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JJ Triode wrote:

Romy,You refer to the D minor concerto as a "piano concerto," but wasn't it originally composed for harpsichord, like all his other keyboard works? (Except organ of course.)  Anyway, I have a harpsichord recording of the D minor with Sylvia Marlowe, a student of Wanda Landowska, that I enjoy.  I wonder if you could comment on the factors involved in hearing works like this on the piano versus harpsichord, clavichord or whatever.  I suppose this question is tied to the whole notion of "original Baroque instruments" as necessary (or not) for Baroque music, but there are specific issues with the harpsichord: limited control of dynamics, and limited loudness, pretty much requiring a smaller orchestra etc.  Anyway, your observations on this would interest me.Regards,JJ

JJ, I see no problem with the fact that it was composed for harpsichord. In fact if I am not mistaken it was composed originally for violin and then something happened and Bach converted it to harpsichord. I do not see any rational or purpose to create a conflict piano vs. harpsichord and I do not acknowledge the artificial conflict the people invented out there. The miracles beauty and insane smartness of Bach music is not in the instruments it render but on those harmonies. You can play it on lute or balalaika it still will be what it will be. You see, each instilment is own expressive tool and each instrument is own set of limitation and opportunities. It is not about the instrument but about what you do with it and how you can interpret on your instilment the Bach’s melody and rhythm.

I personal am fine with Bach first piano concerto on either piano vs. harpsichord.  As I said above this weekend I was spinning Trevor Pinnock  - this are all harpsichord with Engleish Chamber Orchestra.  I have a few other harpsichord performances but I have only Pinnock   that recorded ALL Bach piano music, including the double and triple harpsichords. I am very sorry that Rafael Puyana  did not recorded the First D minor concerto in his prime a huge lost but it is what it is. I do not mind to hear the piano version. The only thing I do not like when people begin to play Back overly romanticized, like if it is Schumann or Rachmaninoff. I hate it, I prefer Back to be played with balls  and attutude but with own balls, when the will of the player rises to the magnitude of the work itself.

I might drop a few names that I remember I enjoyed to a degree but frankly my taste in Bach D minor concerto is absolutely vandalized by Glen Gould. After I first I heard his play it made me lost interest in any other piano interpretation of this work. I have perhaps a two dozen of LPs of his recording of this work – all of them horrible – but I can’t do anything with myself – when I see this record in a store I just can’t help myself.

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