Topic: Clavichord recordings you like.

[Alek Hidell]

Please forgive what is probably a stupid question. It looks to me like the number of keys on a clavichord is quite limited compared to, say, a harpsichord. Is this correct, or am I missing something? And if it is correct, doesn't that severely restrict which music can be played on it?

(Yes, I'm sure I can Google this, but I'd rather hear from someone here.)

[Mandryka]

This is Menno van Delft with CU 1 on clavichord, so far I've heard only 4 and 6. He seems to completely eschew empfindsamer style ( contrast Ryan Layne Whitney playing the toccata of the E minor suite on YouTube, which I posted on this thread.) The result is a a bit severe, there's too many chords, it's not light and delicate, and I'm so far wondering whether clavichord is a good choice for the music, at least as he plays it (contrast Julian Perkins in the French Suites - there's a world of difference between the music in the two sets of suites, that's becoming clearer to me.)

Anyway the jury's out, but it's early days. Hopefully someone will come along and talk it up and make me feel more positive.

[Mandryka]

Please forgive what is probably a stupid question. It looks to me like the number of keys on a clavichord is quite limited compared to, say, a harpsichord. Is this correct, or am I missing something? And if it is correct, doesn't that severely restrict which music can be played on it?

(Yes, I'm sure I can Google this, but I'd rather hear from someone here.)

I'm pretty sure that it varies from one clavichord to another. Organists used to practise at home on a pair of stacked clavichord . . .  And as you can see you can play Bach suites on one, and the Goldbergs, WTC, Froberger suites, some Frescobaldi toccatas  etc.

[North Star]

Please forgive what is probably a stupid question. It looks to me like the number of keys on a clavichord is quite limited compared to, say, a harpsichord. Is this correct, or am I missing something? And if it is correct, doesn't that severely restrict which music can be played on it?

(Yes, I'm sure I can Google this, but I'd rather hear from someone here.)

A clavichord can certainly have enough keys for the 'Waldstein' Sonata...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/bCJ0-xAoduk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/bCJ0-xAoduk</a>

[Alek Hidell]

I'm pretty sure that it varies from one clavichord to another. Organists used to practise at home on a pair of stacked clavichord . . .  And as you can see you can play Bach suites on one, and the Goldbergs, WTC, Froberger suites, some Frescobaldi toccatas  etc.

Thanks, Mandryka (edit: and North Star). I've just finished looking up some info on them and you're right that the number of keys can vary. It seems that before around 1730, clavichords had a four-octave range. After that it increased to five octaves. That's actually about the same as a harpsichord, which surprises me a little. It just looks (to me, anyway) like a harpsichord has a wider range.

I guess Baroque composers, when writing for keyboard (excluding the organ, perhaps), didn't write any notes lower than F¹ or higher than F⁶. And that's a pretty good range - lots of music to be made in there.

[bioluminescentsquid]

This is Menno van Delft with CU 1 on clavichord, so far I've heard only 4 and 6. He seems to completely eschew empfindsamer style ( contrast Ryan Layne Whitney playing the toccata of the E minor suite on YouTube, which I posted on this thread.) The result is a a bit severe, there's too many chords, it's not light and delicate, and I'm so far wondering whether clavichord is a good choice for the music, at least as he plays it (contrast Julian Perkins in the French Suites - there's a world of difference between the music in the two sets of suites, that's becoming clearer to me.)

Anyway the jury's out, but it's early days. Hopefully someone will come along and talk it up and make me feel more positive.

Haven't been on here for a while
I thought it was an interesting recording. Beautiful sounding clavichord - it's time that someone do the partitas on it! Solid playing, of course. I can understand the "severe" complaint, but I guess that's a bit of the nature of the clavichord -- fluttery French music doesn't work well on it. (I will have to meditate more on this) But somehow the clavichord just makes so much more sense in the slow movements! 
If I had any complaint, it would be that at times it sounds a bit "mannered" - the way he phrases reminds me of highly inflected speaking.

[Que]

.

Soooo.... Van Delft plays the Partitas on the clavichord.....
I didn't see that one coming... I guess I should have read the fine print.

Two thoughts came to my mind:
1. It is hard to imagine these pieces on anything other than a harpsichord
2. Menno van Delft is an superb clavichord player, if anyone can pull it off it must be him....

I might be persuaded to give it a try.... 

Q

[Mandryka]

Haven't been on here for a while
I thought it was an interesting recording. Beautiful sounding clavichord - it's time that someone do the partitas on it! Solid playing, of course. I can understand the "severe" complaint, but I guess that's a bit of the nature of the clavichord -- fluttery French music doesn't work well on it. (I will have to meditate more on this) But somehow the clavichord just makes so much more sense in the slow movements! 
If I had any complaint, it would be that at times it sounds a bit "mannered" - the way he phrases reminds me of highly inflected speaking.

