November 15, 2025
Improvisational Play Based on J. S. Bach’s “14 Canons,” No. 1
Overview: An on-the-spot, playful improvisation using the motif from J. S. Bach’s 14 Canons, No. 1 (G–F♯–E–D–B–C–D–G). The chord progression G–D–A7–D–G7–C–D7–G is repeated throughout.
Note: All content on this page is originally explained by Reiji in Japanese. The English version is translated by AI and structured by a parent, with Reiji's final approval.
Reiji's Words and Ideas
- Performer’s Note:
I improvised playfully on the spot using the motif from J. S. Bach’s “14 Canons,” No. 1: G–F♯–E–D–B–C–D–G. The chord progression G–D–A7–D–G7–C–D7–G is repeated. - Why G7 → C works:
G7 contains the tritone B and F, and resolving B→C and F→E leads naturally to C (IV)—an effect of a secondary dominant 〈V7/IV〉, which gives stronger forward motion than using G. Also, F is non-diatonic to G major, adding a touch of strangeness and color that serves as an accent in the overall flow. - *This is an improvisation; content reflects only the performer’s momentary interpretation.
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvbgD6oYhjc |
|---|---|
| Video Title | Improvisational Play Based on J. S. Bach’s “14 Canons,” No. 1 |
| Source Motif | J. S. Bach – 14 Canons, No. 1 (BWV 1087) |
| Recording date |
November 15, 2025 Performance by a 9-year-old |
AI Assistant’s Notes and Inferences
- Motif-centric design: The eight-note cell (G–F♯–E–D–B–C–D–G) functions like a compact “subject,” allowing transposition, fragmentation, and registral shifts without losing identity.
- Functional flow: The loop G → D → A7 → D → G7 → C → D7 → G outlines tonic with a chain of secondary dominants (V → V/V → V → V7/IV → IV → V7 → I). The tritone in G7 (B–F) resolves by semitone (B→C, F→E), supplying forward motion.
- Color tone (F♮): F is non-diatonic in G major and can be heard as a Mixolydian color / borrowed ♭7. Its brief tension—especially above the tonic—acts as a timbral accent before resolution.
- Voice-leading heuristics: Prefer stepwise resolutions for tendency tones, preserve common tones (e.g., D or G) across chords, and let the motif’s stepwise contour weave above/below sustained chord tones.
- Form in motion: The fixed progression acts as a ground; variety comes from rhythm (displacement), register (octave moves), texture (broken chords vs. block voicing), and invertible two-voice play.
- Study value: As a short etude, this setup trains real-time counterpoint over functional harmony—hearing tritone resolution and secondary-dominant pull while keeping the motif intelligible.