Nikhil Hogan Show
109: Enrico Baiano
Episode guests
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Quick takeaways
- Enrico Baiano fell in love with the harpsichord as a young piano student and decided to become a harpsichord player.
- Studying the harpsichord in Italy during the 70s was challenging, as early music and harpsichord were considered exotic and not widely taught.
- Enrico learned composition and counterpoint through a hands-on approach, with a private teacher demonstrating and playing examples on the keyboard.
- Enrico emphasizes the importance of learning by ear, improvising, and playing by feeling, highlighting the need for musicians to understand and play various styles of music.
- Enrico encourages the use of specific books and exercises to learn partimento and counterpoint, with a teacher to guide students in understanding the principles and rules.
- Enrico reflects on the interconnectedness of different musical eras and composers, emphasizing how earlier composers influenced later ones and the continued relevance of ancient musical figures.
Deep dives
Enrico talks about his discovery of the harpsichord and his decision to become a harpsichord player
Enrico recalls the moment he fell in love with the harpsichord as a young piano student attending a concert. He describes seeing the instrument with its unique appearance and colorful keys, and his curiosity led him to approach the harpsichordist and ask to play it. Enrico's experience playing the instrument resonated deeply with him, and he felt a strong connection, describing it as the continuation of his skeleton. This profound connection and lack of separation between himself and the instrument compelled him to become a harpsichord player.
Enrico discusses his journey to study the harpsichord in Italy and the challenges he faced
Enrico shares the difficulties he encountered in studying the harpsichord in Italy during the 70s. He explains that early music and harpsichord were considered exotic and not widely taught at the time. Despite his desire to study the harpsichord, Enrico initially had trouble finding a teacher. However, with the encouragement of his piano teacher and his own determination, he began studying early music independently by reading books, attending concerts, and listening to rare harpsichord recordings. It was only when he was 22 that he finally found a teacher and began his formal study of the instrument.
Enrico talks about his composition training and learning counterpoint
Enrico discusses his composition training and how he learned counterpoint. He explains that he initially had a private composition teacher who taught him harmony and counterpoint by demonstrating and playing examples on the keyboard. This hands-on approach helped Enrico learn without relying on books. He studied a variety of compositions, ranging from old Scarlatti Sonatas to more modern styles. Enrico emphasizes the importance of learning by ear, improvising, and playing by feeling, asserting that understanding and playing various styles of music is crucial for a well-rounded musician.
Enrico reflects on the relevance of Basso Continuo and the importance of improvisation
Enrico shares his perspective on Basso Continuo and improvisation in music. He highlights that Basso Continuo is related to a specific period and repertoire, but stresses its ongoing relevance in playing early music. Enrico further notes that improvisation is a valuable skill for musicians and mentions its presence in various musical genres, including jazz and pop. He believes that improvisation allows musicians to explore different musical languages and encourages students to embrace improvisation alongside their traditional music studies.
Enrico expresses his admiration for Bach, discusses interpretation, and shares his thoughts on Glenn Gould's performances
Enrico expresses his admiration for Johann Sebastian Bach and notes the complexity and beauty of his compositions. He ponders whether Bach would agree with his personal interpretive approach, characterized by deep sentiment and personal involvement, as opposed to a more objective and mathematical interpretation. Enrico comments on Glenn Gould, recognizing his greatness as a pianist and his meticulous approach to Bach's music. However, he also expresses his perception of Gould's performances as cold and lacking human emotion, highlighting his preference for a more expressive and emotive interpretation of Bach's music.
Enrico offers advice on learning partimento and counterpoint
Enrico suggests following books and exercises specifically designed to teach partimento and counterpoint as the best way to learn these skills. He recommends starting with basic exercises and gradually progressing to more complex partimenti by composers like Durante, Manchini, and Pasquini. Enrico underscores the importance of a teacher in helping students understand the principles and rules of this musical language. Additionally, he encourages students to explore improvisation, playing by ear, and sight-reading as valuable components of musical training.
Enrico discusses the connections and parallels between different musical eras
Enrico reflects on the interconnectedness of different musical eras and composers. He highlights how composers like Scarlatti and Bach influenced later composers, including Beethoven and Brahms. Enrico emphasizes that musical language and techniques developed in earlier periods were carried forward and explored by subsequent generations of musicians. He also comments on the continued relevance of ancient modes and expressive musical figures created by Italian composers, which are still found in the works of Debussy, Ravel, and others during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Enrico shares his top three pianists, partimento collections, and Scarlatti Sonatas
Enrico offers his personal favorites in three categories. His top three pianists include Glenn Gould, Friedrich Gulda, and Sviatoslav Richter. For partimento collections, Enrico recommends Durante, Manchini, and Pasquini. Regarding Scarlatti Sonatas, he selects numbers 4 in C-sharp minor, 1 in C major, and 18 in G-sharp minor from the world-tempered clavier.
Enrico discusses his upcoming projects and concerts
Enrico mentions the cancellations due to the difficult period but shares his plans for the future. He mentions recording Bach's Toccatas, upcoming concerts in Helsinki, Rome, Genoa, and Milan. The specific programs are still being finalized, as organizers are deciding between harpsichord and fortepiano recitals.
Enrico shares his fondness for improvisation and playing non-classical music
Enrico admits to enjoying improvisation and sometimes playing non-classical music, including children's songs and pop music. He recollects instances of playing popular music on the harpsichord and acknowledges the great fun he had exploring different genres.
Enrico reflects on the growing interest in old methods and the benefits of studying partimento
Enrico acknowledges the increasing interest in old methods, such as partimento and counterpoint, among musicians. He highlights the benefits of studying partimento, sharing how it provides a deeper understanding of musical structure, control, and the ability to see the whole musical composition. Enrico also notes how partimento training helps students comprehend and control complex musical passages more effectively.
Enrico's perspective on the relevancy of Basso Continuo and chord inversion
Enrico expresses his view that Basso Continuo is relevant to a specific period and repertoire, yet acknowledges its ongoing importance in early music. He notes that chord inversion is a natural aspect of counterpoint, and while certain inversions may be more effective in certain situations, there are no strict rules. Enrico suggests that understanding different perspectives and realities of harmonic progression is essential for a well-rounded musician.
Enrico's reflections on Bach and Glenn Gould's interpretive approach
Enrico shares his thoughts on Johann Sebastian Bach, highlighting the depth and complexity of his compositions. He also comments on Glenn Gould's interpretations, acknowledging his greatness as a pianist and his preference for a more objective and mathematical approach to Bach's music. However, Enrico emphasizes the importance of incorporating personal sentiment and emotion in Bach's compositions, as he believes music should be a true reflection of the composer's intentions and the performer's interpretation.
Enrico's advice on learning partimento and counterpoint
Enrico suggests following specific books and exercises designed to teach partimento and counterpoint. He emphasizes the importance of having a teacher who can guide the student in understanding the principles and rules. Enrico also encourages students to explore improvisation, playing by ear, and sight-reading as valuable components of musical training.
Enrico's view on the connections between different musical eras and composers
Enrico discusses the interconnectedness of musical eras, citing how earlier composers like Scarlatti and Bach influenced later ones such as Beethoven and Brahms. He highlights the shared musical language and techniques that transcended time and influenced the works of subsequent generations. Enrico also mentions the continued relevance of ancient modes and expressive figures created by Italian composers that can still be found in the music of Debussy, Ravel, and others.
Enrico's favorite pianists, partimento collections, and Scarlatti Sonatas
Enrico shares his top pianists, including Glenn Gould, Friedrich Gulda, and Sviatoslav Richter. He recommends partimento collections by Durante, Manchini, and Pasquini. Regarding Scarlatti Sonatas, he mentions favorites like number 4 in C-sharp minor, number 1 in C major, and number 18 in G-sharp minor from the world-tempered clavier.
Enrico's upcoming projects and concerts
Enrico talks about his forthcoming plans, including recording Bach's Toccatas, upcoming concerts in Helsinki, Rome, Genoa, and Milan. He mentions that the specific programs are still being finalized, as organizers are deciding between harpsichord and fortepiano recitals.
My guest today is Harpsichordist and Fortepianist Professor Enrico Baiano. An award-winning international performer, Baiano has extensively recorded works by JS Bach, Johann Jakob Froberger, and Domenico Scarlatti to name a few.
He has published a method for the Harpsichord in 2010 and with Marco Moiraghi, published a book called “The sonatas of Domenico Scarlatti” in 2014.
00:48 Beginnings 2:25 When did you start playing keyboard instruments? 2:53 What made you decide to make music your career? 3:41 Did you get a teacher to learn the harpsichord? 6:57 How long did you study the harpsichord at the beginning? 7:37 What age were you while studying composition? 7:51 How did you learn composition? Was it the old tradition or new? 11:26 Did you listen to other styles of music growing up? 12:41 How you learned contrasted with the partimento approach 14:30 How extensively did you study with this older teacher? 14:53 Were these private lessons or at the conservatory? 15:43 Did you learn the modern methods of analysis like function theory and roman numerals? 17:09 Were you one of the few students improvising? 18:10 When did you get acquainted with partimento? 19:39 Italians not feeling proud of their heritage 20:36 Learn Fenaroli in 1982 21:49 Was there anything new in the partimento that you didn’t already know? 22:59 Are you able to distill music in the repertoire down to their basic forms? 24:24 Did you work on written counterpoint in your studies? 27:20 What is the difference between harmony and counterpoint? 28:46 What’s the difference between learning composition today vs back in the 18th century? 33:15 On the concern about the listen-ability of modern, contemporary music 36:35 the link between older music like Domenico Scarlatti and later composers like Brahms 38:56 Beethoven being very familiar with Scarlatti 43:35 What do you think about hexachordal Italian solfeggio system? 45:33 How should someone learn partimento? 46:33 On Durante, Zingarelli and others, having more difficult partimenti than Fenaroli 47:37 How should someone learn counterpoint? 48:34 What do you mean by Fux being “too late”? 51:17 Do you need a teacher to learn counterpoint? 51:42 Is figured bass still relevant in the modern age? 54:03 Chord Invertibility/Fundamental bass vs Counterpoint 57:45 On the question of certain chordal inversions not being equal 59:02 What do you think of Glenn Gould’s interpretations? 1:03:42 What’s the balance between learning repertoire and improvisation/composition? 1:05:50 What do you make of the amazing surge of interest in partimento and other older methods of learning music? 1:09:29 Do you use these older methods when looking at music like Ravel or Debussy? 1:13:07 Top 3 Pianists 1:13:32 Top 3 Partimenti composers 1:14:00 Top 3 Domenico Scarlatti Sonatas 1:16:59 Top 3 Pieces from Bach’s WTC 1:19:59 If you could meet any musician from history, who would it be and what would you talk about? 1:20:38 Do you play non-classical music for fun? 1:21:58 Upcoming projects and Wrapping up
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