Probstück 11 · English translation

Eleventh Probstück Annotations §. 1. How does the organist feel? It appears somewhat colourful here again; but it does not mean as much as one thinks. The thing can be done if only one oversees it right. Everything falls so nicely into the hand that it is a pure pleasure. Have courage: only who risks, does win. It is for a test. The key is known, the time is in three crotchets and there are no more clefs than bass, tenor and alto. Why should one be afraid? Yes, I remember, the gentleman does not like to play from printed scores. It is true, one is not used to it. Also, the paper seems to shine through. He shall take it home and have it copied, the thing deserves it. It was made by someone of whom the gentleman has heard that he can, or would like to, compose. Tomorrow we will come together again. §. 2. I, or someone else, would need to talk like that with an unmusical organist. For another honest gentleman it could be of use to know, that one would like to have both hands playing the first three bars in thirds and sometimes – when required by the harmony – in fourths, from which it will be self-explanatory where to add a sixth or a 6/4. Our intention in the measures four to six is, that the chords and figures remain in the left hand while the right hand modulates a little, about in the following way: And like that in the first and second, and the same in the 18th, 19th and 20th measure of the second section. §. 3. The seventh, eighth and ninth measure have their indicated ways. But the tenth, eleventh and twelfth comply with the beginning for they are the same notes. Until the end of the first section nothing else is to be reminded of, except that the 18th and 19th measure are played with plain chords, with no embellishment at all. In the third, fourth and fifth measure of the second section it goes on in the way described first, with broken chords and harmonies. I will write down a few measures, from which the rest can be deduced according to the bass. This begins in the third measure of the second section. §. 4. The tenth measure of the last section needs an arpeggiation with the sixth and fifth in the right hand as the left hand has introduced previously. In the twelfth it occurs again. In the 13th and 14th too; but in that way: This arpeggiation is one of the easiest that can be found. §. 5. One can see that in the 25th and 26th measure it goes on the same way and that in the 29th the first type occurs again. But the right hand can gracefully modulate from the 34th until the 38th while the left hand plays all the figures. It might look something like that: Meanwhile all this shall serve less as an instruction but rather as an encouragement and example, so that it always turns out better and more pleasant.