Johann Sebastian Bach Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier Transcribed for guitar solo by Alfredo Sdnchez Introduced by Leo Brouwer Editions OrphéeIntroduction ‘A musical transcription needs to be justified by one or more valid reasons to establish a favorable thalance between what the transcribed work stands to gain and what it stands to lose from the inevita- ‘ble modifications which will change the course of its life as a result of the transcription. ‘The present work achieves double merit by con- tributing to the enrichment of the guitar's reper- oire with material whose value is beyond discussion; on the other hand, the real contribu tion of this work is to make it possible for the present day guitarist to have in his hands a method that Facuere on the practice of polyphony on his or her instrument. ‘When I heard Alfredo Sanchez in the First Gui- tar Festival of Havana (1982), Iwas quite surprised at his transcription of the Prelude and Fugue in C ‘minor Vol. 1). Atthat moment I thought not only of the delight ef listening to the performance of a ‘work so coveted by guitarists, tut alsy uf Use eaten sive polyphonic horizon to be covered upon adapt- ing for our instrument a work of such contrapuntal magnitude as The Well!Timpered Clavier by Johann Sebastian Bach, Ina later encounter, I suggested that he com- piled all the material that he had thus far adapted, selecting those Preludes and Fugues that utilize the greatest diversity of technical resources for study- jing the leading of voices over the fingerboard to Tepresent the tanttold resources of Wie wannesipr tion. Leo Brouwer. Foreword Due to the appearance of better materials and expert luthiers working in traditional methods, as ‘well as the great performers and composers of the twentieth century, the classical guitar presently tijuye a culmination and euccess seldom enen in the history of an instrument, owing to its accep- tance in concert halls and also to the large number of performers who study it passionately in schools and conservatories throughout the world. Nevertheless, guitar art at present has been affected by a saturation of guitarism, Thus, itis com- ‘mon to encounter excellent instrumentalists but difficult to be able to listen to acomplete musician, ‘one who uses the guitar as a means of expressing his ant Introduccién Una transcripcién tiene que verse justificada por una o varias razones de peso, que tengan como consecuencia un resultado favorable entre lo que puede perder y lo que habra de ganar la obra tran- sctita, al sufrir las inevitables modificaciones que le dardn a la obra una vida diferente. La presente obra logra un ucrity duble contribuyendo al enriquecimiento del repertorio guitarristico, con un material que no tiene punto de discusién, y por otro lado, el verdadero aporte de este trabajo, es la posibilidad que otorga al gui- tarrista actual de tener en sus manos un método enfocado a la prictica de la polifonia en su instru- mento. Cuando escuché a Alfredo Sénchez en el Primer Festival de Guitarra de la Habana (1982), quedé muy sorprendido por su transciipclon del Preludio y Fuga en do menor (Vol. I). En ese ‘momento pensé, no sélo en el encanto de escuchar In interpectacién de una obra tan anhelada por los guitarristas, sino en el extenso horizonte poli- fonico que podia abarcarse al adaptar para nuestro instrumento, una obra de la magnitud contra- puntistica como lo es El Clave Bien Temperado de Johann Sebastian Bach. En un encuentro posterior, le sugerf que reco- pilara todo el matenal que tuviera adaptado, teat zando una selecci6n de los Preludios y Fugas que explotaran la mayor diversidad de los recursos téc- ive para cl cotudio de la conduecién de las vores sobre el diapas6n, representando los miltiples recursos de la transcripcisn. Leo Brouwer, Prefacio Debido a la aparicién de mejores materiales y expertos lauderos de tradicién, asf como a los grandes intérpretes y compositores del siglo XX, la guitarra clisica goza actualmente de un auge ¥ Exito pocas veces visto en Ja historia de un instru- mento, tanto por su aceptacién en salas de con- cierto, como por la cantidad de ejecutantes