Basso Continuo
“Der General Bass ist das vollkommste Fundament der Music welcher mit beyden Händen gespielet wird dergestalt das die lincke Hand…
Keys and their characteristics 2
Regarding the keys and their characteristics. It is interesting to have the information from Mattheson alongside the Inventionen und Sinfonien…
Keys and their characteristics 1
Anyone who is intensively involved with performing music from before the 1800’s at one point runs into the issue of…
Playing with Anticipation
Playing with anticipation. Naturally, that can be recommended. Talented players do naturally and, I suspect, often without being aware of…
Divide et impera
Divide and rule. This motto probably sounds unsympathetic to our ears. However, this strategy is not only used in the…
Aria da Capo
Aria da Capo e Fine At concerts too often the public is surprised by an abrupt end to a series…
Playing what is NOT there
This too crosses our path. Nothing is spared from us, early music enthusiasts. Often we have to play embellishments that…
Take it easy / Adagio
Introduction. Myself, I share the well-known Italian music terms that could relate to the tempo into two categories. Adverbs such…
To Play what is Written in the Score
Occasionally our organ teacher at the Amsterdamsch Conservatorium, Albèrt de Klerk, spoke the immortal words: “Just play what is there.”…
Assai
Allegro assai: very cheerful. Often I could not meet that instruction, or only with great difficulty. In those cases the…
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