Piano Practice Tips for Bach's Little Prelude in F (BWV 927)

How we approach the keys, plays an important role in the quality of our touch and tone at the piano! In this tutorial for the late-intermediate level piece, Little Prelude in F-major, BWV 927 (1720-21) by J.S. Bach, I'm sharing how I practice, including how I put hands together, how I'm using the body, notes that I'm listening for and much more! Grab a cup of cocoa and join me for an exploration of this wonderful keyboard work from Mr. B!🎹🥰

Correction: At 5:46, I meant to say that I'm tilting my left hand slightly to the left, not the right. Sorry!

Chapters:
0:00 Welcome & Opening Remarks
0.50 Tossing vs. Slapping
2:44 My Reduction
3:17 Preparing to Put Hands Together
8:50 Putting Hands Together
11:33 This Piece is Chordal
12:24 Importance of Counting & Use of Body to Feel Beats
15:00 A Word on my Movements
16:49 Left Hand m. 4
18:25 Approaching from Above
19:19 5th Finger Responsibility
22:44 Importance of Singing
23:45 Voicing Potential at m. 5
25:27 On Choosing Notes to Bring Out
27:03 Navigating the Ending
28:23 Balance & Tone Quality
29:21 Body Mechanics & Practicing 16ths
32:56 Asynchronization of Hands
35:07 A Word on the Overhead View
38:00 Overhead View
39:05 Wrap-Up

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[jdane]

That is how I often do phrasing. That lift at the end of the phrase.

[robinthomsoncomposer]

Yep totally agree with your comment in relation to the different mindsets required for teaching and performing. I know I am often at risk of producing a complete mess of a demo whilst teaching.

[MacKenziePoet]

I am not a pianist, but I find these Penny Johnson videos a pure joy. One really begins to appreciate both Bach and the art of interpreting his works.

[michaelp]

I'm so happy I found your Youtube videos! I love Bach and your videos inspire me to play more Bach. I'm returning to the piano after not playing for a number of years (decades, really). I'll be viewing more of your lessons. I'm starting with the 2 part inventions. May I request your help with the E-Major 2 part invention?

[andik]

Yeah a new video by you 🎉 thnx for ur instructions

[fitness.systems]

One of your best videos I really enjoyed it very much !! 💕

[JSB]

Wonderful Penny. Thank you for taking me on your journey of identifying the difficulties in this piece, and finding solutions to them! I never learned this piece precisely because I didn't have these solutions.

About the F E D C melodic line you discuss at 20:40: If this is played on the organ in a resonant building, it's natural to play the top semiquavers a little tenuto - it causes that line to resonant and hence sing exactly as you do with your voice here.

Also, it's natural to articulate (variably shorten) the semiquavers before the melody notes to make the melody notes shine.

Failing to do these things results in the notes not making it through the acoustics intact - arriving at the listener as a tumble / jumble of notes.

I mention this just in case it is of interest to you, not because it's useful to you! When I heard you talk and sing about this, I thought "That's how it would sing on the organ in a church. I wonder whether that's what Bach was thinking...".

Even if it was, making the transition from organ-in-a-church to piano-in-a-dry-acoustic is a tricky one indeed IMO. On the organ, tenuto gives a note greater energy - and hence volume and duration (from the reverb). On the piano, greater note energy comes from greater hammer velocity - an entirely different means of expression.

So instead of doing that, I will study carefully what you do here, and learn from it 😃.

Thanks again! 🙂

[looksee]

When you first show the contrast btw toss versus slap another big diff is that you are "all in" on that second rendition, fully engaged and at one with the music.

[АндрейЗорин-ег]

Пенни, у вас красивый, нежный голос. )