International Piano Competition J. S. Bach, Würzburg
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The International Piano Competition J. S. Bach, Würzburg is a triennial competition that is held in Würzburg (formerly Saarbrücken) Germany. It was founded in 1992 by Prof. Walter Blankenheim and according to AAF (Alink-Argerich Foundation), with 771 competitors from 58 countries over the last twenty-four years, is the largest Bach Piano Competition in the World.
The competition takes place between the 11 and 21 March, culminating in the awards ceremony and final concert of the prizewinners on March 21 (J. S. Bach's birthday). This competition gives pianists of all nationalities the opportunity to compete with each other with the following objective: the actualization and emphasis on the importance of the “Bach-image” in both, concert life and the educational field. The extensive program dedicated exclusively to the original keyboard works of J. S. Bach is unique, and has a particularly positive result: many candidates—whether they won a prize or not—have since the competition enriched their concert repertoire with Bach’s works.[1] To that extent, it is not comparable with other competitions, as the goal of this competition is not only to award prizes to the best pianists, but to promote and redefine Bach interpretation on the modern piano, finding a balance between stylistically/historically informed interpretation and new ideas with prospects for the future. It can also be considered to have a pedagogical purpose, as contestants are encouraged to listen to and discuss other interpretations. The large number of participants, as well as the number of contestants who return to take part in this competition (often more than once), is a testament to this, as well as the friendly atmosphere of this contest.
Structure
The competition consists of three stages or rounds. All works are to be performed by memory and with all repeats (the only exceptions are the repeats of the Goldberg Variations, and repeats in the preludes of the Well-Tempered Clavier). The program is as follows:
First Round: one French Suite BWV 812–817 + one other obligatory work. These works differ with each competition, but have included Toccatas, Fantasias, Aria variata alla maniera italiana in A minor BWV 989, three-part Ricercar from the Musical offering
Second Round: one English Suite or one Partita (these are rotated each competition) + Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier (the number depends on the chosen Suite/Partita)
Third Round: The program for the third round varies, with a duration between a minimum of 30 minutes to maximum of 40 minutes (with the Goldberg-Variations an only exception) Other options include one Partita + one or more original works by J. S. Bach chosen by the performer; or the French Overture B minor BWV 831 + one or more original works by J. S. Bach chosen by the performer; or the Goldberg Variations BWV 988 (without repeats); or a set of Preludes and Fugues from the Well-tempered Clavier (excluding those of the 2nd round)
Honorary Comittee and Jury
The Honorary Comittee consists of many notable musicians, including: Julius Berger, Dr. Kurt Bohr, Aldo Ciccolini, Ekaterina Dershavina, Karl Engel, Bernd Glemser, Aram Harasiewicz, Dr. Ryuichi Higuchi, Ulf Hoelscher, Dr. Klaus Hofmann, Zoltán Kocsis, Emanuel Krivine, Robert Leonardy, Jean Micault, Sigmund Nimsgern, Vera Nossina, Gerhard Oppitz, Siegfried Palm, Günter Philipp, Dr. Helmuth Rilling, Klaus Schilde, H.-P. und V. Stenzl, Fanny Waterman, Bruno Weil, Dr. Markus Brändle.[2] Members of the Jury have included Prof. Walter Blankenheim, Prof. Inge Rosar, Vera Nosina, Amadeus Webersinke.
Prize winners
The competition allows for a number of finalists, however only four prizes are awarded. Prizes may be shared without diminishing the monetary award to each contestant. Diplomas and special prizes for best interpretation are also awarded. A number pianists that have won prizes in this competition have gone on to have international careers as performers or educators, including Ekaterina Dershavina, Andrea Padova, Christopher Hinterhuber, Gerold Huber, Gianluca Luisi, Maria Perrotta, Esther Birringer, and Hilda Huang (who is currently the only pianist that has received top prizes in all Bach competitions (Leipzig 2014, Würzburg 2010, and Tureck 2010).[3]
References
- International Piano Competitions /Gustav A. Alink
- http://www.alink-argerich.org/foundation
- http://www.bach-competition.de/preistraeger/
- http://www.bach-competition.de/jury/
External links
- Official Website of the International Piano Competition J. S. Bach Würzburg (formerly Saarbrücken) Germany
- YouTube channel of the International Piano Competition J. S. Bach Würzburg (formerly Saarbrücken) Germany
- Official Facebook page of the International Piano Competition J. S. Bach Würzburg (formerly Saarbrücken) Germany]
- Piano Competitions & Music Competitions at Bakitone International
- Directory of International Piano Competitions
- ^ Alink, Gustav. "No disappointment with Bach". Alink-Argerich Foundation. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
- ^ Official page of the Bach Competition Wuerzburg http://www.bach-competition.de/preistraeger/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Alink, Gustav. "Hilda Huang". Alink-Argerich Foundation. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
- ^ name="11/05/2016">Official page of the Bach Competition Wuerzburg http://www.bach-competition.de/jury/.
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