Bach: Prelude in C minor BWV 999

BWV 999 was composed for lute, and the question of how it translates to piano has fascinated interpreters for centuries. Ólafsson makes an unusual choice: he plays it relatively slowly, allowing each arpeggio full resonance, so the piano's sustain capability becomes a feature rather than a problem to manage. The piece consists almost entirely of broken chord arpeggios descending from the treble, with occasional bass punctuations — a deceptively simple structure that rewards harmonic attention. Ólafsson brings out the harmonic implications of each arpeggio with his voicing choices, making audible the implied counterpoint Bach embedded in the single-line texture. The emotional character is searching rather than anxious — C minor's traditional associations with earnest struggle are present but tempered by the regular rhythm of the arpeggios, which has the quality of regulated breathing, of prayer. Bach composed this likely during his Cöthen period, and Ólafsson's interpretation connects it explicitly to the devotional tradition, treating it as a gateway piece to the longer chorale preludes on the same album. The recording has unusual intimacy — you can hear the piano's natural decay in a relatively dry acoustic, each note clearly placed. The prelude's brevity makes it a perfect opening: something that prepares the ear and mind for what follows.