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Radio 3 programme in honour of Gustav Leonhardt

Started by David Pinnegar, January 21, 2012, 11:33:08 PM

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David Pinnegar

Hi!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/features/programmes/
Today the Early Music Show featured an interview with one of the 20th century's pioneers of Baroque Music. Very fascinating approach to manual changing and also Bach - "No-one should ever play Bach on the piano"!

Worth listening to!

Certainly endorses my opinion of Angela Hewitt . . .

Incidentally, a few years ago I "converted" a young graduate pianist who said that she would never play Bach on the piano again . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCjjaP4tW-A

Best wishes

David P

AnOrganCornucopia

#1
Nice to know I'm not the only one who can't stand Hewitt (particularly playing Bach) and those  Faziolis...

David Drinkell

Perhaps....

but Bach is known to have been interested in pianos and apparently acted as agent for a piano manufacturer during his time in Leipzig.

A colleague of mine, when being interviewed to be an Associated Board examiner, was asked, 'Do you think Bach should be played on the piano?'  His answer: 'You obviously do, because he's on your syllabus'.

In his article on registration, a link to which appears elsewhere on this board, Peter King observes that Bach survives transcription to other instruments - including organs which are not like those he knew - better than any other composer.  I think there's a lot of truth in that.

I would certainly say that it's better to play Bach on the piano than not to play Bach at all.  Some players have made it a speciality - Glenn Gould, for example.  I'm not a fan of his, but he certainly had and has a large devoted following.

revtonynewnham

Hi David

Where did your info about Bach & pianos come from?  It's many years since I read anything about Bach's life, bt whatever it books it was that I read (I said it was a long time ago!) stated that Bach (J.S.) had tried one of the new-fangled forte-pianos and was far from impressed.

I too can't stand Glen Gould playing Bach - and have come to the conclusion that I don't really like Bach on modern piano (at least).

Every Blessing

Tony

AnOrganCornucopia

I recall John-Eliot Gardiner saying much the same - it doesn't matter if it's him, Anton Heiller or the Swingle Singers, somehow Bach survives almost everything. However, I make no apologies for my disliking of hearing Bach on modern pianos - just as I don't like hearing Bach on High Romantic Willises, Harrisons etc. Having said that, Bach on the Sacred Heart, Wimbledon organ last night was just sublime...

David Pinnegar

Hi!

The point that Leonhardt was making (if I recall correctly from hearing the interview on the programme just once on the fly on the car radio) was that playing in a manner in anything other than that which was intended by the composer makes it a new piece of music rather than the original music . . .

Perhaps someone with the time might press the listen again button and just transcribe the comment: Leonhardt is a voice of scholarship and experience who is worthy of his opinions being listened to . . .

Having said this, here's a recording of Bach on a modern piano in a "Good Temperament" of which Bach might have approved by a pianist for whom I have great respect and whose interpratation gives me significant pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs7wDeDSQiI

Best wishes

David P

KB7DQH

I lost track of time and so I began a recording of our locally-produced 588th edition of The Organ Loft...

a program dedicated to the memory of Gustav Leonhardt... somewhat late :-[ :'( :'( :'( 

However, some brilliant examples of his artistry were presented... along with recollections of personal encounters with Gustav Leonhardt by the host, Roger Sherman... who himself is an organist (associate organist at Saint Mark's Cathedral, Seattle Washington)  which included a performance of a  Bach Cantata on original and reproduction period instruments... 

Eric
KB7DQH

The objective is to reach human immortality—that is, to create things which are necessary to mankind, necessary to the purpose of the existence of mankind, and which have become the fruit that drives the creation of a higher state of mankind than ever existed before."