Francesco Cera

Since the beginning of the 17th century, instrumental music was thought to have a content conveying rhetorical meaning, though it did not have a text as carrier of emotions and explicitly defined contents - as did the vocal music. The possibility to convey the contents of an instrumental work is thus left both to the fantasy of the interpreter and the audience. This does also apply for Bach's instrumental music. In the six French Suites which he composed around 1720 in Köthen the arrangement of the keys indicates that the sequence is not pure coincidence. Three minor keys followed by three major keys - this could be described as follows by citing the interesting definitions of three authorities of the baroque era, Kircher, Charpentier and Mattheson: D minor (1st suite), serious and meditative, C minor (2nd suite), dark and sad, B minor (3rd suite), lonely and melancholic, E flat major (4th suite), emotional and affectionate, G major (5th suite), playful and caressing, E major (6th suite), otherworldly. This step-by-step sequence, almost a change from sadness to joy, reminds of a presentation of spiritual and religious basis of human life. In Bach's era, religion was an unalterable value as consolation for human life. Apart from this, Bach's instrumental works have always been conceded a spiritual sense, especially those with a soloist instrument. Our imagination is not only aroused by the keys and harmonies but also by the musical figurations, a true symbol language in Bach's  sacred music (and not only in his sacred music). The human being which is tormented by sin and the hardships of life (1st suite) is forced to take a hard way through life (2nd suite). Only prayer and the teachings of Jesus Christ can lead him to salvation of the soul (3rd suite). The fruit of faith is the consoling experience of God's grace (4th suite), which only makes the joy of human love possible (5th suite) and after death awards us with the pleasures of paradise by Jesus Christ's side (6th suite). Of course today listeners are free to imagine different things. However, let us not forget that art has always been a carrier of noble thought. We chose to compare the French style of the suites with the Italian one of Italian Concerto and the Fantasy and Fugue in A minor. Starting point of this extraordinary concert composed in Leipzig in the 1730ies and which was thought up for the sound levels of a double harpsichord, are the concerts of Antonio Vivaldi, in which Bach had delved into in Köthen. Fantasy is a meditative work which enjoys the durezze e ligature (dissonances and ligatures) of Frescobaldi. The fugue is based on a likewise meditative theme which is accompanied by a descending chromatic motive, from which an especially profound middle part emerges. The choice of this harpsichord, which is neither from Germany nor from Bach's time, may seem somewhat  unconventional. However, it is justified by its clarity in polyphony, its French style and by the fact that excellent instruments of the past century were still in use around 1720.

Information about the Harpsichord

The harpsichord used in this recording is the result of an occupation with the work of Vincent Tibaut, a French harpsichord maker from the second half of the 17th century. After a detailed examination of original instruments I decided to make a copy of the instrument from 1691 which is preserved in the "Musée de la musique" in Paris. Working on this instrument enabled me to take an insight into the workshop of this old French master and to value each of his constructive choices. Step by step I got to know this excellent cabinet maker as a brilliant harpsichord maker. He was able to connect elaborate own developments with Italian, German and Flemish elements. The inner structure of the case was for instance worked on with special care to reach the lightest weight. The soundboard is the result of an elaborate acoustic plan. Tibaut arranges the ribs like fishbones to guarantee a best possible balance in the sound production. Moreover, he settles a second sounding area on the surface of the wrestplank. This is done by making the veneer out of fir wood as a second soundboard. Thus the deep notes become stronger. The combination of all these technical solutions reveals a sound concept which reflects the utmost opposite of the blurred sound of many 18th century French harpsichords. Tibaut's intention seemed to be to give almost each string a special personal identity, to thus reach a clear polyphonic effect.