I had always thought I had arrived as a student of the piano, when my teacher Katherine Lemon started purchasing Schirmer editions of classical music for me. As the years have passed, I am now in possession of the G. Henle Verlag, Urtext editions of several classical composers. The Henle edition, elevates you to an even higher status, once you can master a work within the volume.
I love Bach, and I have both volumes of The Well- Tempered Clavier, or Das Wohltemperierte Klavier, Teil I and Teil II. As an amateur, in the Henle edition, there is not a lot of direction in terms of fingering patterns, or the notes to be included in an ornament. There is the Vorwort or Preface, for basic guidance. However, in my quest to learn quickly, I generally don't spend a lot of time reading the editor's notes that accompany these challenging preludes and fugues.
Currently I am working on the Praeludium XI. I am the second string pianist at my church, and on rare occasions, I fill in as the pianist, for Saturday night Mass. I'm not sure about the congregation's affinity for classical music, but I like it, and I think my pastor does as well. I am always hopeful, that if I can master a prelude, it can become an after communion interlude, before the final announcements, blessing and recessional hymn. There is nothing like a Bach prelude, to make you feel like you are in a house of worship, a place of peaceful reflection.
The Prelude in F major, is in 12/8 time, which always adds another dimension and another challenge. I know this is a bold statement on my part, but without the ornamentation, I believe I could master this work of Bach, in a reasonable amount of time. But this prelude has ornamentation, otherwise known to the common amateur pianist as the trills, mordants and cadences. So proper mastery of the prelude is simply going to take more time.
I add that two of my piano teachers, Katherine Lemon and Suzanne Newcomb each had a book on ornamentation. I would guess that my other teacher Madeline Karn also had such a book, but I don't recall asking her about such a necessary volume of musical information. You don't get to piano greatness, like these three amazing teachers, without a volume on ornamentation.
The trill focuses on this concept, integrating the stream of notes that comprise the trill into the musical melody, while maintaining the steady beat of the time signature. Often over the years, teachers have told me, learn the prelude, and add the trills, once you have mastered the notes and rhythm. Some teachers over the years have even told me to forget the trills. However, when you are a serious musician, even as an amateur, you want to take on the challenge of the trills, no matter how difficult and frustrating they might be.
I was scouting around on the internet this week and, I found a transcription of an ornament table(transcribed by T. L. Hubeart, Jr.) appearing in the Clavier-Buchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, written by Johann Sebastian Bach for the keyboard instruction of his eldest son. If you put J. S. Bach's Ornament Table in an internet browser, you will be brought to a graphic of the table.
The table gives a good description of the symbol for the ornament, as well as the written out notes for each ornament. So, at least for the music of Bach, you can refer to the table when trying to determine how in practice, you will accomplish the ornamentation.
I add, that in time one probably will learn "the how" of playing the ornaments without referring to the table, but keeping the table close by, when playing Bach, will help you to figure out the ornamentation, and perhaps you may even surprise your teacher.
Without spending time to define the ornaments, I can add that there are at least the following ornaments:
trillo
mordant
trillo und mordant
cadence
doppelt-cadence
idem
doppelt-cadence und mordant
idem
accent steigen,
accent fallend
accent und mordant
accent und trill
idem
I add in defense of all of my wonderful teachers, all have been willing to write out how the ornament should be played. Particularly in Bach's music, the addition of properly played ornaments, adds to the dimension of the prelude or fugue. The beauty of Bach's music is enhanced by the ornaments, and therefore, the ornaments must be integrated into the melody and counterpoint melody.
