♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

(applause)

ANDRAS SCHIFF: Grazie. Thank you very much.

So, what is Italian about this?

(laughing)

CHRISTIAN DE LUCA: So, I'm attempting to say the joyful character of the piece, but, actually, there is

another reason and the thing is that after a long period of time that Bach was working on transcribing all the

Italian Concerto of the Baroque period he--

SCHIFF: For example, what what composers?

DE LUCA: Uh, Corelli, Vivaldi...yeah and then he truly managed to compose one for keyboard and specifically

for harpsichord with two manuals.

SCHIFF: Uh-huh. So, you know, you know the necessary information but you have to transmit that, yeah?

So...with two manuals...that's why it's very seldom with Bach that we have dynamics...

but in this piece it means much more between manual and lower manual; however, you should show

that much more, yes?

And as you play this piece it is to me black and white...I need a little more colors at least, primary colors--

a little bit of red, bit of blue, green, and yellow, nothing else, but that much, yes?

Now, let's start with the middle movement, yes?

DE LUCA: Okay,

SCHIFF: Since you are Italian, can you tell our listeners what means, "Andando."

(laughing)

SCHFF: It's funny, isn't it?

DE LUCA: Okay, ah, 'andando' means going, basically...

SCHIFF AND DE LUCA: So going, walking, yes...

SCHIFF: So, try to stand up, please.

And walk for me in this tempo that you played...the second--

DE LUCA: That will be a very slow pace.

SCHIFF: Yes, indeed.

SCHIFF: Can you walk that slow? I couldn't. So, because...and...the meter is 3/4 yes?

DE LUCA: Yes.

SCHIFF: So, take three steps the bar and not six steps...one and two and three (humming)

SCHIFF: Yep and then the idea to be very free is fine, but you are way over the top because it gets

very fussy, very complicated try to you know..in the Italian style as opposed to the French style.

SCHIFF: The ornamentation is written out, yeah? So, to the tiny smallest note values, yes?

DE LUCA: Yes.

SCHIFF: So, that's why try to be...

And first, let's just establish this ostinato...play them their left hand please.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

SCHIFF: No, you see...these two notes that's your heartbeat and these are like two string instruments,

like a second violin and the viola.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

SCHIFF: So, three sonorities before the soprano comes in, yes?

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

SCHIFF: That's very good, so we can build on this yes, but then be very steady, yeah, and...

(Andras speaking in foreign language) Even when you play later something like Mozart's A-minor Rondo or

anything by Chopin it's the same idea that that you have a quasi accompagnamento, which is in time.

And the upper voice can be free as a bird.

But even birds are not anarchists, yes? They fly in a certain pattern, yes?

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Listen, maybe I have a very bad reputation that I kill people who use

peddling Bach..it's not true (laughing)… you can use because this sounds very dry.

As long as I am not aware of you using the pedal, but you know it has to have, you know, sonority.

(Andras humming and playing the piano)

It has to sound you know... now you play the top voice.

Oh...(speaks in a foreign language) (laughter)...one more time...fourth bar.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Oh, look you have to be on another level from me, yes?

I am the upper manual, you are the lower manual (speaks in foreign language)

Now, let's change roles: you play the left hand fourth bar...

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Try to do both now from the fourth bar.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Can you sing it for me?

(singing together)

No, sing on more time (both speaking in a foreign language).

No, you sing and I play the accompaniment. Yes, you sing.

♫ ♫ ♫ (piano and singing)

SCHIFF: Sing for the people....very good... always when we are not so sure we should

always sing that every instrument is imitating the human voice, yes? Alright.

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

SCHIFF: Alright, now I'm always coming back to Italy because I live in it alone so

most wonderful country so what is (speaks in a foreign language)

DE LUCA: (speaks in foreign language) is usually a dissonance that's resolved by a consonant but it's

often slower so we have more weight on the dissonance.

SCHIFF: How many notes?

DE LUCA: Two notes.

SCHIFF: Exactly and the second note is softer because because (humming)

There is only one instrument that cannot play this musically, the harpsichord.

Because the second note will be exactly as loud as the first.

But on the piano, not that is the right instrument because it's half mechanic--

(laughter)

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

And then my main problem with your playing is that you are not listening to

yourself but most people aren't... you see you have to hear what happens to

this note that is a big problem in our wonderful instrument at the moment you

play a note diminish diminish diminish damage dying dying dying that we cannot

do what a string instrument but we can make the illusion.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

My even was very careful pedaling and just listening to how was the previous

note yes and what will be the continuation just think of that listen

to your long notes.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

all right you don't want to torture you they all

these little ornaments are not nice you put the pedal on it if you put a pedal

on a model here you see this is what happens that's bad pedaling you know

sounds dirty that's to sound clean it's our hygiene.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Alright, since I have a time limit here, which I really don't like, terribly sorry.

