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To most, the Brandenburg Concertos are very much about the harpsichord: twinkling with its signature tinny sound, transporting the listener to another time. But hear pianist and conductor Jeffrey Kahane out: there is value to using the pianoforte instead.
‘It’s the piano that Beethoven and Mozart played Bach on’, Kahane explained to the audience at Colorado Music Festival’s performance of the complete Brandenburg Concertos which he joined the Festival to lead. What he didn’t mention was the versatility of this early-19th-century transition instrument: gradual dynamic changes (a harpsichord can’t vary dynamics just from touch) allow for a more sensitive approach to interpretation while still holding on to some of that metallic sound that would disappear with the invention of the modern piano.
The performance began with Concerto No.1, and the difference made by the keyboard was instantly audible. Or rather, not so audible: the fortepiano blended more with lower register strings, drowned out by the bass and not easily heard beside the mellifluous and declamatory first oboe part spun so clearly by Olav van Hezewijk. And it had virtually little chance against the gleefully played Trio with horn calls in the fourth movement. However, this sparked my curiosity. It forced me to listen more carefully to the nuance presented by the instrument which had been amplified for this performance.
In Concerto No.3 which followed, there are no woodwinds, making for more space to hear lower, quieter timbres. For his solo, Kahane’s purpose was revealed with the great depth of subtlety and character he could add to this iconic, highly virtuosic harpsichord solo (the first of its kind in musical history) by way of the pianoforte. It transformed a period piece into a more modern, adaptable work, without losing that Brandenburg brand of timelessness, by adding possibilities of depth which were refreshing to hear.
Aside from offering a singular approach to instrumentation, this concert was a marvelous showcase for the musicians who come annually to play on the Chautauqua Auditorium stage. In Concerto No.5, Viviana Cumplido Wilson on flute and Kate Arndt on violin played the duo solo with a clear pulse on each other’s dynamics and articulation, creating an exciting dialogue that added a deeply appealing understated grandeur to the work.