Modern Harpsichord Music

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

After discovering a few years back that I could actually like the sound of a harpsichord, I then discovered that there were a bunch of great modern harpsichordists playing great old music originally written for harpsichord.

Which leads me to wonder: is there any great (or at least good) modern music specifically for harpsichord? Casting a wide temporal net (post-1900), all I can think of is the concerto by Martinu, the half-concerto and quartet by Carter, and a couple of other things.

Is there any really good (preferably solo or chamber) modern harpsichord music out there?

[ritter]

After discovering a few years back that I could actually like the sound of a harpsichord, I then discovered that there were a bunch of great modern harpsichordists playing great old music originally written for harpsichord.

Which leads me to wonder: is there any great (or at least good) modern music specifically for harpsichord? Casting a wide temporal net (post-1900), all I can think of is the concerto by Martinu, the half-concerto and quartet by Carter, and a couple of other things.

Is there any really good (preferably solo or chamber) modern harpsichord music out there?

Not a work I'm personally too fond of, but there's Falla's Concierto for harpsichord and chamber ensemble...

[bwv 1080]

These are all great pieces:

Ferneyhough - Etudes Transcendantales
Henze - Compases Para Preguntas Ensimisades, Apollo Et Hyazinthius
Ligeti - Continuum
Penderecki - Partita
Ponce - Sonata for Guitar and Harpsichord
Schnittke - Concerto Grossi 1,3 & 4

[Baron Scarpia]

This recording of includes a harpsichord concerto by Frank Martin which I really enjoyed.

[asin]B001IOMWGM[/asin]

[Draško]

The most popular (deservedly) trio of 20th century harpsichord concertos are Martinu, Falla and Poulenc. There are multiple recordings of each. Many modern composers wrote some harpsichord pieces, not sure any wrote a lot. A good way of getting quite a few are three discs by Finnish composer and harpsichordist Jukka Tiensuu. They are titled The Fantastic, The Exuberant and The Frivolous Harpsichord and they mix modern with baroque and renaissance pieces. Not sure of the availability though, first two were on Finlandia the last one on Ondine (I haven't heard that one):

[ritter]

And also from Spain, there's Cristóbal Halffter's Tiempo para espacios, for harpsichord and chamber ensemble (1975). AFAIK, it's only been recorded once (in this long OOP and hard to find domestic release, with Martin Häselbock at the keyboard):



EDIT:

I see now another performance (under the composer) is available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/v/e5pXFOV9sBE

[Jo498]

This recording of includes a harpsichord concerto by Frank Martin which I really enjoyed.

[asin]B001IOMWGM[/asin]

I think Martin's Petite Symphonie Concertante for harpsichord, harp and strings might be even better, in any case also a very commendable piece.

[Baron Scarpia]

I think Martin's Petite Symphonie Concertante for harpsichord, harp and strings might be even better, in any case also a very commendable piece.

Quite so, I also have listened to and enjoyed that (more well known) piece (Armin Jordan on Erato, as well as Ansermet). They may be mixed up in my brain.

[Spineur]

Poulenc Concert champêtre is a lovely piece.  I had a lovely recording on LP.  The one in the EMI Poulenc box is not quite satisfactory as the balance between the harpsicord (too faint) and the orchestra isnt right.

[Draško]

Many modern composers wrote for Elisabeth Chojnacka, Xenakis alone half dozen pieces. Run her name through amazon or discogs and I'm sure bunch of stuff will come up.

https://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/classical/products/7953238--xenakis-nomos-alpha-thallein-naama-a-lile-de-goree-and-other-chamber-works

[North Star]

Falla, Martinu, Poulenc, Kalabis, Rychlik are here, I don't know the performances or half of the pieces either.
[asin]B0072ZYCTQ[/asin]

[Karl Henning]

Is there any really good (preferably solo or chamber) modern harpsichord music out there?

I mean this as information, and not as immodesty (it is modern, and I meant for it to be good, though I leave that matter to others):

https://www.youtube.com/v/2vKGfppo0o8

[Archaic Torso of Apollo]

I just remembered Nach Bach by George Rochberg (1966), inspired in some way by Bach's Partita #6:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnnVRQVgiq8

[pjme]

most of it (very) "neo":

Henry Cowell: https://youtu.be/kGcWsV9hwsw

Alexander Voormolen: https://youtu.be/KR2VNNP_lug

Peter Mieg: https://youtu.be/EYaAGPd7BEE

Hugo Distler: https://youtu.be/z0uU8ZXDvAo (love that crazy last movement!).

Darius Milhaud: https://youtu.be/LHJitM6zZZE

Vittorio Rieti: https://youtu.be/311pmRmp2QU

George Barati: https://youtu.be/PcQ4EQZLF2o

Roberto Gerhard: https://youtu.be/NN7g4ttKFZE

Philip Glass: https://youtu.be/PveH9SNHKq4

H.M.Gorecki: https://youtu.be/leqHjba73lo

Goffredo Petrassi: https://youtu.be/VFdRXngS9oY

P.

[bwv 1080]

Also Dutilleux Symphony #2

[torut]

Per Nørgård: Nova genitura (1975), for soprano, violin, recorder, harpsichord, lute & viola da gamba
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaBKfErFmJc
Harpsichord is mostly accompaniment, but the music is exquisite.

Lou Harrison: Incidental Music to Corneille's Cinna (1955-56)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlcL9BorhjI
This is for 7-limit just intonation tack piano, but the instrument was "used to simulate a harpsichord" (Miller), so this may be applicable?

[CRCulver]

I'll second Jukka Tiensuu, mentioned above. His output for the harpsichord is vast. Of especial interest is his harpsichord + string quartet work "Of Arsenic and Old Lace" which he recorded with the Arditti Quartet. The harpsichord there is tuned microtonally, as he often does.

The composer Bryce Pauset which writes in a New Complexity style similar to Ferneyhough or Dillon, but he is also inspired by Baroque music and is a competent harpsichordist himself, so several of his works feature the instrument.

The harpsichord part in Alfred Schnittke's Concerto Grosso No. 1 is infamous.

[Mirror Image]

Poulenc Concert champêtre is a lovely piece.  I had a lovely recording on LP.  The one in the EMI Poulenc box is not quite satisfactory as the balance between the harpsicord (too faint) and the orchestra isnt right.

Yes, a lovely work. Get the Decca recording (w/ Dutoit).

[Mirror Image]

Not a work I'm personally too fond of, but there's Falla's Concierto for harpsichord and chamber ensemble...

YES! An awesome, gorgeously lyrical piece.

[Omicron9]

Ligeti's "Hungarian Rock."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0abSzGuTFH8