Style in Piano Playing Peter Cooper, JOHN CALDER LONDONFirst published in Great Britain in 1975, by John Calder (Publishers) Led, 18 Brewer Street, London WIR 44S (Peter Cooper 1975 ISBN 07149 3512.5, No part of this publication may’ be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, of transmitted in any form by’any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or other wise, except brief extracts for the purpose of review, without the ‘prior written permission of the publisher and the copyright holder. Any paperback edition of this book whether published simultaneously with, or subsequent tothe casebound edition is sold subject 10 the condition that it shall not, by way of trade, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise disposed of, ‘without the publisher's consent, in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is sold, Photosetting by Thomson Press (India) Limited, New Delhi Printed in Great Britain by Unwin Brothers Limited, The Gresham Press, Old Woking, Surrey, England. CONTENTS Preface Part L Frolution of the Modern Piano Clasichord and Harpsichord The Moder Piano and Music ofthe Past Some Famous Pianists The Contemporary Pianist New Media for the Pianist Style and Nationality A Composers Site Style and Period The Site of a Piece Pat I 1 JS. Back on the Moder Piano 2 “Early Pia Composition 3 Bucthasen: The Those Sites 4. The Golden Age of Piano Composition 3 French Piano Masi © Piano Composition in the Ticemieth Century Part HL 1 The Mystique of te Piano Recital 2 Prana Recital Programmes 3 Transcription: 4 Some Adjunets Sole 5 Sipe in Ensemble Playing 6 Silistic Interpretation Page 13 28 38 4 31 59 70 78 101 M3 9 125 136 2 149 153 163 167 174 17CHAPTER 1 JS. Bach on the Modern Piano It is a depressing experience to play a piece by Bach on the clavichord or harpsichord, and then on the piano, The gulf between the two types of instrument is immediately apparent, Bach never composed for the pianoforte, which \was in its infancy during his lifetime, and apparently never liked it. Afier tying pianos of Goutfried Silbermana in 736 he complained of their heaviness of touch, What ‘would he think of the 49 grammes weight of today's piano key? Heaviness cannot have been the only cause of his dissatisfaction, Although better pleased with other Silber- mann pianos he examined in 1747, the typeof sound produc ed by the new pianoforte was so different, that he would ever have composed contrapuntal music for it. Horizontally flowing voices of a fugue are far more appropriate to the clarity and evenly-distributed tone of elavichord or harpsi- chord. tis most unfortunate that the bulk of Bach’s clavier music ‘was not published until the beginning of the nineteenth century, when the harpsichord and clavichord had already heen superseded by the pianoforte. Although the carl nineteenth century piano was more suited to Bach's music than our piano, ic was foreign to its style. The transference bf Bach's clavier music to the piano is almost as much a ‘vanscription as any organ arrangement. In many respects the transcription of an organ work can be more faithfully realized on the piano than a clavier composition because the lot102 piano’s sonority has more in common with the organ than with the harpsichord Although it imposed a false style on Bach's clavier music, nevertheless the new schoo! of pianism welcomed it enthusi- astically. Carl Gzerny referred to Bach as the teacher and lawgiver to all future time. ‘Sebastian Bach still stands a sigantic image before us, rather wondered at than under stood’. Before he gave a piano recital Chopin would retire for several weeks with the 48 Preludes and Fugues, knowing what excellent discipline they were for the fingers. At the end of the century Busoni propounded that ‘Bach is the foundation of piano-playing, Liset the summit. The two make Beethoven possible’ The virtual disappearance of the clavichord and harpsichord in the nineteenth century resulted in a break in the tradition of the playing of these instruments. The {alse style imposed on the clavier music was so forceful that even the modern harpsichordist is likely to approach it with the nineteenth century in mind, In spite of