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Reported by Barend Kraal (March 2012)
¶ Impression of the autumn concert in Amersfoort, 9 October 2011
The Sunday afternoon started brightly before the beginning of the clavichord concert at 14.30. It was not the only concert that afternoon, because at 13.30, under the motto ‘Carillon welcomes clavichord’, Henk Verhoef (member of the Netherlands Carillon Center) started to play the 17th-century Hemony bells of the ‘Our Lady’ tower in the city centre. The sky rapidly darkened, in spite of a gratifying programme with works by Hendrik Anders (1657-1714), Joannes de Gruytters (1709-1772), H.I.F. von Biber (1664-1704) and J.S. Bach (1685-1750).
After the sounds of the loudest keyboard instrument, the carillon, the clavichord made its appearance as the sweetest one. This took place in the welcome shelter of the 16th-century St. Rochus Chapel, with Ursula Dütschler as the performer. Born in Switzerland, she studied at the conservatories of Bern, Salzburg and at Cornell University (USA). Since a long time she has been resident in The Netherlands. Besides playing the clavichord, she is well-known for her recitals on the harpsichord and the fortepiano.
Her programme, entitled ‘Bach & Sons’, opened with the Preludium, Fuga and Allegro in E moll by Johann Sebastian Bach (BWV 998). A sparkling prelude, a delicious fugue and a cheerful finale rejoiced the audience and possibly also the singing birds outside (even the crow, the well-known song-bird with congenital dysphony, responded enthusiastically).
The programme was continued with three Polonaises by Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. They are from a collection of twelve Polonaises, each of a pretty different character. Ursula convincingly started with the capricious Polonaise nr. 1 in C. We enjoyed the languorous and melodious swinging of Polonaise nr. 8. and were excited by the energetic nr. 3.
The varied programme then offered a nice and classic Sonata by Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (the birds no longer joined the music because it had started raining). A highlight was the Rondo in c by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (Wq 59/04). The Rondo’s by this Maestro of the clavichord are breath-taking and so was this performance by Ursula! Thereafter, she changed to music from Johann Christian Bach, the ‘Londoner’, and played his Sonata in D, opus 5 nr. 2. This highly entertaining composition consisted of an energetic Allegro di molto, a sweet Andante di molto and a stately Minuetto.
The programme culminated in the final work, the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in d by father Bach (BWV 903). Ursula Dütschler’s playing on the clavichord was fascinating. What a memorable afternoon concert, to hear such a capricious fantasy and such an unsurpassed piece of baroque counterpoint being performed so convincingly.
¶ Report of the annual members day, Utrecht 2012
On 11 February, the NCG had its annual meeting in the Chapter room of the medieval Pieterskerk.
- As regular topics of the AGM, the annual reports by the secretary, treasurer and CI administrator were discussed and approved. The members enthusiastically acclaimed the proposal for the final programme of the jubilee symposium in Leiden, 28 – 30 September 2012. This international and public event on account of the NCG’s 25th anniversary is announced in further detail under a separate heading.
- At the end of the morning, Barend Kraal gave a presentation about the pedal clavichord as described by Claas Douwes in a few paragraphs of his little book ‘Grondig Ondersoek van de Toonen der Musijk’ (Franeker, 1699). This text on the improved design for a pedal clavichord has received surprisingly little attention and analysis so far. One reason could be that the pedal-key system of triple and quadruple fretting by means of a roller board seemed not quite imaginable. Another reason might be that the 17th-century Dutch text has been insufficiently accessible. The pedal keyboard (with a compass of C – d1) could slide in and out. The pull-down trackers for the tangent levers of the pedal instrument must have been mounted at the front side rather than at the back (such as in the exemplary pedal clavichord by Gerstenberg). An elaborate version of the talk is going to be published in the Proceedings of the Xth Magnano Symposium in 2011.
- After lunch, the old Chapter room was full of people for the clavichord recital by Karel Demoet. After his studies of organ, harpsichord and church music at the conservatories of Utrecht and Arnhem, he became organist and choir director in Utrecht, continuo player of the Parnassus Ensemble, and founding member of ‘The Utrecht Company of Music’ in which a new generation of musicians present their vision on historical music.
