of the anacrusis affects the character of the piece. Each set of two phrases should be considered as a whole, as they balance each other. Bach starts the second phrase in a similar manner to the first one however he heightens the tension by the use of different material in the latter part of the phrase. And, this is repeated in the second set of phrases with the last phrase ending with definition.

Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns - there is a tempo indication suggested and it would be wise to observe this, because playing this piece too fast would certainly destroy the contemplative character of the music. Although the time signature is Common Time, often the music feels as if there a fewer bar lines than written. The music should sound fluid and not driven by the beats within each bar. Nevertheless, the music should be played correctly in relation to the metronome ensuring that any rubato used, is balanced within the phrase. Some players may find difficulty with incorporating the ornaments into the melodic line. There could be a tendency for some players to wait too long at the end of the first and third phrases. At these points, the music should have a feeling of forward movement, so only a small pause should be employed.

Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach Museum, Hamburg
By Ymnes - Own work, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73154450

Touch and Articulation - the player needs to employ a RH cantabile touch in this piece with the hand well-supported with weight from the shoulder. However, there should always be a lightness and delicacy to the RH’s playing so the weight provided by the shoulder should not be too great. In the second section the RH’s fingers could become a little intense as this will reinforce the increase of anguish in this section. Regarding the LH, the LH’s minims should be played with a degree of resonance according to the dynamics of the phrase. The upper part of the LH provides an interesting melodic line which needs to be highlighted with a cantabile touch too. Clearly the character of the piece demands a legato touch throughout,, however the player needs to observe the small lifts as these provide space to the music. For example, the lift in bar 7 prior to the ornament in the RH provides a delicate touch to music.

Balance between the hands - this will vary in this piece according to the melodic content of each phrase. At the start the LH provides an accompaniment role however by the end of the first phrase Bach has introduced two-part playing where the LH upper notes should become a little more prominent. This continues in the subsequent phrase and there are beats where the LH propels the music forward such as in bar 5 and 6. By the end of this phrase, the hands should blend together as if the voices are in agreement. There should be less balance between the hands in the third phrase and the hands should be nearly in unison in the final four beats of the phrase. At the start of the final phrase, the balance should be to the RH but in the final bars the LH should become a little louder, as if these two voices have become more insistent.

Pedal - as is always the case, less is more and this is definitely what is advised regarding the use of pedal in this piece. The pedal should never engulf the delicacy of the music, so careful listening to how it is affecting the sound is paramount. Constant use of flutter pedal throughout this piece is necessary to ensure that the melodic line is not blurred in any way at all but sustained long enough. Small lifts in the application of the pedal provide space and help to show the listener where the phrasing occurs. The use of the una corda pedal is optional, in my opinion the tranquillo sound should be achieved by finger use. The application of the una corda pedal tends to deaden the sound and this loss of lustre would affect the character of the music.

Carl Phillip Emmanuel Bach accompanying Frederick the Great.
By Adolph von Menzel - WAFEF2zy8Ym8vQ at Google Arts & Culture, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13318230

Dynamics - as has been mentioned before, the dynamic level should not exceed mezzoforte however the player is required to have a full range of dynamics at their fingertips. The range of dynamics employed in this piece is one of the major factors that contributes to the character of the music. The player must constantly be listening for tone-matching not only in either hand but at times, how loud one hand should play after the other has played.

Ornaments - the player should consider how the ornaments and their position in a phrase affects the character of the phrase and the music overall. The two main ones at the end of each section contribute to the closure of these sections allowing for some of the tension to dissipate. Ornaments require direction, and these two ornaments should be played with a small degree of rubato and dynamic shape to project this.

Rubato - small touches of rubato in this piece are entirely appropriate however any slowing (apart from the end) should be balanced by some forward movement. It would be advisable if the first phrase were to be played fairly free of rubato, as the listener must be aware of the beat before there is any alteration of this.

Considerations when playing this piece -

There are many dissonant intervals in this music and these contribute to the pathos of the piece.
Some of the chords may be split when played.
There is a danger that the player is not ready to be play the first notes, the player should have their fingers ready and activated to start and be able to play the first notes with controlled weight to obtain the required level of sound at the start.
Consideration must be give to how the repeated notes are played.
All crescendos and diminuendos need shape and direction.
There are a few accidentals in this piece that are not strictly necessary.
The LH chord in bar 12 needs to be played with delicacy.

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