The Art of Fugue Live from Wigmore Hall: Monday 18th September

[doversoul1]

Fretwork

Just started. Presented by Ian Skelly

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b094snz3

[Richard Tarleton]

Hmmm. It seems to be broken up by the presenter talking.

[BBMmk2]

have to catch up on this. Only just seen it. I hope the presenter is not interrupting too much!

[Richard Tarleton]

have to catch up on this. Only just seen it. I hope the presenter is not interrupting too much!

'Fraid he is. Why is there any talking at all?

PS - on closer examination it was only selected highlights.

[oddoneout]

'Fraid he is. Why is there any talking at all?

PS - on closer examination it was only selected highlights.

So was it recorded rather than real 'live'? I find the various interpretations of 'live' difficult to sort out these days - to me it means 'broadcast as it's happening'.

[doversoul1]

So was it recorded rather than real 'live'? I find the various interpretations of 'live' difficult to sort out these days - to me it means 'broadcast as it's happening'.

The concert did start at 1.00pm today. So the broadcast must have been live transmission.

https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/fretwork-201709181300

I've just started listening on iPlayer.

[BBMmk2]

Oh that's a pity, selected highlights. You play this complete, or not at all!

[doversoul1]

I suppose we c/should have guessed that this would be a shortened version in order to fit in a one-hour concert. I wouldn’t say what was played was highlights but the opening announce c/should have included the information that what we were going to hear was not a complete work due to the time constrain or some such.

Any thought on the ‘conclusion’?

[Richard Tarleton]

You play this complete, or not at all!

Quite.

Conclusion - I didn't give it the chance. What did they do?

[Braunschlag]

'Not at all' - that would suit me

[Padraig]

'All' or 'nothing at all' or 'bits'?

I heard bits of the programme. I don't find that to be unsatisfactory. I often listen to bits of Bach and I find The Art of Fugue eminently suitable for dabbling.

'All' is equally agreeable, and I sometimes achieve it - especially relishing the approach to the last note.

'Nothing at all' is the only option I would not take.

[Bryn]

How can one have "all" of this unfinished work without having a go at completing Contrapunctus XIV (whether as the three part fugue following CPE Bach's title, of a four part fugue as suggested in Bach's obituary)?

[Richard Tarleton]

'All' or 'nothing at all' or 'bits'?

I heard bits of the programme. I don't find that to be unsatisfactory. I often listen to bits of Bach and I find The Art of Fugue eminently suitable for dabbling.

'All' is equally agreeable, and I sometimes achieve it - especially relishing the approach to the last note.

'Nothing at all' is the only option I would not take.

I think it was really the talking between movements which put me off. The fact that different interpretations play around with the running order I suppose supports dabbling - my musical education not up to discussing possible running orders - Podger/Brecon Baroque and Esfahani/AAM both mix it up - but they all help to get to grips with this marvellous work. Neither am I qualified to discuss ending strategies - only that all 4 of the recorded versions I've amassed have incomplete XlVs whether or not they follow it with another piece (e.g. Hewitt with BWV668a, after a long pause).

[Padraig]

How can one have "all" of this unfinished work without having a go at completing Contrapunctus XIV (whether as the three part fugue following CPE Bach's title, of a four part fugue as suggested in Bach's obituary)?

I don't think I'm au fait with that three part fugue, but I think the unfinished sudden end, as it stands, is as good an ending as I would like. There's drama in it like a real unanswered question.
In the event of a completion, the experience of listening to Contrapunctus XIV will be a new experience - at least, for me.

... if it is unfinished, then that is 'all' you get.

[oddoneout]

PS - on closer examination it was only selected highlights.

Ah I misunderstood this bit. I thought you meant it was a programme of selected highlights of the recital, hence my comment about what is 'live' in Beeb terms.