Fridays and Fugues

Boy, am I thankful for Fridays! I had a great 4.2 mile run this morning!
I'm especially thankful for Wednesdays this week!

I had a wonderful piano lesson, and Ty came home! Doesn't get much better. :)

I've been working on Bach's 2nd Partita in C Minor. Two movements down, four more to go.
On Thursday I turned the page to the third movement. While it is a mere two pages, it is going to be a pain in the neck. I love, love, love Bach, but sometimes his music is insanely frustrating to learn! (Scratch that; it's usually frustrating to learn!) Nothing like a fugal movement that starts in measure one with four parts! I decided I should work on the fourth movement instead. :)
I'm just postponing the inevitable.

One of my classmates has played it before, so I asked his opinion; I knew already what his answer would be: learn it voice by voice.

Let me describe the process of learning a fugue.
1. Learn voice one.
2. Learn voice two.
3. Learn voice three.
4. Learn voice four.
5. Put voices one and two together.
6. Put voices one and three together
7. Put voices one and four together
8. Put voices two and three together.
9. Put voices two and four together.
10. Put voices three and four together.
(The word learn here really should read memorize, because that's the only way to guarantee you know each part.)

The Fugue from WTC Book 1 that I played last year was also in four parts. I clearly remember the struggle, but I also remember it was one of the most beautiful pieces I've played. It will be worth it.
But right now I'm only on step one. :)

This is for your listening pleasure (and please appreciate how much care went into creating such a lovely sound).