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On Sunday afternoon, I hosted my first ensemble at home after a yearlong COVID-19 "self-restrained" life. An ensemble of face-to-face is long-awaited after playing virtually on Internet. Everyone (including their family) has already been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine twice, and we considered we are “safe” music companions. Except for the editor (retired Japanese violinist), the members of this trio (German cellist and Italian flautist) have been working at their homes for over a year, and this is their first "long-awaited" going out. Both wore masks when they arrived.
I have been a little tired of playing on the Internet for a year. “Face-to-face” performances or playing-together provide to the other players “body language,” timing of breathing, and any other signs that do not exist in playing virtually as we rely only on ears (as we use special software for music without visuals as it can provide smaller latency than for example than Zoom).
Now we are playing Bach’s Musical Offering (BWV 1079). We will resume rehearsals of piano trio next week.
At last, after over a year, we are beginning to return to semi-normal life in a limited environment.
Musical Offering (Das Musikalische Opfer)
Bach's Musical Offering (Musikalisches Opfer or Das Musikalische Opfer) BWV 1079 is a collection of music by Johann Sebastian Bach with canons and fugues on the keyboard and other combinations of instruments.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdmcabpiGYU
As summarized in the YouTube video above (although it is said that there is some doubt about the authenticity of the details because this video is based on a fiction), on May 7, 1747, Bach was invited to Frederick II's palace in Potsdam.
As Bach, who is well known for his improvisational skills, Friedrich gives Bach the above musical theme and asks Bach to improvise the fugue. Bach improvised a three-voice fugue, and then Friedrich challenged Bach to improvise a six-voice fugue on the same theme. Bach replied, "it will take some time to compose a six-voice fugue with such a complicated theme." It is said that the “Thema Regium” (King's Theme) was completed in two months after Bach returning to Leipzig. The trio sonata with flute, violin, cello, and harpsichord, which is often played in this BWV 1079, is a part of the whole collection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVosipSUt2E
Frederick II (King of Prussia)
Frederick II is known for his excellent military talent and rational state management and is a typical example of the Enlightened absolutist. He also possessed artistic talents such as playing the flute and has demonstrated the versatility of a Rococo courtier.
While Bach's second son (Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach) served Frederick II as a harpsichord player from 1740 to 1767, C.P.E. introduced his father to Frederick II. The episode of "Musical Offering" has occurred in 1747 when Friedrich was 35 and J.S. Bach was 62 years old (Wikipedia).
PS: While vaccination in the United States is steadily progressing, Indian variants have also landed here, and travelers from India are currently unable to enter the U.S. I heard that Booster Shots, which may be also effective for mutant species, will be available in the fall. Physicians say there is a possibility that herd immunity will possibly be gained with the current speed of spread of vaccination in the U.S. The future is still unknown of course, but we have finally returned to "semi-normal" life here. It has been a long year!
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