Baroque Pianism: Perspectives on Playing Baroque Keyboard Music on the Piano, with Emphasis on Bach’s Fugues in the Well-Tempered Clavier

Author

Chih-tung Cheng, CUNY Graduate CenterFollow

Date of Degree

9-2019

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Musical Arts

Program

Music

Advisor

Janette Tilley

Advisor

William Rothstein

Committee Members

Thomas Sauer

John Musto

Subject Categories

Music Performance

Keywords

Baroque Pianism, Bach Well-Tempered Clavier, weighted-finger touch, awareness, technique, interpretation

Abstract

In a famous quote, Schumann described the fugues in Bach's Well-tempered Clavier as pianists’ “daily bread.” This dissertation explains how these fugues can be pianists’ practical daily bread by encouraging them to explore a virtuosity of subtlety. I assert that the compositional complexity in these fugues increases pianistic challenges in both interpretive and technical aspects; these challenges can lead pianists to explore a multi-faced pianistic awareness in a way that they may not encounter when performing other styles of music.

Recommended Citation

Cheng, Chih-tung, "Baroque Pianism: Perspectives on Playing Baroque Keyboard Music on the Piano, with Emphasis on Bach’s Fugues in the Well-Tempered Clavier" (2019). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/3449