que la estudian apasionadamente en extuclas y cunscrva torios de todo el mundo. ‘Sin embargo, el arte actual de la guitarra se ha visto afectado de un saturado guitarrismo. Asi, es comtin encontrarnos con excelentes instrumentis- tas, pero resulta dificil el poder escuchar a un misico completo, que utilice Ia guitarra comoinstrument, a characteristic common to the history of any other instrument at a given moment. Within this context, we can point out a discon- tinuity in the search for purified techniques for the conception of guitaristic polyphony. above all. in reference to the almost total disappearance of the study and contrapuntal development of the baroque lute, which was eclipsed by the vast sonor- ity of Classicism and Romanticism. ‘The existence of transcriptions of the complete works for te by Bach, Dowland and Weiss does not entirely sole the problem of concrete polyphonic practice. The foregoing material indicates that the problem affecting the guitarist is not a lack of music; rather, it ie ham to enter correctly upon thie type of music. This is partly due to a lack of meth- ods specializing in the adequate handling of the sonorous levels of contrapuntal relief through a detailed fingering. In the case of keyboards, there has existed, for almost three hundred years, the monumental Gidacue work of Johann Sebastian Bach, he Well- ‘Tempered Clavier, which is considered as the Bible of Counterpoint because of its extraordinary poly- phonic structure, For that reason T have chosen this grand work, which wonderfully combines the rigid school of baroque counterpoint with the total freshness. beauty and spontaneity contained in the themes of its Preludes and Fugues. The prime objective of this selection is to help sensitize the polyphonic consciousness of the guitanst who desires (0 enter upon the music with a bit more patience for the task of finding a fingering which will allow for bet- ter reeults in balancing the ronorous levels, as well as in developing a better visualization of the fingerboard of his or her instrument. Explanatory Notes These transcriptions are based mainly on the urtext edition by Otto von Irmer, also on afacsimile of the autograph of the first part of The Well-Tem- jpered Clavier However, the differences existing between the copies by J. Ch. Altnikol and by J. Ph. Kirnberger, both of them disciples of Bach, as well as those found in the Czemy-Peters edition, were of great use in resolving certain passages in some of the Fre- Iudes and Fugues with greater guitaristic elo- quence; in this way, it was sought to establish a better balance in the composer/instrument/performer relationshi El hecho de que atin persistan antagonismos entre las cscuclas guilarriativas, uv co silly un reflejo de la evolucién tardfa de la guitarra, carac- teristica comin, en su momento, a la historia de cualquier otro instrumento. Dentro de este contexto, podemos sefialar una discontinuidad en la buisqueda de téenicas depura- das para la concepcién polifénica guitarristica, refiriéndonos, sobre todo, a la desaparicién casi total del estudio y desarrollo contrapuntistico del latid barroco, eclipsado por la gran sonoridad del Glasicismo y el Romanticismno. El que existan transcripciones de la obra integ- ral para lad de Bach, Dowland y Weiss no resuelve det todo el problema de la pravis polifénica cone reta ya que, por lo antes expuesto, no es un prob- ema de falta de miisica el que afecta al guitarrista sino, precisamente, es el cémo abordar correcta- mente este tipo de mitsica, debido en parte a la carencia de métodos que se especialicen en el manejo adecuado de los planos sonoros del relieve comrapuniistco por medio de una aigitacion razonada, En el caso de los teclados, existe desde hace casi treecientos afior, una obra didéctica monumental en“El Clave Bien Temperado” de Johann Sebastian Bach, siendo ésta considerada la Biblia del Contra- unto, por su extraordinario teiido polifénico. Por tal raz6n se ha escogido esta magna obra, que amalgama maravillosamente la rigida escuela del contrapunto barroco con la total frescura, belleza y espontaneidad en tos temas de sus Pre- ludios y Fugas, para