Hello pianists!

I've just spent all day learning a Bach Prelude and Fugue - no.21 B flat Major.

The fugue is fine. The problem I'm having seems to be speeding up the Prelude. The notes are all there and the fingering is secure, but I'm finding that when I start in playing it at the speed I want it to be at, my hands/fingers seem to get all "stiff" or sieze up...

Do any pianists who play this type of music have any advice on the best way to practise/overcome this problem, or am I beyond help?!

My piano keys are quite heavy, and when I transfer to playing the digital, which is lighter, it gets a little easier, but then I feel like a cheat!

Am a bit worried I'm just rubbish

thanks all xxx

Am I right in thinking this is the Book I prelude?

Oh sorry! Yes, it is indeed

I really enjoy it, which is why I'd like to play it "properly"

My repertoire consists of mainly quite "mellow" pieces, according to a friend, and I thought it would be nice to have something different!

Thought so, but worth checking

I think the trick here is not to play too quickly. There's a temptation to make the first couple of bars frantically fast, which then leads to a mess-up of the scale passages in bars 3 and 4. Also, if you have the editorial Presto mark in bars 11 and 12 and you want to follow it, this has to be both playable in itself and noticeably quicker than the basic tempo (which is therefore limited by the possible speed of this passage).

It's also easy to assume that "faster" means "more impressive" in this piece. You'll probably find that a tempo which you find comfortable seems astonishing to an audience (and in fact an uncomfortable tempo can make the piece feel longer to listen to even though it takes less time to play).

Second possibility: you might be trying to make the demisemis too loud. They are very effective already without the performer having to bash them out.

Third possibility: you might be making too much effort with your arms. This one is all about finger flexibility, and that's the first thing that goes when you start tensing your forearm muscles.

All the above based on my own views, and without any intended criticism of your playing, which of course I haven't heard.

Incredible, problems with the PRELUDE instead of the Fugue *impressed*

I'm just impressed with someone learing in one day something that would take me a couple of months at least.

Thank you everyone

Yes sonataform, that all makes real sense. I have a feeling it could be to do with trying to be too loud/fast all at once. I recorded it a couple of different ways, and the worst recording was the one where I was obviously "trying too hard" to be fast, and didn't work as well It starts off sounding great and then starts to flounder!

Will also keep an eye on the "arm" thing as I had a feeling I might not be relaxing enough, and the fact I felt as if I was seizing up means your third theory might just be the right one!

I'm off to try it out!

Oh - when I say I spent all day learning it, I literally do mean all day bar lunch and dinner! Far too much time on my hands Obviously it still needs plenty of work though.

A romantic piece at the same level would take me five times as long...

The advice form Sonataform is good . I play this one, and my daughter did it for Grade 8. The fugue is fairly straightforward, provided you master the bit where you have to play the 'theme' between two hands in the inner parts. Its the interpretation of the prelude that has to be right. Listen to some different recordings if you can. There is a tendency to start off 'h*ell for leather', then the scale parts go awry. A slightly increased speed for the (presto) is possible but I dont think essential. And dont be too keen to get moving after those chord bits.

Thank you!

I have listened to various recordings and had the piece played to me by another pianist as well. I think I'm going in the right direction with it, as the pain has subsided It doesn't sound so "forced" now and is much easier to listen to.