One or the Other

One or the Other

Music for harpsichord or piano forte, depending on which instrument you have

This concert features the lovely Italianate harpsichord gifted to St Jude’s resident organist and music director Allan Beavis.

By the last few decades of the eighteenth century and into the nineteenth the new piano-forte was being adopted by more and more people as its qualities of expression became recognized and the technology improved. Of course, many still possessed a harpsichord so for a time, composers were having to take into account the characteristics of each if they wanted to sell their copy.

The sonata by CF Abel is still in the land of the harpsichord, though piano fortes have entered the scene. That of Maria Anna Martinez could be played on either instrument, while a generation after Abel, that of Ignace Pleyel has convincingly transitioned into the new piano-y style and is no longer suitable for playing on a harpsichord.

With Diana Weston (piano, harpsichord)

and 

Tara Hashambhoy (violin)

Program

 Carl Friedrich Abel (1723-1787)

Sonata in C major Op. 2, 1 from ‘Six Sonatas for the Harpsichord with Accompaniments for a Violin or German Flute (and violoncello)’

Allegro moderato, Tempo di Menuetto

Maria Anna Martinez (1745-1812)

Sonata in A major

Allegro, Adagio, Tempo di Minuetto

Ignace Pleyel (1757-1831)

Sonata in A major for piano forte and violin

Allegro moderato, Andante, Rondo/allegro assai

St Jude’s Church, Bowral

Wednesday Jan 20 at 1.15pm