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Play — Suite f-Moll, BWV 823: Prelude · Johann Sebastian Bach, Genzo Takehisa (the player loads on click)
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MusicCoach difficulty
47/100
Intermediate
Level of the complete work
We have no level specific to this movement. The figure above is that of the complete work: within a cycle, movements often differ widely in demand.
Estimated skills
Tone
Touch control
1
Technique
Legato
1
Technique
Two-voice polyphony
1
What to play next?
Each suggestion combines difficulty gap, risk, confidence and skill overlap. The first two cards in each column are the most useful pedagogically.
Gentle step
The safest next step.
Gentle
Sinfonia in E minor, H.115, Wq.122, no. 3
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
new reflexes
low risk
to confirm
A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Style baroque and Polyphonie à trois voix ou plus — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.
Gentle
Fugue from "Eight Fugues" E flat major
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
partial transfer
low risk
to confirm
A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Polyphonie à deux voix — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Balanced step
A genuine step up, without a jolt.
Balanced
3-Part Inventions, BWV.787-801
Johann Sebastian Bach
partial transfer
moderate risk
to confirm
A real step up: this piece moves you into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Style baroque and Ornements baroque — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.
Balanced
Suite f minor BWV 823
Johann Sebastian Bach
close skills
moderate risk
fair confidence
A real step up: this piece moves you into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Polyphonie à deux voix — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Ambitious challenge
A useful leap with guided practice.
Challenge
Suite a minor BWV 818a
Johann Sebastian Bach
close skills
high risk
to confirm
An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. The skill that will carry the work: Polyphonie à deux voix — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.
Challenge
Suite d minor HWV 436
George Frideric Handel
close skills
high risk
to confirm
An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 6 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. The skill that will carry the work: Contrôle du toucher — what matters is quality of attack and evenness of tone, not speed.
Same level
Same level
Chromatic Invention (1)
Béla Bartók
close skills
low risk
to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Demi-pédale and Polyphonie à deux voix — the pedal is set by ear, note by note: misjudged, it blurs the harmony instead of joining it.
Same level
Invention No.3 in D major BWV 774
Johann Sebastian Bach
new reflexes
low risk
to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Style baroque and Indépendance des mains — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.
Same level
Invention No.8 in F major BWV 779
Johann Sebastian Bach
new reflexes
low risk
to confirm
Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Style baroque and Indépendance des mains — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.
This prelude has a taut, flowing character, with repeated figures that create forward momentum rather than broad lyrical expanses. The main challenges are Touch control (2.5/5) and Legato (2.5/5): the former requires subtle shaping of attack and dynamic levels to bring out lines without hardening the texture, and the latter calls for careful finger connections and discreet substitutions to preserve an unbroken sound. The piece belongs to Bach's collection of keyboard suites and shows how he combines dance forms with contrapuntal writing in a compact movement.