Fugue from BWV 565 - Piano solo (2011)

Free under cc-by (please cite Tanner M. Young)

Transcription by Tanner M. Young. Solo piano arrangement of Johann Sebestian Bach's Toccata and Fugue (BWV 565). Difficulty: Very advanced. Average performance time: 0:05:25. Made in the USA. Categories: Arrangement, BWV 565, Free, Free Scores, Fugue, Johann Sebastian Bach, Music, Piano, Tanner Young, Toccata and Fugue, Transcription & cc-by

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Background

I grew up playing the Carl Tausig transcription in the 8th Volume of the International Library of Music for Piano. I greatly enjoyed the Tausig edition, but, despite being the virtually the same notation as the original organ version, it didn't feel grand enough.

Years later, I came across Busoni's transcription and found it closer to the effect and sound that I wanted as a performer, but even it didn't carry the weight that I wanted.

I finally decided to arrange the work myself. In the end, I only reworked the fugue and rendered it entirely in octaves and added stronger dynamics. The result was the sound that I had wanted as an 11 year-old when I first learned the Tausig version, where the octaves simulated the additional organ pipes and stops, making a much richer and heavier sound.

Performance Notes

Performers should not fear being too heavy, particularly during the final sections of the piece. The dynamics are stronger than in other versions to compensate for the size difference between organs and pianos. This version of the fugue can be coupled with any version of the toccata, or it can be played as an independent piece; if it is played as a standalone piece, the opening octave is intended to keep the fugue from starting in mid-air, but if used with a transcription of the toccata, those notes are ignored.

Dynamic changes should either be moderate or gradual, there are no sections where a subito piano or subito forte are required: any sudden changes in dynamic and tempo, with the exception of measure 52, break the flow of the work. Furthermore, the performer may wish to omit most dynamic changes and maintain a consistent volume throughout the entire piece letting the octaves control the mass of the sound.

Tempo can be rendered two ways at the performer's discretion: a static tempo that only changes close to the end of the piece, or a very rubato and expressive rendering of the work.

Pedalling, though at the discretion of the performer, should lean towards being heavier rather than lighter to simulate the reverberation and bleeding of notes that an organ naturally makes because of the size and the venues they normally occupy.

Fingering is also left up to the performer.