On which note is this trill in Bach's Invention No 4?
In measures 29-33 of Bach's Invention No.4 (BWV 775), there is a trill in the left hand. My book (Schirmir Masterworks Intermediate) notates it as tr#, indicating it should be between E and F#. However I've seen some people play it between E and F on Youtube.
To my ear, the E-F sounds harsh and dissonant, whereas the E-F# trill fits in nicely with the E major scale which that section of the piece seems to be in. Which trill should be played, and why? Either from the music theory perspective or from a definitive source regarding the composer's intent.
Trill in the bass pedal:
(2)2 Comments
Sorted by latest first Latest Oldest Best
The Bach autograph on IMSLP shows...
...the mark above the E is hard to see as a wavy line - it looks more like a long dash - but there isn't a sharp on it.
In terms of intent, I think the standard thing is to play the trill diatonically so that would be using an F natural.
In terms of music theory the clashing of the F natural in the bass trill and the F# in the treble is a cross relationship. Sometimes those cross relationships are avoided, other times they are exploited.
From an aesthetic point of view you can have two reactions: the dissonance is strong and upsetting, on the other hand it is strong and intensely dramatic.
The Harvard Dictionary of Music
Willi Apel
books.google.com/books?id=02rFSecPhEsC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA228#v=onepage&q&f=false
A nice discussion of a very similar trill, but from the cello suites is available here...
Trills in the Bach Cello Suites: A Handbook for Performers
By Jerome Carrington
The part that catches my eye is: "...the prevailing concensus favors playing this trill without chromatic alteration..."
books.google.com/books?id=cgc8uVSjVOIC&lpg=PA106&vq=chromatic%20trill&dq=cpe%20bach%20trill%20chromatic&pg=PA106#v=onepage&q&f=false
It is certainly e - f.
This section is in a- minor, the dominant is E, the movement of the the right hand is up and down using the tones of the E major scale (respectively e-minor upwards while the left hand is playing in the downward mode. Thats quite usual in counterpoint: Look at the line of the end of the trill ignoring the octava step (bars 34-36). In bar 36 we have again a F# (r.h.) and a F (l.h.)
Terms of Use Privacy policy Contact About Cancellation policy © freshhoot.com2025 All Rights reserved.