The Harpsichord had sparkling clarity but it lacked expressive power. Keyboard manufacturers had pathed a way to make the instrument more capable of greater nuances. In 1709, Bartolomeo Cristofori, the Florentine instrument maker, began to manufacture realised the pianoforte – a harpsichord with hammers. The Italian gave his instrument the shape of large harpsichord called... Continue Reading →
Italian Cembalo (Harpsichord) Music
Domenica Scarlatti (1685 – 1757) pathed a way for the future school of piano composition. A Neapolitan composer, his harpsichord work was largely composed in Madrid or other Spanish cities. He lived in Spain under the patronage of Queen Mariá Bárbara. He composed more than five hundred of pieces in Spain for the Harpsichord. He... Continue Reading →
Early Keyboard Instruments
Early Keyboard Instruments Echiqüier, Clavichord, Harpsichord and Piano are each stringed keyboard instrument with various shape and sizes each having their own merits, strengths and weaknesses. Clavichord Harpsichord Piano In French, Echiqüier means chessboard. In England, it was called a Checker. Echiqüier performers were in demand in their hey day and were well rewarded for... Continue Reading →
Baroque Phrasing
Phrasing In Baroque music, it is important to have separation between phrases so it is audible to the listener. This can be achieved either by a moment of silence before playing the next note or by making an ostensible silence as a stolen time. As always, line comes first, but punctuation is itself an element... Continue Reading →
Baroque Rhythms
Certain specific conventional rhythmic alteration took shape within an old and general traditional rhythmic flexibility. Baroque performers were expected to improve the expressiveness of music while adopting to their own personal taste. Before and during the Baroque period, general liberty to modify rhythm were mainly related to pairing notes into units of a beat. This... Continue Reading →
Dotting in the Baroque Era
Dotting The dot in Baroque music lengthens the durations of the note after it is placed by a variable amount. The variable duration of the dot depends on the rhythmic freedom practiced by the baroque composer at all time and places. Sometimes dots are placed after the notes which augments the note value, but in... Continue Reading →
Precision Matters
For more complex music repertoires, students are often puzzled with the complexity of accuracy. No matter how many technical drills and how much repetition a student practices the student still has trouble in achieving the desired precision. Here are some thoughts to ponder upon that a student may contemplate: 1. Mental Responsiveness and ability to... Continue Reading →
Notation and Intepretation in the Baroque Era – Part 1
Notation and Interpretation in the Baroque Era – Part 1 Most of the problems related to the performance practice stems from how the music was notated leading to the misunderstanding of the notation. In the Middle Ages, only notes and rhythms were expected to be specified. By the 16th Century, composers had written the text... Continue Reading →
Dances of the Suite for the Baroque Era
Dances of the Suite for the Baroque Era Choosing and playing the appropriate tempos for the Dances of the Suite in the Baroque Era is crucially important; however, performers need to be aware of the differences between French and Italian Baroque music. French music was much more conservative than Italian music, having preserved Renaissance musical... Continue Reading →
I Can’t Gain Speed
This frustration is all too familiar to many pianists, beginners and experienced alike. Perhaps Many believe that, as long as they persist with repetitions, the ability to play faster will eventually develop. Others become disheartened and consider giving up their lessons, convinced that they will never sufficiently improve! Those who persevere begin to understand that... Continue Reading →
