v17: Forkel, Bach and the clavichord (ENG) скачать в хорошем качестве

v17: Forkel, Bach and the clavichord (ENG)

Johann Nicolaus Forkel (1749-1818) is considered to be one of the corner stones in the history of Bach-studies. For sure, he wrote the very first Bach biography (1802) and was known for his many other publications. As a fact, Forkel layed the foundations of the modern musicology and from that perspective, it is a lucky coincidence that a man with such a scientific background, occupied himself with the study of the famous composer. Forkel passed us much information, many anecdotes too, that he got directly from Bach's two most famous son's, Friedemann and Emmanuel Bach. He knew both personally, and had an intensive correspondence with both, but most of the two with Emmanuel Bach. So many details of Bach's life are only known today, because of the work of Forkel and in one way or another, his work could be seen as a ghost-writer for Friedemann and Emmanuel Bach. this is overstretched, but it shows a bit of the background of this important work. Knowing that Forkel was an important musicologist, having written thousands and thousands of pages about and on music, we should take the facts of his Bach book seriously, probably more seriously than we do today, especially with regard to the description of Bach's technique and more specially, Bach's use and preference of instrument. For Forkel, it is clear that the term "Clavier" is a synonym for the clavichord. Several times he mentions the preference Bach had for the clavichord, an instrument on which he could express his most intimate musical thoughts in the best ways, stating that the harpsichord and the pianoforte of those days, where instruments without soul. Much effort has been done the latest century to replace the term "keyboard" by "piano" or "harpsichord", understandably may be, from the perspective that back in the early 20th century and actually even today, we still have too little clavichords that can meat the standards of the position Forkel prescribes. He is however very clear for the fact that the clavichord was THE study-instrument, not as we understand it today, an instrument that servers the purpose of another instrument, e.g. the harpsichord or the organ, but on its own, as the partita's of the clavier-übung don't serve another piece of music, but are study's of their own, both in composition and performance, and it is that kind of study that is meant. The clavichord is the ultimate instrument for becoming a better musician. As Forkel states that this was Bach's opinion. It's mine too... but that should convince you much less than Forkels magnificent book, that all of us should read carefully! Original German edition 1802: http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imgl... English translation 1920: http://javanese.imslp.info/files/imgl... French translation 1876: http://conquest.imslp.info/files/imgl... http://www.authenticsound.be