Difficult chords in Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring -Help, please!

[t***@hotmail.com]

From Myra Hess' arrangement of the Chorale from Cantata No 147, known

as "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring".

I have the OUP Version.

Two questions.

1. In bar 5 there is a harmonic 10th in the bass from E2 to G3 which
is marked as a broken chord. I can just about reach it to play as an
unbroken chord - would this be wrong?

2. This is somewhat more tricky. In Bar 9 (marked "Cantando il
tenore") the first bar consists of a very low octave G1 and G2, B3
(just below middle C4), then D4, G4, B4 and G5. This is not marked as
a broken chord. How should this be played? FYI, in my copy there is
what looks like a square bracket joining the B3 to the D4.

TIA

Edward

[adrian]

Well the square bracket is clearly used in other bars to indicate notes
which should be played using the same hand although not necessarily at
exactly the same time; for example in bars 2, 3 and 7. So I guess that's
what it means in bar 9 but I think more consistently it should have been
extended to cover the low octave g's. So you play the octave g's followed by
the b-d all with the left hand. (and you play the b mezzo-forte and the d
piano!)

(it's either that or it's intended for three handed pianists!)

Incidentally Kempff published a version which has just the octave g's and a
simple d-g-b chord for right hand but it might be invalid just to substitute
this as other bars are different as well and I suppose the whole harmony
might be incorrect.

Adrian

Post by t***@hotmail.com

From Myra Hess' arrangement of the Chorale from Cantata No 147, known

as "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring".
I have the OUP Version.
Two questions.
1. In bar 5 there is a harmonic 10th in the bass from E2 to G3 which
is marked as a broken chord. I can just about reach it to play as an
unbroken chord - would this be wrong?
2. This is somewhat more tricky. In Bar 9 (marked "Cantando il
tenore") the first bar consists of a very low octave G1 and G2, B3
(just below middle C4), then D4, G4, B4 and G5. This is not marked as
a broken chord. How should this be played? FYI, in my copy there is
what looks like a square bracket joining the B3 to the D4.
TIA
Edward

[Peabody]

adrian says...

Post by adrian
(it's either that or it's intended for three handed
pianists!)

Yes. A third hand, or perhaps whatever appendage is used to
depress the middle pedal. :-)

[**©©]

Post by Peabody
adrian says...

Post by adrian
(it's either that or it's intended for three handed
pianists!)

Yes. A third hand, or perhaps whatever appendage is used to
depress the middle pedal. :-)

I've noticed this a lot in Bach arrangements (ie Busoni, etc).
There are many instances of (nearly) unplayable reaches.
I've always just come up with work-arounds, what ever sounds
best. I can handle most 10ths on the piano, with the exception
of certain of the sharp keys.

[t***@hotmail.com]

Post by adrian
Well the square bracket is clearly used in other bars to indicate notes
which should be played using the same hand although not necessarily at
exactly the same time; for example in bars 2, 3 and 7. So I guess that's
what it means in bar 9 but I think more consistently it should have been
extended to cover the low octave g's. So you play the octave g's followed by
the b-d all with the left hand. (and you play the b mezzo-forte and the d
piano!)
(it's either that or it's intended for three handed pianists!)
Incidentally Kempff published a version which has just the octave g's and a
simple d-g-b chord for right hand but it might be invalid just to substitute
this as other bars are different as well and I suppose the whole harmony
might be incorrect.

Thanks, Adrian. Listening to Angela Hewitt's version, she plays the
low octave Gs some way ahead of the beginning of the bar, leaving her
hands free to do the necessary higher up.

I *knew* this piece would prove tricky. It's the ones that look easy
that are the worst.

Edward