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The Netherlands Bach Society has done an incredible job capturing his pieces, using stunning camerawork and high quality recordings. It’s such a pleasure. http

The Netherlands Bach Society has done an incredible job capturing his pieces, using stunning camerawork and high quality recordings. It’s such a pleasure. https://youtu.be/74suFWTO8P0 https://youtu.be/74suFWTO8P0 Also frankly the harpsichord is a much better instrument for WTC Books 1&2, especially with the added focus on video. Something about it just speaks to the soul.

jacquesm 7y ago
> Also frankly the harpsichord is a much better instrument for WTC Books 1&2, especially with the added focus on video. Maybe. Personally, I love listening to the harpischord but for limited periods of time whereas I can listen to piano all day long.
- tim333 7y ago
  You kind of miss the variation in volume. I think Bach used harpischords partly for technical reasons - the piano hadn't been invented - and preferred the clavichord but that was too quiet for performing to many people.
  - mastazi 7y ago
    Bach knew about pianos, he even worked as a “piano salesman” for a period of time > Bach went on to become an agent for Silbermann, selling his pianos in Leipzig. There’s even a receipt signed by Bach on May 9, 1749, selling a “Piano et Forte” to a Polish count, Jan Casimir von Branitzky. From https://notanothermusichistorycliche.blogspot.com/2016/07/did-bach-hate-pianos.html https://notanothermusichistorycliche.blogspot.com/2016/07/di...
    - jacquesm 7y ago
      Bach's criticism of Silbermann's earlier pianos led to substantial improvements.
      - mastazi 7y ago
        Yes, he hated pianos when he first had the opportunity to try them. It is possible however that the first Silbermann prototypes, which is what he tried, were of low quality, even compared to other early pianos of the time. He certainly changed his opinion over time though and I agree with you that Silbermann must have listened to Bach’s early criticism. Anyway it is probable that Bach’s favourite keyboard instrument was the lute-harpsichord (see other link I posted in this thread).
    - tim333 7y ago
      Ah ok I got that a bit wrong. Though he would have been 64 at the time of sale and died a year after so I guess they were around in the later part of his life.
      - mastazi 7y ago
        You didn’t get it completely wrong in the sense that piano was in its infancy at the time and nowhere near the capabilities and sonic features of modern pianos. So it is possible that when Bach wrote his “fur klavier” (“for keyboard instruments”) compositions, he didn’t have piano in mind. Probably his favourite keyboard instrument was the lute-harpsichord since he owned one https://baroquemusic.org/barluthp.html https://baroquemusic.org/barluthp.html
        ccffpphh 7y ago
        That's awesome. I'd never heard of the lute-harpsichord before, but the sound is great! The bass is so deep and mellow, but otherwise sounds pretty similar to a harpsichord. I love it, thank you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNYJirAcyJo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNYJirAcyJo

jacquesm 7y ago

> Also frankly the harpsichord is a much better instrument for WTC Books 1&2, especially with the added focus on video. Maybe. Personally, I love listening to the harpischord but for limited periods of time whereas I can listen to piano all day long.

tim333 7y ago
You kind of miss the variation in volume. I think Bach used harpischords partly for technical reasons - the piano hadn't been invented - and preferred the clavichord but that was too quiet for performing to many people.
- mastazi 7y ago
  Bach knew about pianos, he even worked as a “piano salesman” for a period of time > Bach went on to become an agent for Silbermann, selling his pianos in Leipzig. There’s even a receipt signed by Bach on May 9, 1749, selling a “Piano et Forte” to a Polish count, Jan Casimir von Branitzky. From https://notanothermusichistorycliche.blogspot.com/2016/07/did-bach-hate-pianos.html https://notanothermusichistorycliche.blogspot.com/2016/07/di...
  - jacquesm 7y ago
    Bach's criticism of Silbermann's earlier pianos led to substantial improvements.
    - mastazi 7y ago
      Yes, he hated pianos when he first had the opportunity to try them. It is possible however that the first Silbermann prototypes, which is what he tried, were of low quality, even compared to other early pianos of the time. He certainly changed his opinion over time though and I agree with you that Silbermann must have listened to Bach’s early criticism. Anyway it is probable that Bach’s favourite keyboard instrument was the lute-harpsichord (see other link I posted in this thread).
  - tim333 7y ago
    Ah ok I got that a bit wrong. Though he would have been 64 at the time of sale and died a year after so I guess they were around in the later part of his life.
    - mastazi 7y ago
      You didn’t get it completely wrong in the sense that piano was in its infancy at the time and nowhere near the capabilities and sonic features of modern pianos. So it is possible that when Bach wrote his “fur klavier” (“for keyboard instruments”) compositions, he didn’t have piano in mind. Probably his favourite keyboard instrument was the lute-harpsichord since he owned one https://baroquemusic.org/barluthp.html https://baroquemusic.org/barluthp.html
      - ccffpphh 7y ago
        That's awesome. I'd never heard of the lute-harpsichord before, but the sound is great! The bass is so deep and mellow, but otherwise sounds pretty similar to a harpsichord. I love it, thank you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNYJirAcyJo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNYJirAcyJo