The Tempo Implications of Bach's Notation: Part 1-The Proportional Method

This research into the tempo implications of Bachs notation answers the age-old question of Bachs tempos providing insight into Bachs intended musical effects. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) was a very busy man. At times he composed a new church piece every week often barely completing the piece a day or two before the church service. In order to ensure that his music lasted the appropriate amount of time he needed to calculate duration while composing. To do so he needed to have specific tempos in mind. A review of the contemporaneous performance practice literature indicates that in this time period before the development of the metronome: - Establishing the correct tempo was considered an important and difficult task.- Musicians used a fixed pulse rate called the tactus to establish tempos.- Once they established a tempo they were able to vary that tempo by using proportions. - The time signature and the shortest note value of a piece both communicate information about tempo. Through a comprehensive review of Bachs notation this research demonstrates that there is one optimal way to explain the tempo implications of Bachs notation. It further shows that Bach used two different tactus speeds and indicated a change in the speed of the tactus by using mensural time signatures which are derived from the ancient music system of the same name. After reading this book the musician will be able to determine Bachs intended tempo for any Bach movement by identifying the time signature tactus speed and shortest note value. Bachs intended tempo gives valuable clues about his intended musical effect. Because Bachs tempo often differs from current performance practice this research transforms our understanding of his music. This book is for classical musicians musicologists music students and anyone who appreciates Bachs music. While the research is important and significant it is presented so that an amateur musician will be able to follow the arguments.