the efforts of musicologists in the twentieth century the haxpsichordist is often uncertain in his interpretation of Bach. The pianist may be bewildered, The earliest editions of the Well-Tempered Clavier appeared in 1801, 50 years after Bach's death, from Nageli in Zurich, Simrock in Bonn, Hoffmeister in Vienna, and Hofmeister and Kishnel in Leipzig. They were taken trom rare surviving Bach autographs or Irom copies by pupils, and were refreshingly rec Irom additions of any kind, Most succeeding editions have been littered with indications of tempo, dynamies and phrasing, Editors such as Czerny, Bischoff, Busoni, Klindworth, ‘Teichmiiller and Bartok were unable to leave the text alone, The Bachgesellschaft edition not only gave a text reeshingly free from the usual superfluous markings, but also listed its sources. Tovey ‘was content to give his instructions in the form of come mentary, merely suggesting marks of tempo. To get some idea of the many different editorial approaches to Bach’s music on the piano, we can examine fone Prelude and Fugue No, 2 in C minor (Bk. I, Well Tempered Clavier). Kroll for Peters, the Bach-Gesellschatt 103 and the Henle Verlag, like the pioncers of 1801, leave everything to the player, only indicating Bach's marks of presto (Bar 28) adagio (bar 34) and allegro (bar 39) in the prelude. Czceny (Vienna 1838) who was preparing his fdition for piano students not only indicated "the proper marks of expression’ (which Bach ad omitted todo) Dut the exact time of each mosement. In dhe Prelude these were forte for the greater part, with some piano hats to five contrast. Bar 28 (presto) he marks fortssimos and there isan elective drop to pp at the adagio (bar 34) Busoni ao recommends an energetic approach, even describing the Prelude as a "river of flames’ a. typical himeteenth century virwoso approach. The adazio he marks “rectando, drammatico’, Bischoff marks the Prelude ‘energi co" Bartok advocates 1 forte alternating with mezzo-orte. Harold Brooke for Novello, veers between force and forts: simo throughout. Tovey, om the ather hand, takes » quiet Clavichord view ofthis prelude ‘Most editors favour a quict scheme of dynamics in the fugue, building up to bolder proportions inthe inal section, where hoth Grerny- and Biwomi double the bass with it lover octave in bar 26. This imitation of the harpsichord’s 16 fo0¢ stop does not sound natural on the piano In matters of tempo there is much variation between editors, Czezny begins the Prelude Allegro Vivace (J =144) 4 quick speed sshich Teaves little room for contrast when Bach's presto is reached at Bar 28. In bar 36 he adds a rallentando, a lento at bar 37, and a ritenuto in bar 38 Fritz Rothschild in his Handiookto the performance ofthe forty eight Preludes and Fugues according othe rulesot the old traction gives a metronome marking of ~ 60, a snail's pace which suggests slow-practice tempo. Ts isin accorde fince with his theory that tempo can be gauged from the time-signatuces and notesvalue of each Prelude and Fugue This pedestrian spoed is applied by Helmut Walcha in his harpsichord recording of the Well-Tempered Clavier lor Deutsche Gramophon Gesellchaft, It sounds pedantic Busoni naturally takes a quick virtuoso view of the Prelude Allegro con fuoco, Tovey suggests something between these two extremes, pointing out that a very quick tempoto trould be the merest buzz of sound on a clavchord. A tempo of J80 seems to be more appropriate when this Prelude if played on the piano, than those of Czerny, Binoni of Rothschild, Common sense and musicality are brewer apbiter of sjte han higebound theory or the art otfingerdexteri Mies otitors agree thatthe fague is graciously lowing dance movements and setommend) a moderate speed. Gocrny indicates Allegretto maderato (J=80) Busoni Alegreiovivacemente, Bischof? Grazioso Siny different suggestion are made a9 the roueh and pheaing of this Prelude and Fugue. Rothschild indicates onelogo for both: Ceeray and Busoni take a legato view the Bede Bison's ein ofthe Wel-Tempered Glax Gler provides the pianist with a comprehensive manual o Tend cechnique tn the footnotes Erom this © minor Prelude he eeoles virtuoso seas it octaves, thirds and