Behind the Scenes, Part I

If the early music movement had to fight its way to recognition by way of some basic clichéd principles such as the banning of vibrato and the fussing over correct ornamentation, then where are we now, more than half a century later? This post will be the first in a series of posts that discuss what are generally considered the guiding principles of good music making in today's early music world.

To begin with, I will focus on the "behind-the-scenes" elements to early music making; the elements which we believe are important to consider before even playing a single note. Later posts will feature more specific elements of performance (such as the use of vibrato) that make a significant difference in the actual playing of the music itself.

1. Use of appropriate instruments and materials

Central to historically inspired performance is the belief that the most ideal instruments to use for any particular piece of music are those instruments that existed and were used at the time of composition.

This isn't even remotely controversial when it comes to music of the Medieval, Renaissance or early Baroque eras. To use the cornetto (pictured), sackbut or harpsichord, for example, when playing 17th century music of the likes of Monteverdi, Castello or Frescobaldi doesn't bother anyone, since most of this music did not survive into the traditional modern repertory and is thus not aurally associated with modern instruments. But boy does this concept drive people up the wall when it comes to the music of mainstream composers such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven, whose music is known and loved by millions! Try implying to a pianist that their beloved Goldberg Variations should only be played on the harpsichord, or - as Malcolm Bilson likes to say - that there's "no way you can even get close to the essence of Mozart on the modern Steinway." If you say things like this, you may suddenly find yourself sprawled on the floor with a black eye. Similar problems are arriving for cellists, with relatively recent scholarship claiming that Bach's cello suites were likely to have been intended for the viola da spalla, a bass instrument larger than a viola that was attached to the upper body by a strap and played with a technique closer to that of a violinist than a cellist. Click on the link below to hear Sigiswald Kuijken perform Bach on the spalla.

The Viola da Spalla, played by Sigiswald Kuijken

In some instances, the issue of instrument choice perhaps doesn't matter too much. In the case of Bach, for instance, many people believe that the contrapuntal beauty of much of his music can transfer perfectly well to other instruments of similar type. And after all, Bach transcribed and adapted his music for other instruments all the time. Bach's harpsichord music can of course be played beautifully and successfully on the piano. The cello suites sound great on the cello. But at the same time, there is an unfortunate and mistaken belief that our modern instruments are inherently superior to the old. Many people assume that the harpsichord, or fortepiano, were inferior versions of the current and universally-played Steinway; that the viola da gamba (pictured) was a failed attempt to create a cello (it was in fact a member of a completely different family of instruments and has nothing to do with the cello other than that it is played between the legs); or that the traverso was a feeble version of the modern orchestral flute etc.

To be sure, a traverso would be absolutely lost within the context of a huge symphony orchestra, but placed in the context and music of its time, it was beautiful and ideal. Understanding the nature and function of all these earlier instruments, and how to play them well, is therefore crucial to appreciating them.

The concept of using appropriate instruments also applies to the materials used in conjunction with the instruments. This is extremely significant with respect to string players, who in current times play mostly on steel strings, often with a synthetic core. The historical performance movement has seen the widespread reintroduction of plain gut strings, which have a flexibility and suppleness of sound very different to the more even, consistent sound of a metal string.

Another issue for string players is the use of an appropriate bow. The 'modern' Tourte bow, created around the turn of the 19th Century, is ideal for creating more powerful, even, sustained strokes. However, these kind of bow strokes are far from ideal in baroque times, when, as we shall see in future posts, different musical and aesthetic concepts were valued. Thus, baroque bows, such as the "Corelli" bow or the even shorter, more incisive 17th Century bows, have become favourable for baroque music.

The point of all this, of course, is not to show off cute antiquities to our audiences, although it must have seemed like that at the beginning. The point is that by exploring original instruments and original materials first hand and by discovering how they sounded, music that can often seem strange and dull with modern equipment gets a chance to come alive in an exciting and expressive way.