Now that I'm forming up a new ensemble, I have to think a little bit more about things that I've not really had to think about too much beforehand... all the back-end stuff is a real pain in the arse, but necessary. Which reminds me, I have to start making a website for the group... sigh... it is probably easier than I think, but I also have the problem that I have ABSOLUTELY NO taste when it comes to visuals things... so, it is likely that a website that I make will be best described as functional whilst sticking a pin in your eyes.
Anyway... that isn't the purpose of this post. That particular disaster will come later...
I'm currently training up my wife to be the harpsichordist of the ensemble. She is already a great pianist, fortepianist, and musician... but she doesn't do so much Baroque stuff, and improvisation on figured bass is complete new to her. That said, since doing a improvisation course for ballet dancers she has been really quite more open to doing figured bass on the harpsichord... and as for musical taste, well, she is pretty quick and adaptable... plus being absolutely on the ball with musicality and technique, so no problems on that side of things.
... and she has been tangentially immersed in this sort of music through me... hearing our rehearsals, concerts, and background music and practice. So, she knows it innately... even if it isn't her field of specialisation.
But she has lots of questions about what I have learnt about harpsichord from "proper" harpsichordists... I do have a preference for harpsichordists of a certain style, as I'm attracted more to the interactive, performance, and improvisation element of music-making rather than the "getting things right" sort of style.
Anyway, thinking about all the harpsichordists that I have played with... one thing does sort of stand out to me. There are those who treat the instrument as a harmonic instrument, so, using the figured bass to fill our the harmonic texture of the ensemble... and those that use it as more like a rhythmic instrument, who use the breaking of chords and rhythms to affect that character of the ensemble. One type plays more with harmony, and the other with timing.
For me... I prefer those who treat the instrument more as a rhythmic instrument. For me, those players are more interactive and engaging to play with... I do find the other sort of player to be a bit more in the background as texture... and they don't seem to take the initiative as much as I want, which can lead to the feeling that you are dragging a dead weight around. Of course, to be the rhythmic player means that you are not only making up rhythms but also the chordal structure from the figured bass... so, quite a bit more brainspace required!
... and to my absolute lack of surprise, my wife is proving to be taking to it really quite well, and being the type that I DO prefer! We are currently having fun reading and playing every day... some random sonata or ensemble piece... after all, you learn this stuff just by doing it! This is going to be a great set of concerts this year!
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