Bach-Wegrzyk, Adagiosissimo and Prelude

J.S. Bach, Adagiosissimo from the Capriccio BWV 992 and Prelude from the Cantata BWV 106

BACH COLLECTION by Marek Wegrzyk

This new series of Bach transcriptions for six-string guitar proposes a radically innovative approach from the start by using an altered tuning: E, A, C#, F#, B, E. The third string in F# is obviously a very well-known change, but the fourth string in C# was an experiment that created surprising results. By no means is it a miracle solution, but it provides more fluid and comfortable fingerings and enhances certain tonalities (D major, A major, B minor, F# minor), which enables multiple original harmonic solutions.

Introduction

The two pieces presented here are not very well known to guitarists. I stumbled upon them while searching for new material to transcribe and was inspired by Wilhelm Kempff's version of the Lamento. Around the same time, György Kurtág's recording of his arrangement for four hands (with his wife Márta) of the Cantata's first movement, and Seymour Bernstein’s solo version, also caught my attention.
Despite being composed when Bach was in his early twenties, these works convey an extremely dense and mature spiritual message and although apparently contrasting in character, they have more in common than you would expect at first sight. They both have explicit, very slow tempo indications (Adagiosissimo and Molto adagio), which is relatively rare. Finally, this arrangement brings them even closer together as the key for the first transcription is E minor and for the second E major.

• Product: Digital PDF or Print on Demand
• Pages: 16
• Level: Intermediate
• ISMN 979-0-706846-39-2
  
• Order number: BE-260303
  

Watch on YouTube:

J. S. Bach - "Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit" (Prelude) - BWV 106

https://youtu.be/pQCDNLNjeh0?is=aS-Mj-c7bYuh0Y3C

J. S. Bach - Adagiosissimo - BWV 992

https://youtu.be/_hcnmjdYtiQ?is=qqoMmJUYUrsOprbI