Reading Musical Interpretation: a case analysis of J.S. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B Minor (BWV 8
Reading Musical Interpretation: a case analysis of J.S. Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in B Minor (BWV 893) based upon framework and diagram established by Hellaby
§ Introduction and Literature Review
This essay aims to discuss interpretations of, The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC) II, through analysis of recordings made on the piano by three pianists whose names have been closely associated with Bach performance.
The analysis is based on an approach established by Julian Hellaby. In his book ‘Reading Musical Interpretation: Case Studies in Solo Piano performance’, Hellaby introduces a conceptual framework of analysing the interpretation of a musical work with which to explore empirically recorded performance in western art music tradition. The following extract generalises his approach:
“In my analysis I am concerned primarily with issues regarding the artists’ interpretative outcomes in relation to the apparent ‘givenness’ of the score and how I, in turn, can read and interpret these outcomes.” (Hellaby 2009, p.115)
In this way, Hellaby suggests that the performance ought to be regarded as a “free-standing artistic statement” (Hellaby 2009, p.52) rather than be perceived as a demonstration of the composer or the performing artist’s intention. Instead of focusing on notions of historical authenticity or in another word, “Werktreue”, as a standard by which to judge an interpretation of a work, his analysis centres on nine performance-related categories which are arranged hierarchically into an “interpretative tower” and classified in four levels (Hellaby 2009, p.48) (Figure 1). All levels interact with each other that the knowledge gained from lower level feed into upper ones. Therefore, the top layer, level four, generates of all knowledge accumulated from those beneath and reflects surface element of a performer’s intereptation.
Figure 1: Hellaby’s “Interpretative Tower” Framework (Hellaby 2009, p.47)
The essay consists of four sections. The first section contains
§ Introduction and Literature Review
This essay aims to discuss interpretations of, The Well-Tempered Clavier (WTC) II, through analysis of recordings made on the piano by three pianists whose names have been closely associated with Bach performance.
The analysis is based on an approach established by Julian Hellaby. In his book ‘Reading Musical Interpretation: Case Studies in Solo Piano performance’, Hellaby introduces a conceptual framework of analysing the interpretation of a musical work with which to explore empirically recorded performance in western art music tradition. The following extract generalises his approach:
“In my analysis I am concerned primarily with issues regarding the artists’ interpretative outcomes in relation to the apparent ‘givenness’ of the score and how I, in turn, can read and interpret these outcomes.” (Hellaby 2009, p.115)
In this way, Hellaby suggests that the performance ought to be regarded as a “free-standing artistic statement” (Hellaby 2009, p.52) rather than be perceived as a demonstration of the composer or the performing artist’s intention. Instead of focusing on notions of historical authenticity or in another word, “Werktreue”, as a standard by which to judge an interpretation of a work, his analysis centres on nine performance-related categories which are arranged hierarchically into an “interpretative tower” and classified in four levels (Hellaby 2009, p.48) (Figure 1). All levels interact with each other that the knowledge gained from lower level feed into upper ones. Therefore, the top layer, level four, generates of all knowledge accumulated from those beneath and reflects surface element of a performer’s intereptation.
Figure 1: Hellaby’s “Interpretative Tower” Framework (Hellaby 2009, p.47)
The essay consists of four sections. The first section contains