early fingering editions for Bach keyboard works
  • Anyone know of any good 'early fingering' editions for Bach keyboard works?
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    Jeffrey, to my knowledge, there aren't any. The generally accepted approach is to learn a set of "national" principles (i.e., the French, Northern German, or Spanish system) and apply it to the music yourself in any given case. A good manual for this would be the Ritchie & Stauffer "Organ Technique: Early and Modern" or any of the Wayne Leupold "national school" books. It is a very subjective (but eminently good!) art, which somewhat contradicts a "one-size-fits-all" approach to fingering. What are your thoughts?

    PS-I find the Spanish 15th-17th Century method easiest and most adaptable, since it allows liberal use of the thumb. If you're playing on an instrument with "modern-length" keys, some of the other schools are less successful, in my experience.
  • A good manual for this would be the Ritchie & Stauffer "Organ Technique: Early and Modern".


    Yes, I have this and have done the early technique chapter. It's very helpful.
  • BruceL
    Posts: 1,072
    Jeffrey, sorry: I forgot another good one. The two part book and manual by Laukvik is interesting, although I think he extrapolates a bit too much from the available information in efforts to make some sort of intelligible whole.
  • Anthony Newman did a fingered Clavierübung iii in the Schirmer Great Performers series that I found somewhat helpful.
  • I offer a third vote for the Ritchie and Stauffer book.