Schiff performs Bach on Clavichord

Our concept of baroque keyboards is so fixated on harpsichords and organs. Yet its arguable that the most popular instrument would have been the cheaper, more personal and portable clavichord. In Bach’s time there was a move away from the fretted variety, which shared strings for more than one note for the unfretted variety, which was a more capable instrument.

Bach’s thought to have liked the instrument; it did offer something the louder instruments did not, and that was variation in timbre and what today we might call aftertouch, the ability to affect the sound after the key had been pushed.

For live performances the instrument is out, it’s simply too quiet. Recordings are few in number; it’s a quiet instrument and while we can turn up the volume, yes, even in our living rooms, the instrument seems odd in its diminutive sound.

I’ve come to like a few recordings made on clavichord; I do admit I probably listen to them too loud. Yet there is something about the natural sound of a vibrating string and how it can be punched hard for special effect that sounds rather attractive. What’s perhaps odd about this new recording on ECM is that pianist András Schiff, who has played a lot of Bach on the piano, has turned once again to a historical instrument. The 15 inventions and sinfonias are recorded; the big Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue BWV 903, in addition to the duets and the Capriccio, BWV 992, made most famous of late by the movie Call my by your name.

I have collected Schiff’s later recordings of Bach (in fact, I think I have all of his Bach); I found his later recordings on ECM far more interesting than his earlier ones on Decca. I don’t often go back to these recordings however because while his playing is quite clean and his interpretations are always thoughtfully considered, I sometimes want from a piano performance something less measured and manicured. I could easily point to Gould as the anti-Schiff, they are musicians who treat the Bach on the piano from quite different spheres.

I was surprised then to hear Schiff on this instrument; his mezzo-piano to mezzo-forte approach on the piano isn’t maintained here. Instead he’s probably applying equal pressure but it takes full advantage of the clavichord’s dynamics. He doesn’t shy away, is it is, from getting some hard dynamics out of the instrument. When the clavichord is played too hard the pitch bends and the fragile nature of the instrument is revealed. The change in pitch probably drives some folks nuts, but for me, those few times we get that I find it exciting.

Schiff may have produced my favorite recording of the inventions and sinfonias. His recording of the Chromatic fantasia and fugue is a masterpiece.

Duos BWV 802-805

These keyboard pieces could very well be played by two people but their form is interesting, here Bach is interested in the interplay between two distinct voices. The sound of the instrument used on this recording has a lighter, more delicate top-end, which makes hearing the distinction between the two voices easy work for us. Schiff plays these quickly and I find delight in the way he’s presented them.

Ricercar à 3, BWV 1079

I like readings of this on piano because it can really sing with dynamic contrasts; it’s also somewhat historically correct, using a period piano, as Bach’s performance of this originally was conceived on Frederick the Great’s piano. About 1:30 in listen to how Schiff differentiates from the running notes, played legato, with the other voice played with ample space between the notes? These may well be details he does on the piano but on the clavichord I find the effect more pronounced.

Inventions and Sinfonias BWV 772-801

I find most of his tempos spot-on for my own preferences in how to hear these; these seem like appropriate fodder for the clavichord. What I like most is again tied to his articulation. The effect here is night and day to his 80s recording on Decca, the fourth sinfonia I compared specifically. One is dynamic and interesting; the other is rather insipid. If we can agree that Schiff’s approach with Bach has gotten better with age, I’d say his adoption of the clavichord for these pieces has amplified his personal approach another level still. Both interpretations of the B minor sinfonia are interesting, but the attack of the notes on the clavichord (without a pedal) is so much more interesting, to my ears. The sequence of fast notes foretells the same effect that seems perfect for the clavichord in the Chromatic fantasia.

In some cases Schiff’s tempos almost seem too fast, as if it’d be inappropriate to play so quickly on this fragile-sounding instrument. The fact he does not slow down I enjoy, it somewhat speaks to the mechanical prowess that was possible in the 18th century.

Capriccio sopra la lotananza del suo fratello dilettissimo, BWV 992

This is thought to be a very early piece by Bach, and one that utilizes programmatic devices to tell the story of his brother’s departure from home. It’s not my favorite piece by Bach; its style is so different from most of his formally-conceived works, prelude-fugue, dances, etc. It’s a piece of miniatures. The sound of the clavichord in this case, is exploited by Schiff in some interesting ways to give us almost a different piece of music. His articulation in the fugue reminds me somewhat of Ton Koopman’s heavy handedness which I always equate to organ playing.

Final Thoughts

Schiff doesn’t allow the diminutive sound of the clavichord hold back his artistic vision for these (mostly) miniature pieces. His excellence in articulation comes alive on the instrument he’s chosen and I think both the novelty of the instrument and the variations in color it brings to these pieces make for a strong musical statement. The clavichord’s nature amplifies strong articulation. Listen to the 8th invention in F. There’s energy there. While the harpsichord would be louder. nothing else quite has that bite. Using authentic instruments does something for us as musicians, it puts us in the composer’s sound world and can help us better understand their voice. While not an HIP specialist, I applaud Schiff’s embrace of the movement and his liner notes tell a richer background to his experience with historical keyboards.

I have long enjoyed his Mozart recording on fortepiano and I’ll label this as an even superior effort. I’m betting you wouldn’t be want for more than what’s given on this album.