This week in Classical Conversations, we are introducing our students to Johann Sebastian Bach and the harpsichord.
The harpsichord was a keyboard instrument with both fantastic flexibility and bummer limitations. It could not change dynamics, so composers
camouflaged this particular limitation by cascading chords and notes quickly with a change
in tempo to mimic how other stringed instruments and brass could vary their
volume. The harpsichords limitations
stemmed from its design: the strings are plucked, not hammered. When the player presses a key, a special
piece of wood [plastic now] called a jack plucks the string. Happy, happy, happy.
It’s fun to see someone taking such joy in his harpsichords!
We cannot leave our Legomaniacs out of the classical music loop:
The pianoforte [now cleverly shortened to “the piano” by
those in the know] was revolutionary in that when a key was pressed, the
pressure used by the player determined how hard or soft a hammer hit the
strings. This made amazing dynamics
possible, and moved the main keyboard instrument over from the austere,
arrogant string family to the way-cool, laid back percussion family.
Another plug for Classical Kids CD’s, Mr. Bach Comes to Call
was the very first one to catch my family’s imaginations. We talked in class
about the scope of the large Bach family.
They had a musical legacy that lasted over 300 years…longer than our
country has been around.
Kids Classical Hour from WGBH has a great episode call "All in the Family" about composers with family legacy in the business.
Play that harpsichord, jack.
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