Igor Kipnis (harpsichord) Showpieces for harpsichord

'25 Works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Scarlatti, Rameau, Händel, Purcell, Couperin and others.'
Recorded 1968 May 16 - 17 & July 9 + 11, New York, Columbia 30th Street Studio (not mentioned in the documentation but mentioned for the Harmonious Blacksmith at http://www.classical-discography.org/... )
Released without indication of year CBS Classics 61132.
Mr. Kipnis's harpsichord, built for him in New York in 1961 by Rutkowski and Robinette, has the following disposition: Lower Manual - 8'leather (Peaude buffle), 8'quill, harp (buff) stop on both 8's, 4'quill; Upper Manual - 8'quill; Manual coupler. In both sound and appearance it resembles the large standard French harpsichord of the late 18th century.

Side 1
00:00 HANDEL: "The Harmonious Blacksmith" (Air and Variations in E Major, from Suite No. 5, Bk. I) (4'16)
04:09 HANDEL: Sarabande in 0 Minor, from Suite No. 11 in 0 Minor, Bk. II (4'20)
08:24 ANON.: Greensleeves (16th Century) (1'14)
09:38 BYRD: La Volta (1'40)
11:18 BYRD: Pavana, The Earl of Salisbury (1'48)
13:06 BULL: The King's Hunt (3'22)
16:25 ANON.: The Nightingale (17th Century) (1'11)
17:35 PURCELL: A New Ground in E Minor, Z. T682 (2'02)
19:35 CROFT: Ground in C Minor, Z. 0221 (2'26)
22:00 CLARKE: The Prince of Denmark's March, Z. 5125 (1'26)
23:28 CHAMBONNIERES: Chaconne in F Major (3'15)
26:41 F. COUPERIN: Le Tic-Toc-Choc (2':40)

Side 2
29:18 RAMEAU: Tambourin (1'04)
30:21 RAMEAU: La Poule (4'35)
34:50 DAQUIN: Le Coucou (1'55)
36:45 D. SCARLATTI: Sonata in 0 Minor ("Pastorale"), K. 9/L. 413 (3'26) .
40:08 D. SCARLATTI: Sonata in E Major ("Capriccio"), K. 20/L. 375 (2'44)
42:52 M. ALBENIZ: Sonata in 0 Major (2:47)
45:37 J.S. BACH: Prelude and Fugue No. 1 in C Major, BWV 846 (from "The Well-Tempered Clavier," Bk. I) (3:39)
49:12 J.S. BACH: Three Minuets (G Major, G Minor, and G Major) (BWV Anh. 114, 115, and 116) (from "The Anna Magdalena Bach Book") (4:35)
53:41 C.P.E. BACH: Solfeggio in C Minor, Wq. 117, No. 2 ( :55)
54:38 MOZART: Rondo, alla Turca, from Sonata No. 11 in A Major, K. 331 (3:43)
58:18 BEETHOVEN: Minuet in G Major, WoO 10, No. 2 (2:07)

Every instrument has its own collection of encore pieces music
that is short, familiar, fun to play and to listen to. Over
the three hundred years of its heyday, from 1500 to 1800,
composers supplied the harpsichord with more such pieces
than have been written for any other instrument. Of course,
they were not used for encores as we think of them. There
were no public concer.ts until the end of the 17th century, and
many of these were aristocratic, semiprivate events. These
pieces were rather used at home for the amusement of the
player or his family and friends, and they were prominent in
teaching repertoire. Many are still used by piano instructors
today, but naturally the music sounds best on the instrument
for which it was written.
George Frideric Handel (1685-1759): The Harmonious
Blacksmith (Air and Variations in E Major). Handel published
the music himself in 1720 as the concluding movement
of the fifth of eight suites. Stories of the various blacksmiths
who were reputed to have inspired the composer appear to be
apocryphal. The title first appeared in a book of duets printed
in 1819, and no one has as yet discovered the reason.
Sarabande in D Minor. Among other duties, Handel was
much in demand as a harpsichord teacher. In 1727, he assisted
in the publication of his second book of suites, which he entitled
"Lessons for the Harpsichord." The Sarabande, from
the fourth suite in this volume, is deceptively simple looking
on the printed page. In this recording, it has been embellished
and elaborated according to the style of the period.
Anonymous: Greensleeves. Ballad tunes have always been
favorites, and the tune called "Greensleeves" has been used
over and over with different sets of words. The setting ,here
for harpsichord was written in the 16th century and is also
suitable for playing on the lute, the harpsichord's chief rival
at that time.
William Byrd (1543-1623): La Volta. (F. V. B. 159) This
dance, punctuated by leaps in the air by the female partner,
was a great favorite at the Tudor court, although the Church
considered it improper and lewd. The music comes from a collection
made by the Catholic Francis Tregian when he was imprisoned
for nonconformity. It is now known as "The
Fitzwilliam Virginal Book."
Pavana, The Earl of Salisbury. (Parthenia No. 6) Pavans
were originally composed for wakes and other solemn occasions.
Byrd, although a Catholic, was a great favorite of the
Protestant court and supplied much music for aristocratic
patrons. This Pavana is from the first collection of harpsichord
music ever printed, "Parthenia, or The Mayden Head,"
1612/13.
John Bull (c. 1562-1628): The King's Hunt. (F. V. B. 135)


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