Bach Mnemonics

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Bach Mnemonics, the 48

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anacrusis	Oct 16 2006, 09:22 AM Post #1
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 5231 Joined: 1-October 05 From: Edinburgh, Scotland Member No.: 4852	Anybody come across these? Here My husband was just trying to play no VII from book 1 and quoted the mnemonic, so I thought I'd look them up... who is playing which ones out there? I'm still only on "He went to town in a hat that made all the people stare"

petrat	Oct 16 2006, 09:35 AM Post #2
Unregistered	Not such a stuffy old gent was he? I use Ebenezer Prout books every week. His books on harmony, counterpoint and fugue are really well written, but easier to read if one has some prior knowledge first. They would be heavy going otherwise.

YetAnotherPianist	Oct 16 2006, 10:01 AM Post #3
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 6692 Joined: 18-January 05 From: Sofa; occasionally, piano stool Member No.: 2978	No. 24 from the WTC is great, if anyone knows the shape of the motif: 'The man was very drunk, as to and fro, from left to right, across the road he staggered' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif).

fsharpminor	Oct 16 2006, 10:14 AM Post #4
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 12254 Joined: 7-June 06 From: Wirral (originally Keighley, Yorks) Member No.: 7089	(IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) I have never laughed so much in my life, whilst I had heard of Ebenzer, I hadn't come across those before. My favourite fugue is clearly 'she cut her throat with a paperknife that had no handle' (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) in F#minor (Book 2) ! I just have to go through the lot now with the music , when I should be working

maggiemay	Oct 16 2006, 12:19 PM Post #5
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18089 Joined: 12-January 04 From: S E England Member No.: 413	Great fun - I think I've only come across "John Sebastian Bach sat upon a tack" before. There is a rejoinder to these, a comment on Prout's ideas, using the subject of the Great G minor organ fugue ... "old Ebenezer Prout, you are a funny man, what on earth inspired your silly little plan, you make Bach's fugues as nasty as you can." which seems a bit harsh given the humour of the ones in the original posting! but maybe there was a particularly bad edition of the G minor by him that inspired the comments. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Boo Radley	Oct 16 2006, 12:39 PM Post #6
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 2662 Joined: 27-June 05 From: Cornwall Member No.: 3984	No.22 from book two is quite amusing. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) O, dear! What shall I do? It's utterly impossible for me to learn this horrid fugue! I give it up! [Countersubject] It ain't no use! It ain't a bit of good! Not a bit! No, not a bit!, No, not a bit!

fsharpminor	Oct 16 2006, 02:03 PM Post #7
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 12254 Joined: 7-June 06 From: Wirral (originally Keighley, Yorks) Member No.: 7089	QUOTE(maggiemay @ Oct 16 2006, 01:19 PM) Great fun - I think I've only come across "John Sebastian Bach sat upon a tack" before. There is a rejoinder to these, a comment on Prout's ideas, using the subject of the Great G minor organ fugue ... "old Ebenezer Prout, you are a funny man, what on earth inspired your silly little plan, you make Bach's fugues as nasty as you can." which seems a bit harsh given the humour of the ones in the original posting! but maybe there was a particularly bad edition of the G minor by him that inspired the comments. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Yes thats the fugue from Fantasia & Fugue in G Minor rather than the Prelude and Fugue BVW535. It fits perfectly, and is very apt. Its an FRCO job that fugue is ! When I was only 15 I was asked to play that Fantasia and Fugue before a wedding !! I got through it , but not very well!

hero	Oct 16 2006, 06:34 PM Post #8
Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 330 Joined: 7-September 06 From: sunny south Member No.: 7621	I can't stop giggling!! Which one shall I play next??? It just is so funny! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Trebor	Oct 16 2006, 06:39 PM Post #9
Virtuoso Group: Members Posts: 4815 Joined: 12-July 05 From: Bucks/Oxford Member No.: 4133	(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) They're great, I will now spend far too much time going through WTC I.

maggiemay	Oct 16 2006, 06:59 PM Post #10
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 18089 Joined: 12-January 04 From: S E England Member No.: 413	QUOTE(fsharpminor @ Oct 16 2006, 03:03 PM) QUOTE(maggiemay @ Oct 16 2006, 01:19 PM) Great fun - I think I've only come across "John Sebastian Bach sat upon a tack" before. There is a rejoinder to these, a comment on Prout's ideas, using the subject of the Great G minor organ fugue ... "old Ebenezer Prout, you are a funny man, what on earth inspired your silly little plan, you make Bach's fugues as nasty as you can." which seems a bit harsh given the humour of the ones in the original posting! but maybe there was a particularly bad edition of the G minor by him that inspired the comments. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Yes thats the fugue from Fantasia & Fugue in G Minor rather than the Prelude and Fugue BVW535. It fits perfectly, and is very apt. Yes- sorry, that's the one. I should have quoted the bwv number. It does fit rather well, doesn't it?

sarah-flute	Oct 17 2006, 06:25 PM Post #11
Maestro Group: Members Posts: 25735 Joined: 14-December 04 From: Insomniaville Member No.: 2729	Are the mnemonics for the rhythm or what? I don't know any of the fugues at all really (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) I'll have to see if I can look recordings of one or two out, I'm sad to be missing the jokes! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

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