Bach Italian Concerto First Movement
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- Опубліковано 31 січ 2025
- Harpsichordist Elaine plays the first movement of J. S. Bach's Italian Concerto on a 1972 Ruckers-Taskin replica built by Frank Hubbard. Videography by Steve Jambeck. For more info: www.harpsichord.org; www.lyrichord.com.
this is awesome one of the most beautiful pieces i've ever heard , you are the greatest Elaine
I'm glad you enjoyed my performance of the piece. I appreciate your comments!
Wonderful perfomance. I note the "rubato" which many people unfamiliar with the harpsichord may find surprising, Noted harpsichordist Kenneth Gilbert explained to me this subtle distortion is utilized to make up for the fact that the harpsichord .... being a "plucked" string instrument .... could not accomodate dynamic changes .... an illusion of a "crescendo" is sustained by a slight rubato. We worked for weeks on this before I understood the mechanism of that slight pause or delay.
Brava! The "Italian" is my favorite Bach keyboard work. I especially like your spoken introduction.
Elaine, you are so great! I love this- I keep playing it over and over...
I have an abnormal obsession with Bach, and I know you all probably think you do too. Mine spans 40 years and runs deep. -And I just wanted to say, I think this gal plays it beautifully. I like her pauses (the controversial rubato they're yammering about). It's called expression. It's personality. And wow, she's really great! I think Bach would be smiling.
Shelby Bryant Thanks, Shelby! Glad you got the message. Surprising how many people favor the typewriter approach. I guess it's so common.
Elaine Comparone
I like your version too, Elaine.
I tried to play this Concerto at the piano, for years, and I insisted so much in the "typewriter" approach (as you call it), that I got tired and bored. Later on, when I had given up finishing my piano studies, I found that I could make little pauses, and even slight accel. and rit., and I started to enjoy the piece again.
Surely there is no such thing as an abnormal obsession with Bach. Any obsession with Bach and his music is perfectly normal and healthy! (...or maybe I should see a doctor about it - how might they treat Bachaholic?)
Right on, brotha!
+Shelby Bryant Ever since I heard the music of J.S Bach I have scarcely listened to anything else. I mean why would you?
Beautiful! Amazing how you can play that complicated piece without sheet music! Such precision!
Elaine, we were so delighted to get your response to our comment of last week. I wasn't sure if you are actively viewing these UA-cam pages, so we were pleasantly surprised. Anyway, there is no way on UA-cam to answer privately any more. We hope you are well and sticking it out through the covid19 pandemic. xox
Your harpsichord is beautiful and your performance was breathtaking! I love it!
Well, well, well! Someone who plays Bach with such feeling. How refreshing! Thank you.
Thank you so much! Your introductions to the musical pieces are wonderful background information that has sparked my interest in baroque music again. Elaine is a very talented muscian to boot.
Very lovely. You are making such a great contribution with your videos. Keep 'em coming and many thanks!
Wow... This is amazing! Thank you! :)
I am sure that this performance will arouse the interest of millions of dormant Bach lovers.
After your short lecture and exquisite play they will come out of hibernation no doubt!
I am not fond of harpsichord......but now I am! The BEST interpretation on youtube!
Thanks for sharing!
Magnificent, I enjoyed your introduction as well.
Thank you again!!
This is the first recording I've heard where I can taste the Italian like a pizza!
Excellent! I love the slight rubato on the quieter parts. Gives it that "violin" feeling.
Ms. Comparone, you are a master and a genius. Bravo!!!
I first heard this played by Ralph Kirkpatrick in 1959, your interpretation gives it sparkle & a joyous feel, just as JSB intended no doubt, to impress his Italian audiences!
Bravo. Wonderfully performed. And thanks for the explanation.
You're welcome! And thanks for listening!!
Oh, you know Elaine... I LOVE BACH!!! thanks again for posting this :) best regards
Breathtaking rendition of a timeless classic. As a historian by trade, I very much appreciated the little history lesson in the intro. Like + Sub : )
The comments are somewhat varied and I am really happy to see people care about the music and the instrument.
I love your presentation thank you for the explanations and your playing I appreciate your efforts. Warm regards
Nice performance- I enjoy hearing all the different interpretations of this on UA-cam. I have played it for years, and I am still not entirely sure how I’d like to phrase the opening.
If you practice it enough, it'll probably come to you naturally.
Beautiful. Just beautiful.
That is the best version ever !
Fantastic and very interesting interpretation.
You are awesome, lady. Keep up the good work!
Ms Comparone's playing leaves me breathless every time
Very interesting. Thanks for the video.
My pleasure!
...love it...i played it, but this interpretation of Bach is really adorable...
I really don't know why so many people are complaining about rubato. I don't know of a single conservatory musician who doesn't add in a little bit of their own interpretation. I feel like Ms. Comparone gives life to this piece. Please put technicalities aside and think about whether it sounds good or not.
amazing
Great stuff!!!
brilliant!!!
So, this just popped up on my UA-cam as I was surfing for the Italian Concerto on harpsichord--and what a great joy to see you in living color again, Elaine. Are you still at the church in Murray Hill? This made my day/year, especially during this time of Coronavirus. All the best from Helene and myself.
Hi Peter and Helene, Great to hear from you! Hope you're both keeping well. The Church where I work is presently not getting together. I don't
know when they will resume, but I trust the judgment of those on the church board. Best wishes to you both!
Bravissima!❤
love it.
yes!!!!!! wonderful!
Oh how I would love to own a double-manual harpsichord such as this one!
