Julian Bream — JS Bach-Violin Sonata fugue
Julian Bream — JS Bach-Violin Sonata fugue BWV 1001
My friend Vincenzo Culotta plays my “Lady Gaga Fugue”, a piece based on the theme from the song “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga. This should show how counterpoint can be fun and up to date 
The main idea was to write a “neo-baroque” fugue that would sound both baroque and modern. To give a “modern feeling” I used a special treatment of fourths, fifths, suspensions and rythm. Sheet music for piano duet, string orchestra, string quartet and young concert band available here: www.halleonard.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5
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48 comments
Awesome Video
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Simple the best The best is simple. Julian among the five top guitar players ever.
Thanks a lot.
When you think of how ridiculously beautiful this piece is…and then consider just how many other pieces of equal yet distinct beauty came out of ONE MAN’S HEAD…it’s just incredible.
What is his guitar?
He didn’t alter it. That is the correct way to play it; the reason that you are hearing it differently is that he is playing Bach’s own lute transcription of the violin sonata fugue, in which he changed a couple of bars but left it largely the same. There is even a separate catalog number for it. The one for the lute transcription is BWV 1000 (a standalone movement), where the one for violin is 1001, which contains the entire sonata. But this title should include the difference.
Mad skillz!
Somedody please tell me;
Why does he change the beginning of the fuga? I’m not saying that he distorts the sacred work of holy j.b. bach or something like that, in fact i believe, besides that it’s the best interpretation of the guitar transcription as far as i’ve listened. But I still don’t understand why he alters the second exposition. Because ”they wanted a little light relief afterwards” ?!
hope in human kind: restored
Bach
you must go now
My the best music video
This is..
SUPER!
Bach’s rhythm is just too complicated for your brain.
what the fuck are you talking about? You dont even know how to spell rhythm.
Magnífico.
As far as the “best ever”.….i suppose it depends on personal taste. To me…Bach and Mozart are tied for first place. The second place position would go to the CRIMINALY under-rated and often forgotton Joseph Haydn.
Bach is quite good, but I prefer the music of today, Nirvana for exemple. They have rithm and Bach don’t know what is rithm
I think the only composer who stands right behind Bach is Josquin Des Prez, unarguably Renaissance’s greatest composer. Just listen to “Illibata Dei Virgo Nutrix”, “Memor est verbi tui” or “Missa l’homme armee super voces musicales” and you will see my point…
@sayff1 Bach is the master and father of so many genres. Mozart is quite good. However, Vivaldi surpasses him in my opinion. I compose neoclassical pieces (in addition to power metal, jazz, folk) myself, play several instruments (mostly string), and sing as well. I may be crucified on her for saying this, but Beethoven and Chopin are mediocre in comparison to Bach.
guitar interprets this song differently from violin
I’m desparately trying to find the song he played before this in the concert. he talks about how they required something lighter and I’ve heard the song he played before but i cant remember the name of it for the life of me.
We’re playing this today, and we’ve had only two weeks to get it. My teacher’s pissed at us, but we’re string and who could blame us? This is hard Dx The 16th notes are crazy
What a waste of counterpoint.
We were too, until we decided to take it off the program because I WAS THE ONLY ONE ACTUALLY PRACTICING IT )IJFOSDFKS.
Muy bueno!! te felicito!!! tranformaste un tema que no me interesaba para nada en algo agradable realmente
nice idea
)haha
Our orchestra is going to play this at the spring concert it is kinda hard to get the rhythm right. I am all fustrated from trying to play it at home but i can’t do it with out my stand partner. >_<
Yooooo.……im not much of a classical music buff. Like I’m in orchestra at school and play piano im not that INTO it into it…but even I can tell this is PURE genius! This is so epic! Congrats! You just appealed to pop while making it classical :O.…Best of both worlds man,without lady gaga’s annoying voice lol.
i’d like to give you standing ovations right now! wow! this is indescribable awesome and cool! a magnum opus!
faith in fucking music and fucking humanity restored. this is simply indescriptible. thanks, dude!
i cant see any parallel octaves in measure 7. are you sure you read the violin clef or am i getting blind? he is moving from a imperfect consonance to perfect one both voices the same way, but with this ornamentation its not a flaw (even in bicinium). so i dont see any flaw in measure 7. No octave parallels at all.
Interesting how you can take a theme from a pop song and make a wonderful fugue like this out of it. I’m trying to imagine Bach playing this on a harpsichord now
…and that’s a GOOD thing!
Lady Gaga was arrested at 8:22 this morning for concaine. Watch Video at
Bit . ly/borutey
I need sheet music!
check out my fugues and techno
Of course it doesn’t sound exactly like that song, since it is no simple arrangment for piano, but a fugue based on one line of it as a theme.
There is parallel octavas between the countersubject and the answer measure 7: A-A (2nd eight) E-E (3rd quarter)
and uit sound sabsolutely nothign like bad romance…
Anyone know if the sheet music is still available to download for free anywhere?
Awesome! Great composition! I like that the piano player added the low A on that last chord, though it’s not written. Great understanding of counterpoint, as always.
So that song is able to sound amazing !!
We’re playing this in my band class!
That’s the contradiction between pros and noobs. Noobs have status, that they use to level with the pros who have skill.
You wrote this? I tried similar things but failed. Props to you. You did a great job.
I’m not a Gaga fan, but this is really cool!