estructurar la presente selec- cién que pretende, como primer objetivo, contri- buir a sensibilizar Ia conciencia polifénica del gui tarrista deseoso de abordar la mtisica con un poco mas de pacienciaen el oficio de buscar digitaciones, que le permitan un mejor resultado en el equilib- tio de los planos sonoros, asf como para el desar- rollo de una mejor visualizaci6n del diapasén de su instrumento. Notas Aclaratorias La realizacién de las transcripciones esta basa- da principalmente, en la edicién urtext de Otto von Irmer, asf como en un facsimil autégrafo de la primera parte de El Clave Bien Temperado, Sin embargo, las diferencias existentes entre las copias de J. Ch. Almikol yJ. Ph. Kimberger, ambos discipulos de Bach, asi como las que se encuentran, en la edicién Czerny-Peters, fueron de gran utili- dad para resolver con una mayor elocuencia guitar-‘The mixing of diverse versions of The Well Tem- pored Clavierae woll as the vory process ofadaptation for the guitar (with the necessary alterations in the voices and their ranges) might be considered somewhat daring, However, the scarcity of concrete music together with the objective pursued by this volume, justifies having entered upon, with a cer- tain amount of license, one of the most beautiful works ever written within die art oC uauntes puist Te is hoped that, through this volume, the young musician may encounter a means for great motiva- tion to practice the adequate handling. of palyph- ony on his or her instrument. ‘The writing of the Fugues (and one Prelude) on two staves was done with the purpose of observ- ing/listening to the independent movement of the voices, avoiding, as much as possible, the false impression that polyphonic music produces when 18 untien/readon only one staff in the form of set~ ile chord blocks affecting the purity of contrapun- tal syle. Tislivuid be made clear theta considerable part of the labor that went into the elaboration of the present work consisted of seeking the means to facilitate a true representation of the real musical values that should emanate from the instrument in accordance with its possibilities, At the same time, all attempts were made to avoid any momentary break in the normal flow ot voices in te tugal themes, or to dishonestly offer a score containing only an identical notation of the ‘bed music svithout any guitarietic resolution 3 all Before reading a Fugue on the fingerboard, a first analysis of same is recommended, as well as having previously listened to recordings by different keyboard players; this is to avoid a superficial reading, which would involve the risk of losing interest for such a study, in addition to the danger of injury in the case of a deficient technique or an inadequate instrument. Itmay be appropriate here, to point outa com- ment made by Prof. Mantucl Datruece upon having listened to a Prelude and Fugue from the present volume: he tong atthe tranecription maine et the objective of respecting the polyphonic aspect, the reader should take cae in the extensions ofthe left hand, for in certain ‘passages. the inger that retainea note may produce aight fisonance asthe hand modifies its position forthe ad ent movement of other voice, i which case itis posible osmcrfice the exact duration ofthat note fr the purpose ‘farbculaing with greater musical precision.” ‘To summarize, it may be said that the fingering employed here adheres more to the idea of main- ristica, ciertos pasajes en algunos de los Preludios y Fuges, buecanda, de esta manera, Ingrar nn mejor equilibrio entre la relacién compositr/instrimento/ intinpree EI hecho de haber mezclado diferentes ver siones de El Clave, asi como el mismo proceso de adaptacién guitarristica (tal como el cambio de tesituras y los trocamientos de voces necesarios) podrfa considerarsete un tant auevido, Pero « raz6n de la escasa musica concreta, aunada al obje- tivo que persigue el presente volumen, justifica el haber abordado, con cierta licencia, una de las ‘obras mas bellas escritas sobre el arte del contra- punto. Esperando que a través de ésta, el joven ‘misico encuentre un medio de gran motivacién para practicar el adecuado manejo