12. Bach's Keyboard

Bach: Sonata for violin and keyboard No. 4 in C minor, BWV 1017 (January 30, 2000) Bach: Italian Concerto for harpsichord, BWV 971 (January 30, 2000) Bach was a talented keyboard player, performing as an organist in many of his church jobs and playing many other keyboard instruments at concerts and social gatherings. He was quite interested in new developments in keyboard instrument-making, and the birth of the two-manual harpsichord was possibly the inspiration for his Italian Concerto. Before this instrument, the harpsichord could only play at one dynamic level, a sort of medium-loud. The only way a composer could create a range of volume was to write more or fewer notes. With this new instrument, though, there were two manuals, on different levels, and they made possible a new variety of dynamics. Taking full advantage of this innovation, Bach set out to write a full concerto, usually an orchestral piece, for harpsichord alone. In the Italian Concerto, he simulates the exchanges between solo instruments and the full orchestra using the new double-manual harpsichord. The result, for the harpsichord player, and the listener, is an incredibly complex piece. Particularly in the final movement, you may need to remind yourself that you’re listening to only one person playing only one instrument!