Shits said another usta exerse in which the ite finger Pek ara minim, Bartok accens the fi and third beats, tind hana crescendo and diminuendo fom the fst tothe Sccond beats, and from the third tothe fourth similar Ta the Fugue Czermy marks the subject staccato through= outs Brooke heeps i completely legato, Busoni and Bartok Break i up into a minture of legato and. staccato Busoni BTR BSAA Bartok ANTE TAN ALAS while Bischoff makes it legato, but breaks up the phrasing: Bischof? BD IBD SBA Bs Somebody else might phrase it BATE TEDL By From all these treatments of one of the shortest of the Preludes and Fugues it ean be seen what has happened to Bach’s original manuscripts. For the musician the most satisfying edition is the plain unadorned text, with its source and any variants, named, The player then makes his own edition, using his own phrasing and dy There are many different views of Bach on clavichord, harpsichord and pianoforte, and each player believes his is the right one. ‘You play him your way, dear, and I will continue to play him his way’ was Wanda Landowska’s confident assertion to a pianist colleague. On being asked whose edition of the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue he used, Edwin Fischer’s reply was, ‘My own, of course.” The welltempered Clavier does not specify whether Bach had clavichord or harpsichord in mind. Certainly it ‘was not the pianoforte. Some writers have concluded that the first book was composed for the clavichord, the second for harpsichord. ‘The first book (1722), which has always been the more popular, has a clavichord intimacy in many of its members. No. 1 in C major is most expressive on the \elieately-shaded clavichord. No. 5 in D major needs a harpsichord for its trenchant brillianey to be fully realized, No, din CSharp minor hasa cantabile Preluceand a Fugue ‘whose organ-like breadth is better served by the piano than vither of the earlier instruments, although its part-writing is more clearly revealed on these, In Book If (1744) a bold fugue such as No. 20 in A. minor, or a brilliant Prelude like No. 5 in D major need a harpsichord todo them full justice. No. 9in E major suggests he organ in both Prelude and Fugue. Elsewhere the range is broader than in the first book. Some (Nos. 16 and 17) Need an orchestra rather than a keyboard instrument,106 Tht a delicate Prelude Hike No, sounds beter on a clavi chord Tach suffered a good deal at dhe hands of nineteenth contary appreciative "restores! who didnot hesitate to Simply patages oF change notes st they wished. Hang so Batdw prepared. a piano edition of the Chromatic Faneaia and Fuge which is tantamount toa transeiption CCharactriially it as praised by Busoni as beng a suit Sle modern version Often it sems as much von Bulow as Bach ith ts doublingsf single notes iat sixths or eg, ‘Yerinslarge hall, sfc ancheonisms notwithstanding, a good transcription of an organ work is probably more slitactory to plano panistandaudience tan the presenta Tian orginal clanichord or harpichord pices. Stylistally wSnall ball and a smaller grand say be more suecesfl ef madianotvoice and insrument are fused in Bucs conga chorale prelude which are among his most moving Xeshosed. composition. Tn piano arrangement they are naturally at secondsbest, but they kd themselves more to Prange an he biger gan works, ong othe Sinuin quality andl smaller size. Bus’ fe transcriptions blteverat them were prefaced with the astounding remark that they should be played without eeting™ They are mong. Bach's: most emotional works; and. Busoni was proably aiming at the avoidance of sentimentality. Im the pero beeen he tw World Wars ham shin fle for pianists to aang Bach choralespreludes for one sto planos, Not al of theveatrangements were it good concert hall SOME PROBLEMS IN THE PERFORMANCE OF J. 8. BACH ON THE PIANO Pedalling ‘To forbid the use of the piano’s sustaining pedal in Bach's music is to be ignorant of the sound of the clavichord am harpsichord, There is a natural sustaining of sound on the 107 latter instrument which the piano lacks, It would be foolish ‘osmudge a fast movement by the use ofthe pedal, but it can be a tactful adjunet to the hands in helping them over