András Schiff: J. S. Bach - Clavichord
ECM

On the double-CD set Clavichord, András Schiff performs on the composer's preferred instrument, specifically a replica of the unfretted Specken clavichord of 1743 built by Belgian craftsman Joris Potvlieghe in 2003 (Potvlieghe also contributes an in-depth article about the instrument's history to the release booklet). It's a significant addition to the keyboardist's discography, arriving as it does after his earlier J.S. Bach recordings on ECM New Series of the Goldberg Variations (2001), the Six Partitas (2007), and both volumes of the Well-Tempered Clavier (2012). Clavichord isn't the first time Schiff's turned his attention to period instruments. On albums of Schubert's late piano works, he played a fortepiano built in 1820 and for a recording of Brahms' piano concertos his instrument was an historic Blüthner grand piano from 1859. For Schiff, clearly the instrument on which he performs is as critical as the material itself.

Early keyboard works by Bach are featured, from the Capriccio sopra la lontananza del fratro dilettissmo (Capriccio on the departure of a beloved brother) and Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue to Four Duets, Ricercar à 3, and the multi-part Inventions and Sinfonias. Schiff himself acknowledges that upon first hearing it, the clavichord's sound might seem “unfamiliar and strange,” yet as one becomes acclimatized to it “a new world will open up, like a quiet oasis in our noisy, troubled times.” The instrument exudes a crystalline brightness and also enables the keyboardist to work vibrato into a performance, albeit subtly, by moving the key after it's struck.

Up first is the Capriccio, which unlike the other pieces includes programmatic subtitles by Bach for each movement (e.g., accompanying the lovely “Adagissimo” is “Ist ein allgemeines Lamento der Freunde,” which translates as “Is a general lament of his friends”). The endearing twinkle of the clavichord captivates the moment the work begins with the “Arioso. Adagio” and progresses through a handful of equally stately parts, the “Aria di Postiglione. Adagio poco” and regal “Fugue all'imitatione di cornetta di Posta” particular delights.

Referring to the Inventions and Sinfonias, Bach noted how well the clavier lends itself to “a cantabile art of playing” (several sources contend that with ‘clavier' Bach is referring to the clavichord), and one hears in Schiff's dazzling rendering of the Inventions (BWV 772-786) that “singing” quality (consider the exuberant “No. 8 in F major,” for example). In consistently alternating between major and minor, tonal shifts recur throughout the fifteen compact parts. The pieces are gripping, especially when Schiff's execution of counterpoint is so engaging (see the “No. 14 in B-flat major”). A seamless transition to Four Duets (BWV 802-805) is effected, each two- to three-minute part allowing for significant exploration without sacrificing brevity in the process. Slightly less frenzied is Ricercar à 3 (from “Das Musikalische Opfer” BWV 1079), even if it too isn't lacking for energy.

The second CD follows the fifteen parts of the Sinfonias (BWV 787-801) with the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue (BWV 903). Like the Inventions, the former works its way through major and minor treatments, some slow and others fast and Bach's invention staggering as always. That cantabile quality is again prominent in the Sinfonias, which leave a powerful mark despite being performed with the same kind of dispatch as the Inventions. Originally conceived for harpsichord, the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue is distinguished by a pronounced improvisatory dimension. After opening with runs up different parts of the chromatic scale, the piece advances through all of the keys, the challenges for the performer considerable but Schiff clearly undeterred. The “Fantasia” is particularly arresting for its extemporizing quality, but the “Fugue” proves no less transfixing.

May 2023