THE SHAWN LEOPARD-JOHN PAUL HARPSICHORD DUO WITH ROBERT KNUPP AND
ROB ROBERTSON AT THE OLD CAPITOL MUSEUM, JUNE 11, 2001

   On Monday, June 11, the historic House of Representatives 
Chamber of the Old Capitol Museum resounded with the even more historic
concerti for two harpsichords by Johann Sebastian Bach, presented in a fresh
and unique format by the Shawn Leopard-John Paul Harpsichord Duo. Robert
Knupp and Rob Robertson accompanied them, rendering on lautenwerke a
transcription of the parts that would normally be performed by string
players. While this keyboard quartet version is a creative first for these
three works, this flexible approach to performance is quite consistent with
Baroque composition and performance practices. Bach had in fact himself
rearranged these very works for varied instrumentation. The first work
performed on the program, Concerto in C Major (BWV 1061), was originally
scored simply for two harpsichords alone, with Bach later adding string parts
for the first and third movements. The second work on the program, Concerto
in c Minor (BWV 1062), originally written in the key of d minor for two
violins and strings, was transcribed by Bach to this new key to fit better
the range of the keyboards. The third work, Concerto in C Major (BWV 1060),
is Bach's transcription of a no longer extant concerto for violin and oboe
soloists with strings. All four instruments used in the program were
masterfully crafted by Anden Houben of Northport, Alabama. The two
harpsichords were modeled after the 1681 French instrument by Vaudry, and
the two lautenwerke were based on drawings and historical accounts. Bach
ordered one lautenwerk in 1740 for his own use. Equipped with gut strings,
it was said to sound like a theorbo, or, if damped by the lute stop, like a
lute (hence the name). Since harpsichords are strung with metal strings,
they produce a bright, incisive tone; the gut strings of the lautenwerke
produce a rounder, more mellow, and delicate tone. This difference produced
a subtle contrast between the solo parts and the transcribed accompanying
string parts. However, the lautenwerke are smaller scaled instruments than
the harpsichords, so the mass of sound was less than that of a string group.
The contrast was thus not as marked tonally as would have been the contrast
of harpsichord and stringed instruments. I should note, however, that the
composer also minimized contrast in the original version of BWV 1062 by
scoring it for two violins and strings.

   Consummate musicianship, technical ease, and accuracy characterized the
performance of the entire quartet of musicians. The well-matched tempos,
consistent throughout the concert, manifested enthusiastic energy during
the allegro movements and profound poignancy in the adagio movements.

                                                          - Carol S. Durham

The Shawn-Leopard Duo was sponsored by the Cabot Lodges of Jackson.




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