Bach, "Prelude BWV 999"

Solo Instrumental Works
Instrumentation: lute
Original Key: C Minor
Year: 1720

I fell in love with Bach's music after hearing this prelude played by Narciso Yepes. The composers intentions are simply crystal clear. The use of a simple idea used to arpeggiate through the tonalities makes for the perfect masterpiece. The Prelude is constructed around 2 very simple yet devastatingly efficient musical ideas. The arpeggio in the first circle (image below) presents the base arpeggio and the second part of the arpeggio in the second circle below is like the rounding up of the preceding arpeggio. The technique used is an harmonic progression where you see a chord change into the next chord very gently. The 2 bass notes at in the round up arpeggio present a counterpoint which in turns splits the listener's ear into a magical stereophonic listening experience.. you can literally hear the 2 melodies move together as the piece moves.

Renato Bellucci Plays BWV 999, May 22, 2013