an awkward join or in a slow movement where a melody needs support. Bolder pedalling ean be applied in the organ transcriptions, where more resonance is desirable, The middle pedal can be used as a substitute for the organist’s foot, in sustaining a long pedal note. Touch In imitation of a crisp hatprichord effect, nonrlegato or stinger staccato toueh fn a quick movernent is appropriate The Prelde tothe English Suite ia A minor responds well to & mixture of nonlegate and legni, while the Prelude in D> major (Book I, Hell Tanger late ie eminentysuted to 2 detached finger touch Obiously in a slow Singing Inovement norvlegato i out of place, Where sting tone Stiggested, asin the B fat minor Prelude {Book I. No 22, WTC). the utmost Tegato can be aimed ate Some quiet pieces are more sucesfl on the piano than on the harps Sond. Bach's Clavier atrangemnent ofthe slow movement irom an oboe concerto ascribed to Marcell, is far moe tticetive on the piano, because ofthe nature ofthe original shoe with string accompaniment, A better tonal balance between melody sed accompaninent is posible on. the piano. Also the melody iselt can be move expresively “taped Rothsehil'sfising of legato and non-legato for each Prelude and Fugue a the Forty-eight isa tveseme emumerae tion which few players could regard with patience, Ocasio nally his indications of monlegato seem misplaced a fh the cantando Prelude in G sharp minor (No. Tb, Bk. ly WTC), Where a work i suited to the clavichord, legato is appropriate on the pisno; a bolder harpsichord type of piece ncedsnon-legato io express is ilatee Ormamentaton This is the thorniest of all problems in playing Bach on theoa 18 ayaa what its the dnt ofthe harpsichord doc x i ene i ansheher sound, Bich ten gue Te hit orvaments an the Explication he made for Wilhelm Sr amruion in 720, Other, decorative Se eee ears acy nel eat ae tt Sanpete herpacord i th a rr tbe cghtcnh century harp See ae eee oe Greene Ponte ier preteen pera ee eae Cocccinareiae restau te faced a ple whr he ll Peet by step faa E to E On the other hand by beginning ring y ep F can tre cnet the il ssroted Se eee vas cl il naturally depend ear eee ap ar eee Srp sah 9 ma mS ed ean Racopdate (G minor Prelde No 16, BK. 1 Wie) That the opening the B at major art presents aoea ne ree can Oe te harpeciord& See re aoe pele eae ee et one natch ieenelns ey A ee ey oan pec aches ee aa ee eres imesfongethavornametatn Fane ee neh decors the muse T eee ese eethordstoetplane and caty accent aa ene aarr ter pen heme pee, Imagon a rma bone pe Tere es cum be added ate payer Cae ea hc ooamenal varpnt of Be aa oe Ctarpminor Bk Le WTC. sounsou See re mera ie rsa enn Se ae we yer spe hee Double-doring Where double-dotting is posible, as in the subject of the D. major Fugue (No. V, Bk. 1, W.T.G.) the [73 figure, | | 109 which sounds very effective on the harpsichord asy., 9. on the heavier piano sounds more effective as written. Here again experts differ—Helmut Walcha in his harpsichord recording does not double-dat this fugue at all. Tovey recommends double-dotting of the principal subject, but not of the smoother episode in the middle section. Roths- «child advocates double-cotting throughout. Who is right? The concerted works In these the harpsichord is much more effective than the piano, which overweights the strings, Bernard Shaw in a leer to Harriet Cohen (8 February 1928) complains of the use of a piano in the Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 for Flute, Violin, Clavier and strings. “The first thing that you have to, sgrasp is that the modern steel grand pianoforte isso plainly inferior in tone to violin and flute {for instance) that it should never be brought into immediate rivalry with them, No artifice of touch that you can possibly employ can give you a dog's chance when, in Bach, you have to fallow a solo flute and solo violin in a single-line melody on the piano, You cannot disguise the atrocious inferiarity of the tone. You must play on the harpsichord, where the tone is so completely different that it never sounds like a bad imita~ tion of the fate” Where there is no question of balance or contrast with bili instruments a piano may be acceptable, as in a