Have you heard that clavichord performance by Ryan Layne Whitney on YouTube of Partita 6 that I posted? That seems much less severe, and all the better for being so.

(I'm feeling a bit more positive about van Delft today than yesterday though! The trick is to find the right volume level.)

[Mandryka]

.
 
2. Menno van Delft is an superb clavichord player, if anyone can pull it off it must be him....


Q

So does he give clavichord concerts and stuff in Holland?

I might be persuaded to give it a try.... 

Q

I think you will like it, from what I've seen of your taste from this forum. When I first played it I actually said to myself that this is the sort of recording que will like (there you go - how's that for putting my neck on the line!)

[Mandryka]

Some interesting clavichord ideas and samples from Keith Hill here

http://keithhillharpsichords.com/clavichords/

[Mandryka]

This is Menno van Delft with CU 1 on clavichord, so far I've heard only 4 and 6. He seems to completely eschew empfindsamer style ( contrast Ryan Layne Whitney playing the toccata of the E minor suite on YouTube, which I posted on this thread.) The result is a a bit severe, there's too many chords, it's not light and delicate, and I'm so far wondering whether clavichord is a good choice for the music, at least as he plays it (contrast Julian Perkins in the French Suites - there's a world of difference between the music in the two sets of suites, that's becoming clearer to me.)

Anyway the jury's out, but it's early days. Hopefully someone will come along and talk it up and make me feel more positive.

This just doesn't take off poetically, there's just nothing of interest here, apart from the fact that it's on clavichord, but that isn't itself very interesting. The performances are like an unimaginative student's runthough.

[bioluminescentsquid]

Some interesting clavichord ideas and samples from Keith Hill here

http://keithhillharpsichords.com/clavichords/

The first chromatic fantasy by Robert Hill is marvelous! And sweet sounding clavichord.

And wow, I'm surprised by your harsh assessment of the van Delft partitas. I'll listen to it further to see if anything comes.

[Mandryka]

.

And wow, I'm surprised by your harsh assessment of the van Delft partitas. I'll listen to it further to see if anything comes.

I wonder whether part of the problem I'm having is really to do with the clavichord he chose, to me it doesn't seem to be very well balanced, the bass is weaker then the treble, my ear is constantly being attracted to the upper voices.

[bioluminescentsquid]

I wonder whether part of the problem I'm having is really to do with the clavichord he chose, to me it doesn't seem to be very well balanced, the bass is weaker then the treble, my ear is constantly being attracted to the upper voices.

I don't know, here is a different recording on the same clavichord (I like the recording technique here better). I didn't have that impression that the clavichord is not balanced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TnBtSKslDw

[bioluminescentsquid]

Didn't know if this recording came up here before, but very beautiful recording of Fischer on a Hass clavichord copy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN7u1Au9PPs

[Mandryka]

Didn't know if this recording came up here before, but very beautiful recording of Fischer on a Hass clavichord copy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN7u1Au9PPs

Thanks, it's a collection I wouldn't mind getting to know because I read somewhere that it probably influenced Bach's partitas. The clavichord is colourful.

Today I spent some time listening to French Suites by Colin Tilney and Julian Perkins, I much prefer Perkins!

[bioluminescentsquid]

This just doesn't take off poetically, there's just nothing of interest here, apart from the fact that it's on clavichord, but that isn't itself very interesting. The performances are like an unimaginative student's runthough.

Someone else also told me something like this today about the van Delft Partitas, something to the effect of "van Delft plays very well on the clavichord but can be very boring" So I don't think you're alone with this.

[Alek Hidell]

Didn't know if this recording came up here before, but very beautiful recording of Fischer on a Hass clavichord copy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN7u1Au9PPs

Thanks for that, bioluminescentsquid. Very nice, indeed. Too bad there doesn't seem to be a recording available outside of this video.

[GioCar]

This is more than a curiosity, methinks

[Mandryka]

This is more than a curiosity, methinks

It’s curious.

When I first heard it I thought he was playing some sort of electrified instrument, I can’t find any information about the. clavichord he’s using. Whatever he’s playing, he plays it like a piano, and it sounds like a twelve string  guitar with a pickup. This gives it a touch of cool.

The interpretations of WTC also have a touch of cool. They are fast and fun and easy to get into, with a sense of swing that makes you want to sway your shoulders, and a sense of rhythm that makes your feet tap and your hands clap, and a constant care to make one of the tunes dominate the show. Happy clappy Bach. With the right marketing this could be for WTC what Gould was for the Goldbergs.

On the back there it says that the playing is self effacing and private and unpretentious. This is not true.