Monday 19 March 2007

back in Possilpark library
Not having concerts to prepare for means that I can tackle some long overdue paperwork. Yesterday's tasks, besides beginning to clear an email and CD listening backlog, were the Concerto Caledonia company accounts, and the PRS-MCPS registration of works for 2 albums, one of which was two years overdue. And this afternoon there are many errands to run on my bike while I'm in town at the RSAMD giving Hedda Hansen Berg a harpsichord lesson.

Listening back to our second Bach concert from a couple of weeks ago, it's encouraging how little we get in the way of Bach. With music this rich, you have to learn how to get out of the way and just play it as it is. It's not the same as being boring, as you have to bring the music to life, which is a complicated business and requires immense skill, but it's important not to draw attention to yourself in the process. It's not like playing a 19th-century concerto where part of the reason for it is to show off what you can do. There's a time and place for going 'look at me, I'm great', but a Bach cantata isn't it. Let's face it, Bach's got more to say musically than I have, so it helps if I can get my ego out of the process as much as possible. I think the music makes a far greater impact as a result. As I've said before, I'm not interested in hearing 'my' Bach, or Glenn Gould's Bach, or John Eliot Gardiner's Bach - I just want to hear Bach: he's the interesting one.  I was talking about this with Bill Drummond the other night: the wonderful effect of Wendy Carlos's Switched-On Bach in 1968 wasn't really in its kaleidoscopic repertoire of Moog synthesiser sounds, but in the way that for the first time the musical textures were transparent enough for you to actually hear Bach's notes.