Bach Italian Concerto, Sinfonia, and Fugue - BWV971 BWV903

Author: Zhou Wei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: The Italian Concerto is one of the few works by Bach marked with original dynamic indications forte and piano (during Bach's time, the abbreviations f and p were not yet in use). The contrast in dynamic levels between forte and piano can be expressed on a double-manual harpsichord. The first manual is a device with one key playing two strings (of unequal lengths), producing an octave double stop with a stronger volume; the second manual is a device with one key playing a single string, producing a single note with a weaker volume. On some harpsichords, the two manuals can be interconnected. The sound of the second manual can be layered onto the first, resulting in a greater volume. This is precisely why this solo work can imitate the style of a concerto. Sections marked with forte in both the upper and lower staves indicate the full ensemble (Tutti); whereas sections marked with piano in both staves refer to the solo (Solo) or chamber performance of the instrument. The performer should handle these sections with good taste and judgment, rather than mechanically playing loud or soft. The various dynamic changes within these sections should not be exaggerated too much, to avoid disrupting the work's basic structure. When a pianist encounters a passage where one hand is marked forte and the other hand is marked piano, they should use appropriate dynamics, ensuring one hand's sound is more prominent than the other throughout the passage. In the second movement, Bach only marked forte for the right hand and piano for the left hand at the beginning. The upper voice is written in the style of a solo instrument, while the left-hand part is a two-part accompaniment.