Prestissimo

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miker
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Post by miker » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:44 pm

I'm trying to help someone with a scan of Bach Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.

We can't get a few measures to fit in the 4/4 time signature. Would the Prestissimo mean "damn the time signature, play this as fast as you can?"

I tried a 22 in the space of 16, but that didn't work. Perhaps other originals had some triplets involved?

Thanks.
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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:52 pm

Prestissimo just means "very fast." In this case, I think these are triplets with the 3's omitted (a common enough shorthand with Bach). Probably the first measure or two had the 3's and they then left them off to avoid clutter.

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Post by motet » Tue Jun 21, 2022 4:54 pm

Now that I realize which very-famous piece is is, this is an improvisatory passage, so maybe it is more a matter of a cadenza-like free rhythm. They are beamed like the triplets they are, though.

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Post by miker » Tue Jun 21, 2022 5:21 pm

Thanks, motet!
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue Jun 21, 2022 5:29 pm

From what I have learned about baroque music, this passage should be understood as shorthand notation af a subdivision in 16th triplets:
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motet
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Post by motet » Tue Jun 21, 2022 6:12 pm

I've heard them played as duples as well as what you've written.

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