Two professional musicians will play in a baroque concert with historic instruments in Christ Chapel Monday.
Harpsichordist Lillian Gordis and gambist Jérôme Hantaï will perform works by Johann Sebastian Bach, François Couperin, and Marin Marais at 8 p.m.
Chairman and Associate Professor of Music Daniel Tacke said the instruments they play alter the performance and sound of the pieces in various ways.
“The gamba is a rather special instrument, quite different from our modern cello,” he said. “It has frets like a lute and additional strings, so complex double-stops are a regular feature of the repertoire, and its tone is very resonant. This complements the incisive tone of the harpsichord in a very particular way, and the delicate balance of sonority is something that Gordis and Hantaï are especially focused on in their duo playing.”
Visiting Assistant Professor of Music History Michael Ruhling said the use of the viola da gamba will create a different sound quality than if the piece were performed with modern instruments.
“The viola da gamba sits on the lap, as opposed to the viola da braccio, which would be on the shoulder,” Ruhling said. “The biggest differences I think you’ll notice are that the sound is softer and not as bright.”
Ruhling said the bow shape is different from modern bows.
“This creates a natural mezzo di voce, where there is an intensification of the sound in the middle of the bow, and different parts of the bow will create vastly different sounds,” Ruhling said.
Tacke said the duo sonatas on the program were composed specifically to be performed by the viola da gamba.
“Marais was himself an expert gambist, and wrote extensively for the instrument, taking full advantage of its technical resources with a beautiful, expressive style,” Tacke said. “Couperin’s piece is also a fantastic example of the nuanced gestural language and formality of French baroque repertoire.”
Tacke said the Bach piece is written differently from the other two compositions.
“The harpsichord part is obbligato — that is, fully composed as an integral part of the musical counterpoint, rather than improvised by the performer as with the Marais and Couperin,” Tacke said.
Tacke said Bach’s mastery of the keyboard enables a sort of dialogue between the instruments.
“It also serves as the basis for some stylistic surprises in the solo keyboard partita that Gordis will be playing,” Tacke said.
This concert is a rare opportunity for Hillsdale, according to Tacke, because Gordis and Hantaï are among the best players focused on baroque style and performance.
“Imagine something along the lines of classical repertoire played with the immediacy and spontaneity of folk music,” Tacke said, “brought to life through the specialized instruments but also the very personal voices of the musicians who speak through them.”