polifénico de su instrumento. Laescritura en dos pentagramas de las Fugas (y un Freludio) fue realizada con el propdsiio de ‘obseroar/escuchar el movimiento independiente. de las voces, con la esperanza de evitar en lo posible la falea imprecién que produce la musica poliféniea alser escrita/lefdaen wn pentagrama en la forma de estériles bloques de acordes que tanto afectan la pureza del estilo contrapuntistico. Es preciso aclarar que gran parte de la labor de este trabajo fue buscar las soluciones que permitie- ran la fel escritura de los valores reales que deben, sonar, sin cortar en mingun momento la vor del tema en las Fugas, adaptando la miisica a las posibilidades de nuestro instrumento, sin caer en, cl deshonesto recurso de ofrecer una partionra ron lanotacién idéntica de la misica transcrita pero sin resolucién guitarristica alguna. Antes de leer una Fuga sobre el diapasén, es recomendable un primer andlisis de la misma, asi ‘como el haber escuchado grabaciones con diferen- tes tecladistas, evitando asi una lectura superficial, ‘que conlleve el riesgo de incurrir en una falta de interés por este estudio, asi como—en el caso de tuna técnica deficiente y un instrumento inadec- wade l peligro de Hogar a lastimarse Cabe aqui sefialar el comentario hecho por el mtro. Manuel Barrueco en ocasién de haber exenchado un Preludio y Fuga del presente volu- “Toda rer que la tansripsién permancce fel al objeto de rerpetare spect poifénico, 3 recomendable que ct {ector pongn euideds en Ion txtenrones de Ta tron Inguiebe yu en certs pun el ded que mantene tins nota, puede produc una hgeradesafinacin al mo- dinearla manosu postr pore movimiento adyacente de fas voces en tl ato, en posible sarificar ln drain ‘haca dese nota, bucandoarticuarcon mayor precisiontaining the exact values of the musical notation than to the aspect of interpretation, which will depend exclusively on the performer. It is to be remembered that the prime objective of this work is to provide the guitarist with material for the read- ing and practice of pulyplvuy. Finally, 1 wish to quote textually the inspiring words with which Mr. Edwin Hughes concludes his preface ta Schirmer'e edition of the Woll-Tompored Clavier sarc immonaliyis perfectly safe inthe hands of tote who ae able to place themselves en rapport: wth ‘the most nner inspire, finely concened and finely exe ‘uted examples of musical ereaton, of which sortof music ‘making Bach has lef usa more abundant legacy than any ‘ther composer He's the composer's comporer-par excel ences Orne the aperk otdeighe i ie venany ofthe cal thought and workmanship in a single one of hit compositions i kindled within the young musician, the flame of enthusiasm fr his immortal genus in quite cer ‘aie ae menage eis fom an intimate, personal acquaintance with h works dat the genuine Bch lovers developed. The Well ‘Tempered Clavier lends iuelf in particular o such an Gwe to exre their wonted charm over the concerchall audience when exquisitely performed, the work vas noe conceived for auditoriums dironged by thousands, but ‘Rather for an immediate cece of the understanding few Not to the multitude, bt to the-cognancen belong it final delights, beauties, revelations." / New York, 1934, Alfredo Sanchez Xolape, September, 2000 De estamanera, puede resumirse que las digita- ciones aqu{ utilizadas se apegan més a la idea de mantener los valores exacios de la notacién musi- cal que al aspecto interpretativo, el cual dependera exclusivamente del intérprete, recordando que ete wabajy dene wuuy principal objeuvo, propor- cionar al guitarrista un material para la Jectura y prictica de la polifonia. Por iltimo, quisiera citar textualmente Ine bel las palabras con las que el Sr. Edwin Hughes cierra su prefacio a la edicién Schirmer's de El Clave Bien Temperado: su inmortalided aria ext asegurada en manos de Jor que rimpatran con at obris mie primororsmente Snspiradas,exquitamente concebidasyexritas, como I son ests cemplo de ereacin mosial de Tos ces nox Iivlegado Bach generoramente,miaque ningun otzo con positor. Ei ese} compositor de ios corapositores, el sobre faliente. Una vez quese ba encendido la chspa del