Bach, J S - Clavichord (2CD) - Schiff, András

After recording a groundbreaking selection of Johann Sebastian Bach's most important keyboard works, one of the greatest Bach interpreters of our time turns his attention to the composer's favorite instrument. The sound of the clavichord, says András Schiff, is an invitation to "a new world, a quiet oasis in our noisy and difficult times. Thanks to the clavichord, I now play and hear Bach differently." An intimate and personal instrument – "a very gentle creature, ideal for solo playing" – it can also be, as Schiff notes, a demanding and unforgiving teacher. "With the harpsichord, we only have our fingers at our disposal; they must create music with the finest nuances of touch." Early keyboard works are emphasized here, bringing us closer to the sounds of Bach's time and the "singing art" of the harpsichord. The album begins with Capriccio sopra la lontananza del fratro dilettissmo, moves through inventions and symphonies, and ends with the unique Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue. On this recording, Schiff's first on the clavichord, he plays a copy of a 1743 Specken instrument built by Belgian craftsman Joris Potvliege. The album was recorded in the Kammermusik Hall of the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn and produced by Manfred Eicher.