Que jouer après Jesus Christus, unser Heiland, BWV.666 ?

Choose your level of commitment: consolidate, move up a tier or prepare a challenge. The top-ranked cards combine difficulty, risk, shared skills and confidence.

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Gentle step

The safest next step.

Gentle

Wie schön leuchtet uns der Morgenstern, BWV.739

Johann Sebastian Bach

35/100 +4 pts 3-6 weeks

close skills low risk to confirm

A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Style baroque and Ornements baroque — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.

Gentle

Vom Himmel kam der Engel Schaar, BWV.607; In dulci jubilo, BWV.608; Lobt Gott, ihr Christen, allzugleich, BWV.609

Johann Sebastian Bach

35/100 +4 pts 3-6 weeks

close skills low risk to confirm

A short step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Indépendance des mains and Style baroque — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.

Gentle

Es spricht der Unweisen Mund wohl, BuxWV187

Dietrich Buxtehude

35/100 +4 pts 3-6 weeks

close skills low risk to confirm

Gentle

Magnificat

Johann Pachelbel

35/100 +4 pts 3-6 weeks

close skills low risk to confirm

Gentle

O Mensch, bewein dein Sünde gross, T.61

Johann Pachelbel

35/100 +4 pts 3-6 weeks

close skills low risk to confirm

Balanced step

A genuine step up, without a jolt.

Balanced

Prelude in F major, BWV.928

Johann Sebastian Bach

40/100 +9 pts 8-16 weeks

close skills moderate risk to confirm

A real step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Style baroque and Ornements baroque — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.

Balanced

Suite in A major, BWV.832

Johann Sebastian Bach

44/100 +13 pts 8-16 weeks

close skills moderate risk to confirm

A real step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). New compared with the previous piece: Connaissance des formes and Style baroque — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.

Balanced

Hornpipe in E minor, Z.685

Henry Purcell

40/100 +9 pts 8-16 weeks

close skills moderate risk to confirm

A real step up, staying in Elementary (around grade 4 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Style baroque and Ornements baroque — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.

Balanced

Balletto Primo: Corrente del Balletto Passacagli

Girolamo Frescobaldi

45/100 +14 pts 8-16 weeks

close skills moderate risk to confirm

A real step up: this piece moves you into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM). The skill that will carry the work: Style baroque and Ornements baroque — the notes are not enough: articulation and ornaments follow performance conventions best checked in an urtext edition.

Ambitious challenge

A useful leap with guided practice.

Challenge

3-Part Inventions, BWV.787-801

Johann Sebastian Bach

47/100 +16 pts 16-32 weeks

close skills high risk to confirm

An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. New compared with the previous piece: Indépendance des mains and Style baroque — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.

Challenge

Well-tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV.846-869

Johann Sebastian Bach

47/100 +16 pts 16-32 weeks

partial transfer high risk to confirm

An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. New compared with the previous piece: Polyphonie à trois voix ou plus and Connaissance des formes — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.

Challenge

Sonata in E major, K.380, L.23, "Cortège"

Domenico Scarlatti

46/100 +15 pts 16-32 weeks

partial transfer moderate risk to confirm

An ambitious leap into Intermediate (around grade 5 ABRSM/RCM) — only worth starting if the practice time is really there. New compared with the previous piece: Connaissance des formes and Passages rapides — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.

Same level

To widen the repertoire without raising the level.

Same level

Pedal excercise, BWV.598

Johann Sebastian Bach

31/100 same level 2-3 weeks

partial transfer low risk to confirm

Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 3 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Indépendance des mains and Style baroque — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.

Same level

Sonata in A major, K.269, L.307

Domenico Scarlatti

30/100 -1 pts 2-3 weeks

close skills low risk to confirm

Equivalent demands, still Elementary (around grade 3 ABRSM/RCM): what changes is the ground. What changes is the skill in play: Connaissance des formes and Indépendance des mains — understand the form and the harmony before memorising, or memory collapses the moment you play for someone.

Same level

Invention No.4 in D minor BWV 775

Johann Sebastian Bach

33/100 +2 pts 2-3 weeks

partial transfer 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: Indépendance des mains and Doigté complexe — practise it slowly and hands separately before any attempt at tempo: that is where tension builds up.

Progressions computed from difficulty, skill overlap and style between works. A What do we play next? recommendation should remain a pedagogical starting point, not an automatic prescription.