Didier Henry & Duo Podeur and Bass - Piazzolla: Las 4 Estaciones Porteñas - Ginastera: Estancia (2018)

Harpsichords at the Heart of Contemporary Music: It may raise a few eyebrows that 20th century music should be arranged for the harpsichord and worse still, for two of them. Most people associate the instrument with early music, the sound world of Renaissance and Baroque court life. Yet in the past the harpsichord was always at the forefront of avant-garde experiments in composition and acoustics.

François Couperin made innovations in fingering and sound production, Jean-Philippe Rameau explored the relations between different European styles, Domenico Scarlatti fearlessly pushed for- ward keyboard techniques developing, improvisation, ornamentation, diminutions and continuo playing. Maybe the harpsichord sound stimulates creative musical minds.

Under pressure from the piano, the instrument’s popularity waned during the Romantic period until it was almost forgotten. However, Wanda Landowska’s championing of the instrument in the early 1900s, aided by manufacturers Pleyel and Érard, sparked a wave of interest and new compositions such as Manuel de Falla’s Concerto (1923-6) and Francis Poulenc’s Concert champêtre (1927-8).

Post-1950, the repertoire burgeoned with music by Gyorgy Ligeti, Luciano Berio, Maurice Ohana, Iannis Xenakis… and today the harpsichord is well-established in contemporary music.

Preparation of the pieces for these recordings has been guided by attention to the rich harmonic palette a harpsichord can produce. Whether light and delicate or powerfully incisive, the range of sounds and rhythmical effects is vast, particularly when varying combinations of registrations on both harpsichords.

Adapting chamber or orchestral music for key- board instruments is part of a long tradition and we are certainly not the first to make harpsichord transcriptions of music by the composers featured here. Mention in particular should be made of arrangements of Piazzolla Tangos by Argentinian duo Mario Raskin and Oscar Milani.

Our own experiments have helped us juggle with the limpidity of voices, dramatic contrast, energetic repetition of notes, use of dissonance and contrapuntal relief. Popular dance music was the mainstay of Renaissance and Baroque players so the leap is not very far to these Piazzolla and Ginastera pieces which are both intended for dancers. Harpsichords, like pianos or guitars, are ideal in marking time and creating the urge to move in rhythm.

Both Piazzolla and Ginastera deploy popular dance in various ways as a bridge towards innovative modern aesthetics and the harpsichord helps clarify their musical intentions. We hope our arrangements communicate some of this creative energy to our listeners.

Tracklist:
01. Las 4 Estaciones Porteñas (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): I. Invierno Porteño
02. Las 4 Estaciones Porteñas (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): II. Primavera Porteño
03. Las 4 Estaciones Porteñas (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): III. Verano Porteño
04. Las 4 Estaciones Porteñas (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): IV. Otoño Porteño
05. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Introducción y Escena
06. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Pequeña Danza
07. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Danza del Trigo
08. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Los Trabajadores Agrícolas
09. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Los Peones de Hacienda
10. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Los Puebleros
11. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Triste Pampeano
12. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): La Doma
13. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Idilio Crepuscular
14. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Nocturno
15. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Escena
16. Estancia, Op. 8 (Arr. J. Bass & M. Podeur): Danza Final

Personnel:
Mireille Podeur, harpsichord
Orlando Bass, harpsichord
Didier Henry, baritone