Let's now try the Presto...this is this was a good tempo but the

character you know (speaks in foreign language) in you have to you know suggest the joy this is such a

sad world we are privileged to have music, what else would we have? (humming)

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

If you were to speak, each notice starts with a consonant (humming).

If you were a sting player, then they have to have a contact with the string and here also with the

piano playing not on the surface.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

We are in the very democratic country here, but in the music some notes are more important that others.

SCHIFF: It's like with Orwell, have you read Animal Farm?

DE LUCA: No.

SCHIFF: You should...so all animals are equal but some are more equal than others.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Very hard you know piano playing should never be percussive that's why non

pianists they over you pianist you are you are a percussion players it's even

it's an insult to percussion players because they play very beautiful but so

even so that's a problem with if you attack the keys too abruptly (humming).

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

These are three voices you are playing (humming).

And the idea of a concerto is concerto grosso orchestra, concerto piccolo, solo.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

That's much better...that's better...you know what this is?

DE LUCA: (speaks in foreign language)

SCHIFF: Exactly, hot pepper.

That's what I'm missing in your sauce, yeah...it's very nice but a

little bit of pepperoncino...alright very good now let's do in this manner the

first movement which does not have a tempo indication so there should be a

difference in character and in tempo between the first and the third movements

yes but the character is good that you play the first chord arpeggio yeah so

because it reminds us of the harpsichord of the plucked strings yes little more

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

SCHIFF: You are not playing the (humming).

DE LUCA: I have one question, though.

SCHIFF: Only one. (laughing)

DE LUCA: So for this very rest I actually thought there was something but just you know the first violin giving...

SCHIFF: You are absolutely right.

DE LUCA: So that's why I didn't want to...

SCHIFF: Switch up the metronome.

DE LUCA: Okay.

♫ ♫ ♫ (Andras humming)

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

The idea is good but the sonority if very percussive (humming)...No violence. Joy. Energy!

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Very good.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Question mark? What is this? (humming) Answer the question.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Okay, this is too much, but the idea is good.

So, let's continue now now we go to the upper manual and this concertino.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

And so stay within with little waves but within piano before the next to theorize

yes so this has no pulse again we are to democratic because you are playing the

written page you see equal eighths notes and everything is equal

strong every other eighth note is lighter... (humming)

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

SCHIFF: What's so difficult about that?

DE LUCA: Nothing. (playing again)

SCHIFF: But now it's good...very good...very good!

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Okay this is a cadence (humming )this is an important station in the parallel minor

yes and after this comes the next episode... alright this is much better now.

Now let's look at another place from the final movement so after the first

tutti, play from bar 24.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Alright, much better, but you see (humming) you are not listening to the long notes. (humming)

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Here, you have to change change the color here...yes it's beautiful here

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Pablo Casals, greatest musician say accents are the salt and pepper of music (humming).

Not a big accent, but (snaps).

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Alright, just the left hand (humming and playing piano).

Baroque music articulation it's not everything staccato not everything legato it's inbetween it's a combination.

♫ ♫ ♫ (humming)

Variety!

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Alright, now let's do the D minor tutti.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

And finish the sentence (humming).

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

(speaking in foreign language) This is a hard passage-- play it once slowly, please.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

In this tempo, but clear.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

So when you go back to practice, practice not always in full tempo, not always in full

volume, but always musically.

In musical paragraphs...sentences yes?

Alright, so let's play the same passage in tempo now.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Quiet! Shh. Too loud. too loud.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

This is when I say a little bit of color-- this is just grey.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Timing, timing...What is the secret of a good comedian? It's timing (humming)

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

The alto has to take over, yeah, so you have to voice it.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

When you play these chords then don't go so far-- stay near the keyboard never leave the keyboard.

It's very effective for people who watch music, but people who listen to music it doesn't sound good.

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Now I have to go to the lower octave, yes?

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Oh, don't finish! You have to finish a piece ...it's not like excuse me. (laughing)

It's very apologetic. (humming)

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Positive, yeah?

♫ ♫ ♫ [Italian Concerto in F Major, BWV 971 by J.S. Bach]

Something like that, yes.

Alright, grazie.

(applause)