WEEK 2: The Depths of J.S.Bach's Music! 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the second week of the J.S.Bach Challenge! This is the place to post submissions of the second week!
- Make sure you've read the guidelines before replying (<- click)
- Watch the kickoff livestream for help with the first section!
If you want to describe your process (optional), feel free to use the following template.
- Things you found easy:
- Things you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
- (Optional:) questions
↓ Reply below with your submissions and questions! ↓
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BWV1006a Gavotte en rondeau
Spanish challenge ended prematurely for me with several damaged nails.
I decided to try something different and some completely new where nails are not so important in the initial phases. I have never really tried Bach. and then the Bach challenge showed up. I found a masterclass with David Russel and chose this happy but a little fast piece. I have played it for two and a half week.
I use the Koonce sheet music . Not all fingerings are optimal for me. In bar 3 I challenge myself with the Russell tilted barre, in the last rondeau I succeed better.
I apology for the sound but I have 5 , even the pinky, broken nails.
What is easy Hmm , I thought I had it memorized.. but with recording on ..
What is difficult Bach is not really my habitat, so not diffusing over to that fantastic new tonebase lesson on Gerhard Fantasia ..
Ornaments, finding the dynamics and lines, reduce overringing.. and playing with bad nails.
Hope I will find time to record a later version with 2 weeks better nails and not least 2 weeks practice. Nevertheless I will keep practicing this piece also post the challenge- as well as the spanish pieces I had to pause - and the Gerhard fantasia..
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen Very good, Lars, especially if you have never played Bach before. And to do that with no nails is amazing. You obviously are someone who does not fear fast tempo. This is one of those pieces that doesn't look too hard at first, but in each new section the difficulty level seems to get higher. Good work and I can't wait to hear your progress.
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen That is a great start - actually much more than a start. It is not apparent that Bach is not your habit. With your level of playing I would imagine this piece will be amazing.
I agree with your assessment of Alexandria Whittingham's TB lesson on the Gerhard Fantasia. I have watched it (though I haven't attempted the piece yet.) and she is very detailed which I appreciate.
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen I cant believe, that you havent been playing Bach before, so you have a natural talent for articulation ....
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen You never cease to amaze me Lars!
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Steve Pederson Eric Phillips Stefanie Mosburger-Dalz Jack Stewart Thank you for your encouragement. Uploading the first take/step is less demanding.
I have a couple of times listened to the lutesuites on the couch with Frank Koonces sheet in my hands. Although I tended to fall asleep at some point I have wanted to plays some of it. Most wanted probably the 1006a prelude, but other pieces have had priority and come in the way. I agree that the sarabandes are very beautiful, as demonstrated, and probably the most Bachsque and Baroquesque. I have enjoyed your submissions and looking forward to more and hopefully do a final gavotte myself
PS please note being non native English demands some bootstrapping before writing in the forum
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Hey, Lars, are you sure you have never played Bach before? It's amazing, it's all here, you just need some time practicing and Voilá! Bravo!
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OFF TOPIC!!
Moyses Lopes A confession. I have played Bach before. But not on the guitar. I wanted an instrument for bad nail days and a less lonely instrument than the nylon string guitar. Bought a mandolin went on a summer retreat in Sicily with Mike Marshall and Catarina Lichtenberg. MM changing from Bach to Pig in a Pen and Jazz was about the best musicianship I have experienced.
I gave this one a try, and also started on the double it is from 2020. I haven't played it since. It is very hard for my fingers with that small fretboard. The mandolin may be more suited for baroque than guitar because of less sustain and the strings in fifth like the violin and cellos. Mike and Catarina thought I had serious problems with the legato. Now, I think I will take this up again when I get time
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen WOOOW, and absolutely NOT Offtopic! First time hearing Bach on the mandolin was such an expierence, I've never imagined the mandolin to be able to express so much polyphony! This is why I love this community, it's FULL of surprises!!
I've met Catarina Lichtenberg a couple of years ago, she is such a fantastic musician, her performance blew my mind!!!
I immediately needed to think about Chris Thile when I saw that thumbnail with you and the mandolin:
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen Great! And great experience you told us! In fact, to be honest, I prefer you playing the guitar...
Thank you! -
Moyses Lopes So does my fingers.. and not least my wife
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen great playing Lars! I always think Bach takes a lot of endurance to play. Not only the speed but the memorization, how to phrase, articulate, all the little things. I look forward to your progress!
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Sarabande BWV 997 Mar 14
Here is an update after a couple more days of practice. I am playing the entire piece here, with repeats (but no extra ornamentation yet). I do pretty much have it memorized just from playing it so much, but I used the score just to feel safer for this recording. The second to last measure measure (measure 31) is still difficult, but I'd say I'm getting through it maybe 50% of the time now.
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Eric Phillips Wow! Eric that was great. You have a very solid foundation on this amazing Sarabande. The piece really is beautiful and you are doing it justice. A few more days and you will have it nailed. Bravo.
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Jack Stewart Thanks, Jack. I'm starting to wonder what I want to do with it now, musically. I'd love to be able to do all the ornamentation in the Isbin score you sent me, but all of those ornaments seem beyond me technically. We'll see what I come up with.
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Eric Phillips Even without those ornamentations, it already sounded great.
I've stopped playing classical guitar for many years, and just picked it back up last year, but I have lost my courage to tackle long or difficult pieces. Seeing you recording those long and difficult pieces in a short period of time always amazed me. 
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Wai Thanks, Wai. If you notice, I only play pieces that are of moderate tempo or slower. I really struggle with playing anything fast.
With the pieces I’ve heard you play, I’m really amazed by your great tone and by how cleanly you play.
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Eric Phillips Awesome! I will try to record a video for you with some spicy ornaments that I've employed in this particular piece!
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Martin I'd love to hear it!
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Eric Phillips It's sounding great, Eric! Maybe you can add ornamentation slowly, without stress! Bach's pieces need a lot of time (and reflection) to get ready, I think. Take your time!
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Moyses Lopes Thanks, Moyses. That's what I am doing, actually. Below I posted an update from yesterday that just has a little bit of ornamentation on the repeat of the A section.
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BWV 1002 Sarabande and Double Update
Well I almost got these in Week 1. These still need refinement but they are close (at least to my standard). I still have some annoying g spots but it doesn't grind to a halt as mine sometimes do.I think the mic was up too loud as they are a little harsh on occasion.
After watching Emmanuels MC on Bill's BWV 1007 Prelude I need to go over my phrasing as I tend to be more intuitive than informed. I also recently listened to Gideon Kremer's version of BWV 1002 and have some phrasing ideas from that.
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Jack Stewart Those were incredible, Jack! Last time I was more taken by your double (which is even better now), but I was particularly impressed by the sarabande this time. The phrasing and musicality were just wonderful. So beautiful!
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Jack Stewart Im still working on it, yes, its the Noad version, but I always get stuck somewhere. I wish I could get simply through it;-) I love it.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric. I think I am just beginning to dig into these pieces - and there is a lot of digging to be done. I am now working on the Tempo di Borea, which I have never played. It is the next, and final pair (with its double) of the BWV 1002 suite.
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
