Bach’s Prelude in D minor, BWV 999
Welcome to our very first Study Group — a collaborative, peer-led dive into a beautiful piece of music over the course of two weeks.
We’re kicking things off with Bach’s Prelude in D minor, BWV 999!
This is not a course or a class — it’s a space for mutual exploration, discussion, and shared progress. I’ll be learning the piece alongside you (again — it’s been a while!), and I’m excited to discover new things together.
What to expect:
Between June 9th-20th, we’ll focus on:
Fingerings and technique
Harmonic structure and phrasing
Interpretation and expressive choices
Your own questions and perspectives!
We’ll also meet for two live Zoom sessions to share progress, chat about challenges, and nerd out over all things Bach.
How to participate:
- Sign-Up here!
- Grab your score of BWV 999
- Introduce yourself below!
- Join the prompts and discussion!
- Share your thoughts, ideas, or a clip of your playing!
Zoom Call #1 – June 13th, 9am PST
Zoom Call #2 – June 20th, 9am PST
-
In preparation for tomorrow's Zoom meeting I'm sharing with you the score I'm working on with my current ideas for left hand fingerings. What I'm looking for with this is to provide a way to maintain a cohesive articulation, sound texture and proper voicing for the pattern through out the piece. For the right hand I'm damping the thumb on the 2nd beat, to apply the rest, and on each descending eight notes of the last beat to provide a detached articulation while damping m-a on upper strings to apply the rests. I hope you'll find it interesting, feel free to comment!
-
Neil Macmillan For sure you can do a slur there, what I'm exposing are my thoughts about the meaning for my own choices, and you're right using the first (ossia) version you have time to lift your first finger for the following mini-barré. Also you can use finger 4 instead of 3 on the C# bass if it helps, it makes finger 3 available earlier for the following B on third string.
-
-
A favourite part of the Prelude starts at Bar 7. The quarter-note basses descend very pleasingly: D C B Flat to A in Bar 10. Then two bars with G Sharp.
LH fingering can be tricky. In Bar 10, the D A D A in second beat can use 4 2 4 1. Swapping 1 for 2 (for the second 3rd String A) makes it easier to move into Bar 11, with a shift from Position I to Position II.
In Bar 11 use 3 for G Sharp in bass; 4 2 1 for top voice. Third beat can use 2 4 0 4, though the Open D will need to be muted.
Bar 12 starts in same position and fingering as Bar 11. Third beat requires a shift back to Position I for the top G Sharp.
The video shows LH fingering from Bar 10 to partway through Bar 12, (though I'm hitting an A in the opening bass in Bar 12 instead of the G Sharp it's supposed to be).
-
I am just joined. I am excited to work on this piece.
-
Jonathan Esquibel Welcome to the Study Group!
-
End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