tentusiasmoy Ia admiracin hacia una sola des comy — i —# *‘pat FT PTT) == = SS —a— r * ————— "Og i 7 u = = —# == Se ee ie 2 awlVol. I, Prelude 24 : BWV 869 Original key: b minor “Transcription by autreaa Sanchez abe JS. Bach (1685-1730)33 Pwvece,Vol. II, Prelude 24 BWV 893 riginal keys b minor ‘Transcripuon by Altredo Sanchez o ” on ‘8. Bach (1685-1750) ohh 2 @ S 606. | is ie ig " oa doe 9 AT See = = ir 7 7 OF fp | pa, ATT AOE "7 Tt —— he 2 ad wr or tt ao ia {IT35 Pws.g36a7 Vol. I, Fugue 1 BWV 846 ‘Transcription by Alfredo Sénchez Original key: C Major a Bach (1685-1750)Vol. I, Fugue 2 BWV 847 ‘Yranscription by Alfredo Sinchez eee JS. Bach (1685-1750) 2 | 2p se 22 te te et eea4B Vol. II, Fugue 2 BWV 871 Original key: ¢ minor ‘Transcription by Alfredo Séncher JS. Bach (1685-1750) 045 ® Vol. II, Fugue 5 BWV 874 Original key: D Maj ‘Transcription by Alfredo Sénches et ci a JS. Bach (1685 PWisa9Pwys49» Vol. IL, Fugue 7 BWV 876 Original hey. Bb Major ‘Transeripcion by Alfredo Sincher JS. Bach (1685-1750) @-n {i 2 = 4 ee =: ——= = SPws.aoVol. II, Fugue 8 Dwv 57; Original key: dé minor ‘Transcription by Alfredo Sénchez JS: Back (1605-1790)ocr er ror" —CEy" rad oe ny : o ® os t= pmsaeVol. I, Fugue 13 BWV 858 Original key: P8 Major ‘Transcription by Alfredo Sénchez JS. Bach (1685-1750) PWs491Vol. I, Fugue 14 BWV Oyy “Transcription by Altedo Snchez Original key: FH Major pa. sid 1.8. Bach (1685-1750)28 id = 4 wm, yd d—~J a 7 T 3 I = 7 a a 0, Ons °F a pe) ® ad oe wae oe oe 2. a v ee o 7% = : | 7 ———— ; 5 a I © Qe r 2 lee 4G = aoe 7 b Oo = o~ i % as dy pad" = a is P—_ 4 7 J Jy Beg . 2 See i oT 5 Pms9a Vol. 1, Fugue 17 BWV 862 Original key: Ab Majer ‘Transcription by Alfredo Sénchez iginal key: Ab Maj a trent orl oorVol. I, Fugue 18 BWV 863 “Transcription by Alfredo Sinchex ee JS. Bach (1685-1750) oe “~@. aby ahs pts=e SSS cag Lou a OnenoePwysaeVol. I, Fugue 23 BWV 868 “Transcription by Alfredo Snchez Original key: B Major JS. Bach (1885-1750) 0Vol. I, Fugue 24 ‘Transcription by Alfredo Sénchez BWV 869 Original key: b minor a iis JS. Bach (1685-1750) a — ar v 7 SSS —S>Pwsaex vt @- = 6 vi a wm al) LS aege ‘Erased Sy Matar OnceAlfredo Sénclice begat playing the guitar at the age of 12, teaching himself to play Bach’s music. In later Years he studied with Manuel Lépez Ramos, Andrés Segovia (1981), Ivin Rijos, Robert Guthrie and Leo Brouwer, Fi also took masterclasses with Manuel Barrueco and David Russell. Between the years 18s and 1002, Alfredo Sinches won firvt and sccond prizes in several important competitions in Meviea sed in Puerto Rico. He toured in the Soviet Union in 1983, 1984 and 1987 and performed at the qaraikorsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the Oktiabrskaya Hall in Leningrad, the Moscow Conservatory Hall, the Opera and Ballet Theaters in Kiev. Ortesea, Riga and 15 other republics of the former Sonex Union. He has often appeared in Mexico in most of the important concert halls and has recorded cee eral programs for national radio and television. He is active as a soloist, playing with chamber music ensembles and with orchestra. Alfredo Siinchez appeared in international frativale in Pucrto. Ries (4980), Mar det Flata and Buenos Aires, Argentina (1990, 1993), Tucson, Arizona (1994), Cuernavace, Morelos, Mexico (1996, 1997), Havana, Cuba (1986, 1988, 1998), and others. In 1994 he was asked tg establish the guitar department at the prestigious University of the Americas, Puebla, Mexico where he tought for a couple of yoars. In ayo Ne was appomted as a professor in the Faculty of Muse at the Larversiy of Veracruz, Mexico: several of his students have received national and international recog. bition, Besides his musical activities, Afredo Sinches is involved in several electrical engineering pro $c%s, and conducts research in herpetology ae a technical assistant at Uie Canamayte herpetarnige 2 Xalapa, Vera Cruz, Mexico. Pwys-49 $29.95 ISBN 1-882612-10-8 494-0447 Errions Onpittx, Inc, GuitarGatleryttusie.com lore Presser Company 1240 CLunview Bwvp, N 494024470, Sole Selling Agent Cotunmus, OH 43235-1226 Preludes and Fugues from the wey Mawr, PA 19010 sso wew.orphee.com — ‘www presser.com