BACH, Johann Sebastian
Sonata for solo violin No. 2 in A minor BWV 1003
II. Fugue
Christoph Poppen, guest professor
Inés Issel Burzyñska, student
After the performance followed by the Fugue, Poppen begins by saying that fugues should not sound too heavy. He also advises her to be careful when playing at the heel so that it does not produce a blow: he puts an elastic band on it so that she can try it that way.
The dynamics are related to the harmonic tension. The construction of the fugue occurs linearly upwards and then descends linearly again, they are not ups and downs.
The professor likens the bow to language: for the baroque language he will have to “pronounce” in that style and that is achieved with the bow. In this sense, he gives her indications on the use of the bow at different times. At a certain point the movement of the bow must be very simple: a professor of Poppen advised him to do an exercise taking the bow holding it with a closed fist, without moving the fingers.
The chromatic descent of a certain passage is like the suffering and death (of Christ). In this regard, he explains a research by the German musicologist Helga Thoene who pointed out that Bach’s 3 Sonatas for solo violin (in G minor, A minor and C major) formed a religious corpus: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (also related to Christmas, Easter and Pentecost). In this sense, this is the Sonata of the death and resurrection of Jesus. At the end of the fugue, which elevates the melody, is the resurrection: suffering is transformed into joy. These chromatic motifs are very important and should be highlighted.
Later, he continues to make indications to the student on bow directions, dynamics, articulation and phrasing, quantity and distribution of the bow, etc.
In conclusion, he recommends preparing each chord with the bow before playing it and again recommends that she perform that exercise of taking the bow as if gripping it.
Language: English
