The WTF Bach Podcast The First Fugue in The Art of Fugue: What is a Harpsichord? Eleven entrances?
Mar 11, 2020
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Authentic Harpsichord Sound Matters
- Bach's 'Art of Fugue' is best appreciated on the harpsichord, the instrument for which it was originally composed.
- Hearing it on a harpsichord offers an authentic sound experience different from that of a piano.
Harpsichord's Fixed Volume Challenge
- Harpsichord playing demands independence of lines without dynamic variation since it plays at a fixed volume.
- Bach's music expects listeners to recognize the fugue's subject even when subtly woven into the texture.
How Harpsichord Produces Sound
- The harpsichord's unique plucking mechanism causes a distinct clipped noise on key release, creating its characteristic sound.
- This mechanism involves a plectrum made historically from bird quills and a clever tongue system to mute the string on release.