solo recital, but in the clavier concertos the Baroque flavour is lost in the leaden weight of the piaro’s tone, ach pianists in the twentiok comtry luthe twentieth century there have been many distinguished. Bach pianists, who have shown the influence of the current ‘tought on Bach oftheir time. Edwin Fischer brought warm, liumanity to Bach’s music, playing with all the tonal beauty possible on the piano. He never allowed the ‘line’ of the music to be obscured, but kept a balance between outline ind content, architectural shape and feeling. The English school of Bach pianists has tended to see himLo fas a gentle clavichordist, a view no doubt influenced by Fovey. Evelyn Howard-Jones brought distinguished sense of style to the Well-Tempered Clavier, and Harold Samuel, another Bach specialist, collaborated with Tovey in providing fingering for his edition of the forty-eight Prelu- des and Fugues, It has often been criticized as unpractical, Harriet Cohen used distinctive piano colour in her Bach playing, even pastel shades, but never allowed the music to Tose its line. Bach baxpsickord playing in the tacemteth Century There seem to be as many different views of Bach on the harpsichord as there are on the piano. Some harpsichordists deny him a 16 foot stop, as there is doubt as to whether it was available on the harpsichord of his time, Wanda Landowska took a virtuoso view of Bach on her powerful Pleyel instrument, which resembled an organ. The vitality of her playing was compelling. Other harpsichordists play in an intellectual style which sometimes becomes monotonous. In the interests of ‘purity’ they adopt one scheme of registration throughout a Prelude Fugue. Thurston Dart in The Inferpretation of Music (Hutchinson 1954) says that instruments should not borrow one another's characteristics, From a musical point of view this is rather a Severe argument, If the harpsichordist wants to imitate the clavichord in a Prelude and Fugue which is obviously suited it, no stylistic harm is done. Nor does colour ful registration in the style of an organ, detract from a work. SOME POINTS OF INTERPRETATION Line Line is supremely important in Bach's music. ‘This can be maintained by strict observance of the time, with inflections where suitable-to make a dramatic point in a fugue, as FoF 1 example in the C minor Fugue of Book | at the cadential close before the coda (bar). A compulsory ritardando at the end of every fugue becomes a mannerism, It is a matter for the player's judgment, more apt at the end of a broadly flowing than ofa nimble fugue Rhythmic buoyancy is very important to the tautness of lively fugue. Many of Bach’s fugues are dance movements, when each note of the subject should bounce with elation, Ue was hth dan which made Landowska’s playing 0 Tempo Vempo ought to be related to clavichord or harpsichord in a sivlistic performance. The eighteenth century was not an age of jet-propulsion, and to rattle off Bach's music on the piano reflects a pianists shallow appreciation of it. Trans ‘riptions of organ works can be taken a lite faster than at an organ speed if necessary, as the piano lacks the organs sustaining power, but one can only deplore a perlormance of the closing fugue of the Bach-Busoni Taccata in C major, which starts off at a gallop but has co pull up when the ssriting becomes more difficult, Danses Fugue of Book 1 (W.1.C:) For the exposition and finaluz Concusion It is evident that there are many diflerent ways of playing Bach, and he isa brave person who can claim, like Landows- kka to play him “his way’. His greatness as a composer allows for these variations, but complication has been added by the instrusion of the pianoforte, and the loss of harpsichord traditions of playing. Bach's music is only for the real musiecover. It is not for those who want superficial glitter or a facile emotional response, In it are to be found the deepest of feelings, con- summate mastery of formal procedures, counterpoint, harmony and melody, balanced by an equally masterful keyboard technique. Bach demands a sound intellectual approach, But his musie requires more than intelligence for its realizations. It needs human warmth, character and integrity