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A Century of Domestic Keyboards 1727-1832

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Label: Divine Art - Athene

Cat No: ATH23026

Barcode: 0809730302626

Format: CD

Number of Discs: 1

Genre: Instrumental

Release Date: 12th May 2008

Works

F Couperin
Les Barricades Mysterieuses – Rondeau

F Couperin
Les Folies Francaises, ou les Dominos

Byrd
Pavan - The Earle of Salisbury

Handel
Fantasia in C, G.60

Handel
Sonata in G minor, G.273

Handel
Toccata in G minor, G.276

Handel
Air and Variations, G.56

J S Bach
Prelude in E, BWV 933, No.5

J S Bach
Prelude in E minor, BWV 933, No.6

Soler
Sonata No.84 in D

Mozart
Adagio in B minor, KV 540

Schubert
Six Dances - Walzer, D.145 No.6 / Walzer, D.365 No.24 / Ecossaise No.1, D.783 No.17 / Deutscher Tanz, D.783 No.4 / Landler, D.790 No.4 / Valse Sentimentale, D.779 No.13

Schubert
Ungarische Melodie, D.817

Mendelssohn
Venetianisches Gondellied in F sharp minor, Op.30 No.6

Mendelssohn
Venetianisches Gondellied in A minor, Op.62 No.5

Mendelssohn
Wie die Zeit lauft! : How Time Flies!

Mendelssohn
Lieder ohne Worte, Duetto, Op.38 No.6

Mendelssohn
Albumblatt in E minor, Op.117

Artists

Joanna Leach (keyboard)

Works

Artists

Joanna Leach (keyboard)

About

The four instruments used on this disc span a period of just over one hundred years. It was a century which saw huge change in the tone of keyboard instruments, from the then familiar sound of the harpsichord and spinet to the new, and to people at that time exotic, timbre of the fortepiano. The instruments chosen are typical domestic instruments of the period.

While the harpsichord, and later the grand piano, was to be found in theatres, assembly rooms or larger houses, the spinet and the square piano were designed for a more ordinary domestic setting – though, due to the expense, they would be found only in rather upmarket homes.

When Joanna Leach inherited a Clementi square piano in 1987, it was out of curiosity and for its historical interest that she decided to have it restored. Having only experienced square pianos in poor condition or badly restored, it had never occurred to her that she would actually prefer playing works of classical and early romantic composers on original period pianos. She became increasingly fascinated with the influence that the pianos imposed on a player's performance by their inherent characteristics. She discovered that music composed in the 18th and early 19th centuries took on new meaning and life when played on pianos of the same period, with their transparency and contrasting colours in the various registers. There is also the fact that the sound colours and balance on these instruments are similar to those heard by the composers at that time.

As a result of this growing passion for square pianos, Joanna acquired the three pianos used in this recording and established the Athene label in 1991. It was launched with a recording of the John Field Nocturnes (ATHCD1) played on three different square pianos of Field’s period. The disc was well received by critics and Joanna’s playing has received most favourable reviews in the Penguin Guide to Compact Discs and the Gramophone Good CD Guide, among others.