Historical Keyboards: Musick Making from the Past into the Future – Review of the Conference

Two days prior to the event, three of the conference presenters and Paul Irvin appeared on the AllClassical Radio show, Thursdays@Three (hosted by Christa Wessel standing left), to promote the conference. Paul (standing second from left) provided his large French spinet. Faythe Vollrath (standing third from left), Joyce Chen (standing right), and Sonia Lee (seated), each performed one work from their presentations.

On conference day, the morning sessions were held in the Performing Arts Building, built in 2013 and featuring bright, open spaces with light wood and glass surfaces.

The music classroom in this building is well equipped for audio/visual presentations.

The afternoon sessions were held in the Chapel of Eliot Hall, built in 1912 and based on Oxford’s St. John’s College, in the elegant Collegiate Gothic and Tudor Gothic architectural styles.

The acoustics in the Eliot Hall Chapel are ideal for early keyboard instruments and provided glorious sound for the afternoon sessions and evening recital. The Chapel is on an upper floor and served by an elevator too small for harpsichords, so the afternoon instrument was carried up the stairway by professional piano movers.

Carol lei Breckenridge opened the day discussing two 18th century examples suggesting a cantabile style of performance. The first example was JS Bach’s use of the word in his preface to the Inventions and Sinfonias, which Carol lei interpreted as meaning “in imitation of singers”. The second example was Mozart’s use of dynamics and long slurs in Rondo in A Minor, K.511. Carol lei performed Bach’s Allemande from Partita No. 4 on the clavichord, and the Mozart Rondo on the fortepiano, both with admirable sensitivity, color, and polish. Abstract, handout, and bio

Artem Markaryan, visiting from Switzerland, addressed Anton Reicha’s L’art de varier (Op. 57), a complex set of 57 variations composed in 1802-4, from the perspective of how the fortepiano of the time can inform performers about interpretation. Although modern editions add dynamics, these additions may not be historically appropriate. The instrument of the time characteristically had a weak treble and more powerful bass; thus figuration written in the bass register should be treated as important and thematic rather than as background material. According to the composer, the various key signatures continued to suggest contrasting affects, which should be considered by the performer. Variation #22, for example, is written in Gb which he considered to be dark in contrast to the enharmonic key of F#, which he considered to be bright. Modern legato fingering is best avoided in favor of more historic fingering which can help to articulate the slurs marked by the composer; such as using the same finger to begin each slurred group in a series of repeated slurred figures. Finally, the notation senza sordini appears in Variation #27, an instruction to lift the dampers for an entire variation as a register change, rather than as an assist for modern legato playing. Artem performed examples from the variations with thoughtful expressivity. Abstract, slides, and bio

Tung Nguyen surveyed evidence of a shift in performance practice during the early 19th century regarding the question: should the soloist in a keyboard concerto play during the tutti sections, and if so, what should be played? In JS Bach’s Brandenberg Concerto No. 5, perhaps the first example of keyboard in a solo rather than accompaniment role, the keyboard part includes the direction accompagnato and figured bass. The CPE Bach Concerto in Eb includes bass figures. An example by JC Bach (Op. 13 No. 4) instructs tasto solo meaning to play only the bass line. Mozart’s Concerto No. 12 instructs col basso (play with the bass part) and includes bass figures. Haydn’s D Major Concerto was published in both France and Amsterdam; the French edition including notes for the keyboardist in the first 6 measure, the Dutch edition including rests. Hummel’s Concerto No. 39 includes some figures. Ferdinand Ries’ Concerto Op. 177 No. 9 includes the instruction, Ped. which suggests the pianist should play with the tutti. In 1830, Czerny wrote that the soloist should play only softly, and in 1846 he wrote that the pianist must rest during the tutti. What should the modern player do? There are valid arguments on both sides of the question, such as exists surrounding two urtext editions of Beethoven’s Concerto No. 2. The Henle edition has no bass written for the piano during the tutti; the Bärenreiter edition include the bass and figures. Tung suggested that performers learn figured bass, as well as learning to improvise cadenzas, as these composers were all able to do, and to study and compare manuscript sources. Abstract, slides, and bio

Lark Powers provided an overview of the Fandango. The traditional Andalusian Fandango features sung verses (coplas) in simple common practice tonality alternating with instrumental interludes (paseos) using Andalusian modal harmony. Examples can be found in 6/8, 3/8 or 3/4. The Fandango seems to end on the dominant; however, this assessment is inappropriate. The paseos sections are based on the modal traditions of Gregorian chant and the Moors, rather than on common practice tonality, and are characterized by ostinato passages in two competing tonal centers. Fandango may have originated with enslaved Africans in the Americas, moving from there into the Iberian peninsula. In Veracruz the dance inspired the Huapango, a form of native protest. In Venezuela, Fandango evolved into the Joropo, Venezuela’s national music. Lark performed delightful and lively excerpts from a variety of composers, spanning the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Abstract, slides, and bio

During the lunch break, the audience was invited to play the instruments.

