The ABRSM examination notes for this piece suggest that the player should hear one of the slower dances from the cello suites as an introduction and they should also explore some of the minuets in the Anna Magdalena Book.
Hand-coloured woodcut of a 19th-century illustration, from Alamy.com
As I have stated below the ABRSM notes discuss phrasing of this pieces as follows - ‘it is the care given to the beginnings and ends of phrases which will give the melody a vocal line, accenting the first note of each will interrupt the musical flow, but a ‘tapered’ beginning will give musical direction. Similarly, a delicate decrescendo at the end of a phrase will anticipate a small breath and give the performance some space.’. Also the notes state ‘ the semiquavers should be unhurried and eloquent’.
Minuet in G minor BWV 842 from Little Clavier Book for W. F. Bach Grade 3 ABRSM 2001 – 2002
Character/story of the piece – as the ABRSM notes state ‘this minuet is more an aria than a dance and has a very personal melancholic expressiveness’. Although it could be thought of in relation to the dance with the RH being the female dancer and the LH the male dancer, the player could also create some words that could accompany the RH’s melody. The words could reflect a concern or problem the person has, and they are looking for advice and sympathy from the person who represents the LH. There are times where the LH is gently supportive, other occasions where the LH becomes more active in the conversation and other times where the LH is contributing to the melodic line too. And lastly, thinking of the various parts in relation to instrumentation is helpful too as the LH requires a different sound quality between the upper and lower parts.
Portrait of W.F.Bach, ca 1760 drawn by Wilhelm Weitsch, in Staatliche Galerie Moritzburg Halle, Germany. In Public Domain, Wikimedia.com,
Form – as would be expected the form of this piece is binary with both sections to be repeated. The piece commences in the key of G minor with a modulation to Bflat major at the end of the first section. The piece moves to C minor in the third phrase before returning to G minor at the end of bar 13.
Main part of the music – this should occur on the second beat of bar 14 with a sudden reduction of the dynamics on the following beat. The dynamics will need to be increased in bar 15 followed by a gradual diminuendo to the conclusion of the piece.
Phrasing – there are two long phrases in this piece, each 8 bars long. These two phrases can be divided into two phrases each however the end of the first phrase of each flow into the following phrase. It is important for the player to consider the level of the dynamics from the end of one phrase to the next.
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns – there seems to be varying ideas as to how fast this piece should be played. The ABRSM notes state that the tempo of crotchet = 66 works well, however in my opinion this is a little slow. The copy I have suggests a tempo of crotchet = 76 – 88. A speed of crotchet = 80 provides the piece with the momentum it requires. As would be expected for a minuet the piece is written in triple time. Some players may find the quaver/two semiquaver patterns a little hard to execute and there is a danger that some players may play this pattern with a crescendo to the end of it. In addition to this, some players may find the rhythm of the lower mordent in bar 10 a little complex and this pattern could be played as a triplet. The player must be sure that all the notes are held for their correct value. The ABRSM notes suggest that the player listens to the ends of these notes.
Touch/Articulation – firstly the LH has two parts, and these must be emphasised. The LH dotted minims must be played with resonance, feeling right to the bottom of the key bed with a flexible wrist and elbow. The tenor notes should be played with a slightly more energetic touch however the tenor becomes more resonant once it is required to play minims and the bass takes on a more melodic role. It is necessary for the player to consider how to change the RH touch, when the music is quieter a light cantabile touch is called for however once the dynamics become louder it will be necessary to lighten the touch a little and become more energetic. Basically, this piece demands a legato touch throughout, however a few lifts used in the RH will have a dramatic effect on the music. Firstly, a lift between the first two RH Fs in bar 7 will highlight the modulation to Bflat major. There is an air of despondency in bar 10 which can be featured in the RH using two-note slurs on beats one and two and the first RH beat should be detached from bar 9. There are some awkward stretches in both hands in this piece however the player should endeavour to maintain the legato line in each part where possible.
Balance between the hands – the amount of balance between the hands will be determined by the melodic material and the dynamics used. For example, at the start the balance should be to the RH, however as the first section continues the LH begins to take a bigger role and by bars 7 and 8 there will be little difference between the hands balance-wise. Because the dynamics are very quiet at the beginning of the second section the RH balance will not be as noticeable as it would have been at the beginning of the piece.
Dynamics – as is always the case, whatever dynamic levels used should always be considered in relation to the Musical period of the piece as well as the character. A large range of dynamics should be used when playing this piece. And the dynamic level of the LH will have a significant effect on the overall dynamics. For example, the use of mezzoforte dynamics in bar 6 will be achieved to a certain extent by reducing the amount of balance between the hands as well as increasing the dynamics of the LH. At the end of each section the hands should ‘merge’ together dynamically and the use of a little rubato at these points will add dramatic effect. There are two instances where the LH plays on its own and the player must consider how loud to play these notes. The top note of a melodic pattern is not necessarily the loudest.
Ornaments – there is only one ornament marked on the copy I have on the RH F in bar 10. As stated before, there is a possibility that the player could play this lower mordent as a triplet. Suggest to the player to ensure that the shoulder is down as often players raise the shoulder and thus restricts their movement. In addition to this, lightening up regarding touch is useful too. The lower mordent should not sound abrupt.
Rubato – clearly this is not a feature of this piece although a little hesitation leading up to the LH Bflat in bar 8 and at the climax in bar14 is appropriate. A short ritardando is appropriate and the player should wait on the last notes so that some of the sound can die away before gently lifting both hands.
Considerations when playing this piece –
· This may be the first time the player has been exposed to part-playing.
· In bars 7 and 15 both hands play quaver patterns. How does this affect the character of the music?
· At the beginning of each section there should be an air of restraint.
· The player must listen to how the LH is being sustained.
· There is a danger that the first notes may not sound, the player must be ‘ready’ to play the first notes and ensure that they are played together.
· Any notes that are played with the thumb should not be accented in any way at all.
· There are instances where the hands will be required to be well forward on the keys to be able to play them with ease.