On XVII° and XVIII° century, the noble played like this. It was very elegant.
Bravo !
at the end was my fav i wish i could play well played...
@hillibillycat56 That's also my question. I believe this piece will be most powerful with a constant tempo!
She is a real genious
@MgcMrMistoffelees maybe its because the interpretation from violin to piano was less based on tempo since there are more pauses on violin, but what do i know i dont even own a piano x3
she is a real genius
Cool. Speaking of Italian (well, Italian background, more accurately), I'd love it if you'd upload some Persichetti sonatas.
most of bach's works have that sense of moto perpetuo in them... i think the most effective delivery with as little rubato as possible
@kobuskoffiedik it certainly did so with me!!
Why doesn't someone arrange the Italian concerto and its counterparts for orchestra and keyboard? With the lower "orchestral" voice being, the orchestra. It would be a fascinating look back at Bach.
Any composer readig this, please mention my name when you did it. GMD.
One small request, please upload in HD quality. Do you sell MP3s of your playing? If not, you really should consider it.
witchcraftlord, - could it be a Busoni arrangement? I never heard about it, but I wouldn´t be surprised.
I could not agree with you more.
Bravo ! (claps)
In what way? It sounds rather good to my ears...
@nikkitytom Your fucking right
What's not to like about rutabagas?
@NaitsabesWinklersson Hubba Bubba is the BEST bubble gum!
You guys are funny... :-)
The comments are so rich.
While I prefer this particular work to be more "metronomic" I do like rubati in other pieces. It's all a matter of personal taste; there's nothing absolute about it.
ok correct :-)
Nice version, but I got really distracted by the fact that she was standing up. What´s up with that?
She believes a lot of harpsichordists use to stand an she likes to do it.
five people had their bags stollen on holiday in Italy
@Mistermagoo77
Came here from the British broadcasting Thames intro
1:32
apart from stupid discussion with rolipoli, i like how she plays, i just say she made some mistakes according to score/sheet music; im sure in her practices she didn't make those mistakes
That would be Brava :)
You can say Bravo in English, it's considered a neutral exclamation. Being fussy about Brava, Brave, Bravi, is only important if you're actually speaking Italian.
@NaitsabesWinklersson what are you talking about? i don't see gum in her mouth.
but if she did, wouldn't that make her more talented?
why you play standing ?^
That's Elaine for you😂
Very excellent job playing, just way too many pauses for me. A few would sound nice but I don't think Bach intended for you to slow down every 8 measures
I know the harpsichord doesn't have as much of a dynamic range as the pianoforte, but after talking about how much Bach emphasized dynamics in his music, she went on to emphasize with stress on delays, and not dynamics. Kind of hypocritical. Besides, Bach wasn't exactly a Romantic Era composer, was he?
Pretty good... don't like the stops/ritardandos that she employs, but very nice performance.
well i am not sure about your interpretation, but it does sound some what choppy, but then again I am no expert.
Does anyone else think the rubato is just a tad too much for Bach ?
just my humble opinion...
in short, set it in motion and keep the movement going.
Clarity at last.
@rodstartube, why is it necessary for "artists" and music lovers to lower themselves to such a crude level with this kind of language. I find it disturbing and totally rude. Let's include some culture in our comments.
i counted 17 mistakes compared to score, without counting rubato abuse
You are also beautiful :)
Who doesn't? Pointless comment.
Smash- bang, bang, bang, bang, Smash, bang, bang, banga, bang bang (followed by long pause) Geesh. Harpsichord playing from the 1930's.
Everything with one standardised length of staccato, no phrasing, groupings or legato anywhere, attacking the keys from 30 centimetres above..... I can see the lower keyboard bending in the middle where she is banging it so ruthlessly.
If this were an end exam at the Amsterdam Conservatory, she would have been flunked. So is this is the average state of harpsichord in the minor leagues after Leonhardt's passing?
But the notes were there....
I´m so sorry you can only hear "smash & bang". Really sorry for you.
No need to feel sorry, but thank you anyway.
I am quite happy with recordings by Landowska, Kirkpatrick, Leonhardt and a dozen others who know the difference between playing a carillon and a harpsichord!
Does it matter ? You can't change the volume of the note anyway by banging harder or softer.
Werner Van Belle it's not about the volume. Of course you can change it, because the mechanism is very similar the one on the guitar. You can also change the quality of sound, play some notes softer etc. This instrument has very sharp sound on its own, so sometimes you need to make it sound softer. What she does is simply banging.
i understand your ignorance
i just laugh at this, not angry, just observing how an idiot tries to look smart
Excuse me, but rubato in Bach's Italian Concerto is totally wrong. What about technic and style? Why to strike that much the harpsichord? She plays, but she has made a lot of changes of time and phrasing. Sorry, but not in Bach. Try with Chopin.
I'd be interested to know the professional qualifications allowing you to pass such categorical judgment... Each performer has their own appreciation.
On my side I even ignored that some harpsichords have a rubato!!?...
Lenier Pernas In fairness, rubato in Bach isn't as wrong as you think, stylistic rubato was used alot in Baroque music for emphasis/accents etc. I think its rather nice!
read yourself, you are saying only senseless crap, until you became boring
Why has she a gum in her mouth? You wouldn't play with HUBBBA BUBBA in your mouth, would you?
Horrible interpretation.
Also: Buy HUBBA BUBBA!!!!
I don't understand her technique and why she's bashing the instrument. I can literally hear the jacks hitting the jack rail on every single note.
Oh God. I needed to stop!!! Pauses everywhere. I don't see that in the score!