Piano students were welcome and they enjoyed exploring the new sounds and sensations of the instruments.

Yago Mahúgo, visiting from Spain, continued the Fandango theme with a spirited and virtuosic performance of the Soler Fandango. Yago discussed how the attribution to Soler, an Augustinian priest, is an enigma, given that the dance was not approved by the church. The repetitive structure of the genre with a 12-note ostinato covering some 450 measures, creates a hypnotic affect similar to the practice of whirling dervishes, members of the Mevlevi, a Sufi Order of Turkey. The work ends abruptly, as if in mid-dance; performers usually add a concluding chord to end the piece. Instead, Yago played a prelude by Soler to bring the energy of the work to a gradual close. Abstract, slides, and bio

Barbara Baird introduced her performance of Allemandes from the JS Bach French Suites by describing the context of court dances. Such dancing was less about enjoyment and more about demonstrating one’s level of culture, grace, and social standing. The French Suites were not intended to be danced, but they do capture the character of the dances. In contrast, simple melodies played on solo violin were generally used for dancing, with a step choreographed for each melodic note. Two of the French Suites Allemandes are in a simpler, Italian style, the remaining four are in a French style, more complex, subtle and ornate. Barbara challenged the audience to determine which Allemandes were exemplars of each type. She performed the French-style Allemandes with lyrical beauty and rubato, and the Italian-style Allemandes in more lively tempo and energetic affect. [Answer: Nos 3 and 6 exemplify the Italian style.] Abstract, handout, and bio

Faythe Vollrath discussed the importance of expanding the horizons of our audiences to include contemporary harpsichord music. The harpsichord is also a modern instrument and its versatility should be demonstrated. One way to program contemporary music is to pair it with historical pieces such as the pairs she chose to play. Retouchage (2013) by Nissim Schaul is a “chose your own adventure” composition which the performer can adapt to any length. It is based on Frescobaldi’s Toccata Settima, Book II, and includes quotes from the Toccata. Elinor Armer’s Variations on “Mein junges Leben hat ein End”(1973) was commissioned by Laurette Goldberg, and is based on Sweelinck’s variations on the same tune. The tune is heard in the first and last variation; between the two appearances of the tune, the composer diverged with great inventiveness, including sections of amassing huge sound from the instrument with repeated chords. Faythe’s fluent performances of the historical and modern pieces were insightful and inspiring. She suggested that performers seeking current-day compositions investigate the Contemporary Harpsichord Music group on Facebook. Abstract and bio

Sonia Lee encouraged performers to consider playing the Concerts Royaux by F. Couperin as solo harpsichord pieces. Although they are usually known as chamber pieces for flexible instrumentation, solo harpsichord performance is mentioned in the preface as an option. Solo performance may have been in the composer’s mind; Sonia noted that figured bass is often missing from the harpsichord part. Also, the tierce coulé ornament and the appogiatura in three-note chords are examples of idiomatic writing for the harpsichord. She suggested that the figured bass be used as a reference to add harmonic notes for fullness as appropriate to create dynamic effects. Sonia performed Concert No. 4 with charming style and vitality to demonstrate the possibility of solo performance of these chamber works. Abstract, handout, and bio

Joyce Chen offered a selection of programmatic pieces in imitation of bird song, and demonstrated how important rubato, accelerating cadential figures and stile brise are to translating the written notes into gestures that realistically express bird behavior. In the Capriccio per Io Rossignol Sopra’l Ricercar by Poglietti, rubato treatment of the theme with its many repeated notes, is more effective to imitate the pecking of birds than a performance in strict time. Joyce performed this example as well as Poglietti’s Imitatione del medesimo Uccello with verve and color. In F. Couperin’s Le Rossignol-en-Amour, Joyce demonstrated the use of rubato and acceleration to emphasize the chirping gesture of the trill motive and in Les Fauvétes plaintives, the use of rubato to express the tender and plaintive nature of the descending second motive featured in this work. She also demonstrated the use of stile brise and staggering between the parts in order to express the alternating conversation between birds. Abstract and bio

Byron Schenkman, guest artist, provided the evening recital, featuring French harpsichord pieces from Ennemond Gaultier to Jacques Duphly, lovingly performed in a lyrical style. Review and program

Some of the presenters and board members who helped to make this event possible. From left: Paul Irvin, Lark Powers, Faythe Vollrath, Yago Mahugo, Artem Markaryan, Carol lei Breckenridge, Sonia Lee, Byron Schenkman, and Paul Hanau.