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comment by nowaypablo
nowaypablo  ·  3790 days ago  ·  link  ·    ·  parent  ·  post: Recorded myself playing Praeludium no. 1 in C Major by JSB

a) this is awesome

b) This piece was written before the strength, volume and brightness of a piano was comprehensible. In harpsichords, the action-- under-bits of the keys that move the hammer, which give you the feeling of the keys, like the bits right under the keys of your computer keyboard-- was constructed of feathers. Feathers. There was no pedaling, hardly any dynamic capability (which is why you won't see Bach write much in keyboard works) and as a result the play-style was very accurate, simply sharp and brilliantly clean. Listen to recordings (not by Gould) on the harpsichord, i'm sure you'll find them of this piece.