From Alamy.com
Menuet in G BWV Anh. 116 from Clavierbuchlein vor Anna Magdalena Bach Anon. Grade 3 ABRSM 2023 – 2024
According to my records this piece was in the Grade 3 ABRSM syllabus in 2009 – 2010. As the ABRSM Teaching Notes for 2009 – 2010 state ‘with its arpeggio figures it falls nicely under the fingers but there are some tricky corners’. The footnotes of the copy from 2009 – 2010 discuss the keyboard books that J. S, Bach dedicated to his wife Anna Magdalena. The footnotes state ‘the book gives a fascinating portrait of domestic music-making in the Bach family home during the composer’s Leipzig years (1723 – 50). It is thought that this menuet was written by a family friend. Jane Magrath in her excellent book ‘The Pianists Guide to standard Teaching and Performance Literature’ published by Alfred Publishing 1995 states ‘the opening ascending G major broken chord distinguishes it from the other well-known Minuet in G major. Appropriate for helping a student begin to feel octave stretches, and for work on expansion and contraction of the hand. Two-voice writing’.
Character/story of the piece - a menuet, sometimes spelled minuet, is a social dance for two people, usually in a time signature of three crotchets in each bar. The word menuet means small, pretty and delicate. The word menuet is most probably applied because the steps in the dance are quite small and short. At the time when this dance was the most fashionable, it was slow, ceremonious and graceful. The menuet became a stately court dance in the 17th and 18th Centuries. The name is also given to a musical composition written in the same time and rhythm, but when not accompanying a dance the tempo was quicker. It will be advisable to suggest to the player that they could watch videos of this dance so they can understand the character it. The player should imagine each hand being one of the dancers, the left hand is the male dancer and the right hand is the female dancer. The melodic patterns should be thought of in regard to the steps and the movements of the dance.
Form – this piece is in binary form with the first section ending in G major, the original key. At the start of the second section there is a sudden change of key to E minor and it remains in this key for the following two phrases. From this point, the piece moves back to G major with the dominant of the key being highlighted in the subsequent two phrases.
Main part of the music – this should occur in near the end, at the start of bar 37. Even though the dynamic at this point should be at a forte level, the forte should not be too loud considering this piece is from the Baroque period.
Phrasing – there are ten phrases in this piece, each four bars long. Some of the phrases should be considered in sets of two, with the second phrase of the set ‘answering’ the first. However, some sets of two phrases have a more episodic character such the fifth and sixth where, to a certain extent, the melodic material is similar.
Bach and sons, from Alamy.com
Tempo, time signature and rhythmic patterns – it is very interesting to note that when the piece was in the 2009 – 2010 syllabus the suggested tempo was 138 crotchet beats per minute. The tempo indication in the 2023 – 2024 syllabus is considerably slower at 116 crotchet beats per minute. Of course, it is understandable why the speed has been reduced however, when played at the lower speed, it does not have the energy and momentum required for a convincing performance. There is a danger that the quaver patterns could be played unevenly in this piece. Some players may have difficulty playing the triplet pattern correctly. There is a danger that the LH dotted minims may not be held for their correct length.
Touch/Articulation – this piece demands an intense and bright touch using well curved fingers and a small amount of energy into the keys in the RH. The amount of energy should be increased or decreased according to the dynamics and character of the phrase. There are occasions where the LH imitates the RH, here the LH should be played with the same kind of touch as the RH would have. As with any Baroque piece, the application of the articulation markings will require consistency and attention to detail. Most of the time when playing the LH, the minims should be gently detached as well as the crotchet notes. Some crotchets and minims should be played legato such as those in bar 1. There are so many details that must be taken care of, for example the three-note slurs over the bar lines in bars 5 and 6. The two-note slurs in bars 25 to 27 subtlety highlight the syncopation. Touches of articulation such as the legato notes followed by the detached notes in the LH in bars 8 and 32 add interest and energy to the music.
Balance between the hands – this piece has a contrapuntal character to it at times where the LH imitates the RH or plays a more important role than the RH. The player must strive to project the hand that must be highlighted but also be aware of how the hands are working together as a whole. At times they are ‘feeding’ off each other. However, there are occasions where the balance is more conventional, that is the RH has the melody and the LH is accompanying the RH.
Dynamics – the player must remember that whatever dynamic level they use, it must be appropriate for the Baroque period. Tone-matching and employing small crescendos and diminuendos throughout the piece is vitally important. If a phrase is more forward moving in character, the peak of the phrase should be nearer the end rather than in the middle or near the start. The quietest phrase of the piece should be whilst playing phrases five and six. Careful consideration must be given as to the dynamics at the start of each phrase in comparison to the ending of the previous phrase. The player must consider how to change the dynamics where there are repeats, such as in the first phrase. There is an appreciable change in the dynamics in the fifth and sixth phrases; there should be a feeling of intensity and uncertainty in these phrases.
Dancing a Menuet, from Alamy.com
Considerations when paying this piece –
· Here is an excellent piece where a player can be shown the value of working on broken chords.
· The highest note of a melodic pattern is not necessarily the loudest.
· The player should consider how the repeated notes affect the character. These repeated notes must have direction according to the requirements of the phrase and dynamics.
· As stated before, the player must ensure that the quaver patterns are played evenly. Often the hands are playing in an expanded hand position; the little finger could for example in bar 1, not be as curved as the other fingers and as a result, play too early.
· The leaps in both hands will require work so that the tempo is not disturbed at these points. The player should think ahead and look at where the hand needs to leap to prior to the change of position.
· There can be a few touches or rubato applied when playing this piece however, these should be kept to a minimum. A small rallentando in the final two bars is stylish and appropriate. Nevertheless, the player must ensure that the triplet is played in correct time, there should be no change made to these patterns, tempo-wise.
· The 2023 – 2024 ABRSM Teaching notes state ‘a gentle, ‘bend of the knees’ emphasis on first beats of bars 5 and 6 (and similar) followed by light second and third beats, will all give the music grace’.
· The playing of the triplet should be accompanied by an elbow movement to ensure that it moves with ease to the following beat.
· The LH minims should be played with resonance.
· At the beginning it should sound as if a group of dancers have jumped onto to a stage and commenced dancing immediately.
· There is a gentle dissonance on the second beat, for example in bar 15 with the RH D sounding against the LH minim C.
· The LH often provides the energy and momentum for the piece.
· The player must consider how the triplet affects the character of the music.
· There should be a feeling of poise in the second phrase.
· There is an amazing amount of melodic material in 40 bars.
· At times the end of one phrase anticipates the character of the subsequent phrase.