Re: Piano vs harpsichord

[Elmer Elevator <bobmer@javanet.com>]

I have the Gould organ LP. Does anyone know what Gould's aesthetic and
technical feelings for the organ were? He certainly doesn't sound as if he
dislikes it.

Bob

-----Original Message-----
From: Anne Smith <smithqa@NEXICOM.NET>
To: F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU <F_MINOR@EMAIL.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Monday, April 16, 2001 4:24 PM
Subject: Piano vs harpsichord


>From: Juozas Rimas :
>
>> Do you think Bach would compose pieces at (in fact) one volume level if
he
>could
>> get his hands on a piano or at least a clavichord? Isn't it possible he
>wanted
>> melodic dinamism but physically couldn't get it on the harpsichord?
>
>I have played both piano and harpsichord.  If I had tons of money I would
>own a concert grand piano, a harpsichord and a clavichord.  Most of us
can't
>afford everything we want. I chose the piano.
>Keyboard players have been debating (and fighting) over whether or not Bach
>would have written music for the modern piano for longer than any of us
have
>been alive.
>The piano that Bach tried and disliked was *not* the instrument that we
know
>today.
>
>>Anyway I'd like to hear a straight answer from a
>>professional (biased, yes - impossible otherwise) but professional.
>
>Glenn Gould obviously preferred the piano to the harpsichord.  There was a
>discussion on this list last summer about the very few pieces that GG did
>record using the harpsichord.  I remember someone (Bradley perhaps) saying
>that GG's harpsichord technique was not good.  I have never heard this
>recording so I can't make a judgement on this.  One thing that I am sure of
>is this --- if Glenn Gould had wanted to play the harpsichord well, he
could
>have done so.  The fact that he didn't bother much with this instrument
>should tell us something.
>
>Bach did compose for the clavichord.  There are many indications that he
>preferred it to the harpsichord.  The clavichord is a small instrument
>capable of some crescendo and diminuendo.  It was used in private homes in
>Bach's time.  It did not have enough volume for public performances.
>
>
>Anne
>