Karel Demoet used a clavichord made by Dick Verwolf after that of Friederici (Gera, 1765), an unfretted instrument with five octaves. He played a programme with suites and variations from the late 17th and early 18th century, entitled 'Part and Piece’.
He started by explaining the cryptic title of the programme: indications like Partita or Sonata could have various meanings in the course of time. This was demonstrated by the style of the chosen compositions. We first heard Gallardas by Johannis Cabanilles (1644-1712). After a careful start, the music gradually gained in intensity and dynamics, a process that reappeared in the subsequent parts. The resulting musical resilience was emphasized by the rich acoustic qualities of the instrument with deep bass sounds and echoing overtones.
The next Sonate by Domenico Zipoli (1688-1726) consisted of the parts Preludio, Corrente, Sarabande and Giga. The expressive playing by Karel Demoet, with much rubato and arpeggio, suggestively evoked the sounding of a plucked instrument. On the other hand, in the Partita Auf meinen lieben Gott by Buxtehude, the clavichord sounded as if a damper pedal was frequently used. From the same composer, we heard the Courante Simble with its Partite diverse.
Karel Demoet concluded his concert by playing the Partita in b moll by J.S. Bach (BWV 825). The seven consecutive parts sounded very beautiful and transparent, with different swings such as dancing, almost measureless lingering, or elastic jumping and bouncing. The audience had heard a unique performance on a clavichord that could sound as a plucked lute or as a singing fortepiano, that could drone as an organ or whisper like leaves in the wind.
¶ Play-and-Get-Together, May 2012
This year, Saturday 12 May is our day for the annual ‘Play-and-Get-Together’ event in the 17th-century village church of Ravenswaay on the river Rhine. All interested clavichordists are cordially invited to bring their instrument and join the party from 11 – 16 h (see www.clavichordgenootschap.nl).
¶ Museum visit The Hague, June 2012
On Tuesday 26 June at 13.30, the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague is willing to welcome us in the depot of their famous collection of keyboard instruments (unfortunately, the collection is no longer on display). The focus will be on the five clavichords, some of which are in playing condition. We may see the (often copied) anonymous clavichord (compass C – e3, fretted; Germany?, mid 18th c.), the one by A.G. Oehme (compass C – d3, fretted; Freiberg, c. 1760), the one attributed to J.H. Silbermann (compass F1 – f3, unfretted; Strasbourg, c. 1780), the one by J.A. Straube (compass F1 – f3, unfretted; Berlin, 1783), and the single-strung travel clavichord attributed to J.A. Stein (compass C – f3, unfretted; Augsburg, 1787). The number of visitors is limited, so reservation is required and can be addressed to the secretary: tom.brockmeier@gmail.com or tel. +31 (0) 20 7656882.
¶ Jubilee symposium, September 2012
The NCG will celebrate its 25th anniversary with a public and international symposium in Leiden, Friday 28 – Sunday 30 September 2012. The theme is evident from the title: EXTRAORDINARY CLAVICHORD SOUNDS – amazing variations in clavichord building and playing. All clavichord lovers are cordially invited to join the meeting. Further details are in the Announcement elsewhere in this issue.
¶Website
Please visit our updated website at <www.clavichordgenootschap.nl> for viewing the latest announcements, the shop section with ads, an NCG list with names of clavichord teachers and clavichord makers, the photo gallery, and the sections with sheet music and clavichord sounds.
We were deeply moved by the announcement of the decease of Gustav Leonhardt, honorary member of the NCG since 1991. As a Dutch harpsichordist, organist, clavichordist and conductor, he was a leading figure in the international movement to perform music on period instruments. He became highly renowned by his numerous performances and recordings of harpsichord and organ works by Johann Sebastian Bach and other composers of the European renaissance en baroque music. He was a learned musicologist and an appraised teacher. He received many international awards and honours. We will greatly miss his outstanding personality
Gustav Leonhardt at the final concert of the jubilee symposium (20 years NCG) in Amsterdam, on 30 September 2007 (photograph from Elly Kooiman/Hilbrand Edskes).