Bach - Prelude and Fugue in A major BWV 864

Bach, my friend and my enemy...
I love Bach's music so much. I always feel unequal to it. This piece and I have had a difficult relationship. I performed it a couple of years ago and felt that I'd barely scratched the surface. I completely rethought it and ended up drawing a lot of inspiration from the resemblance of the Prelude to an Allemande, and the Fugue to a Gigue (despite being in 9/8). Both those dance forms are usually contrapuntal, so I'm still paying attention to multiple voices, but the overall rhythm and rhythmic oddities (especially the syncopations in the Fugue) helped me make a lot more sense out of them and create a more exciting interpretation.
Then I performed them again this spring and had a huge attack of nerves. That happens with me and Bach. I could see my hands shaking all the way through. You can imagine the results when it came to the Fugue.
I'd like to really, really make friends with this piece, and I think I'm probably closer now than ever.
Comments welcome, especially from the Bach experts!


Bach - Prelude & Fugue in A major, BWV 864

 

Had a listen to the prelude, I really enjoyed it. I give you credit, and agree with your assessment this music is not for beginners of piano. I wonder did play this from memory or read it from score?

 

Thanks Riley!
I played these from memory. Reading is distracting for me, so for a piece I intend to live with for more than a couple of months I usually memorize.
Heather

 

I love the prelude; it is eminently listenable. I don't love the fugue, but I don't think it's because of your rendition; it just seems like there's too much going on. Hopefully one of the Bach experts will chime in.

BTW: I observed that you already have sufficient silence at the end of the prelude and the beginning of the fugue to fulfill Monica's request of combination. I would recommend working with copies (or making a backup first) and then importing the fugue into the prelude. You might have to position the cursor at the end before doing this; I've never imported anything, so I don't know.

Personally, I never "save" in Audacity; I always "export". That reduces the surprises that the software can give me.

 

Thanks for the comments.
I happen to love how much is going on in this fugue, but it's true my tempo is on the fast side so there is a lot for the listener to take in. Other recordings on the site are slower.
The file combination was an easy fix and I have attached the single file.
Heather

 

Nice recording ! It is still more enjoyable after the stereo image shift to left has been compensated for (here attached).