Johann Sebastian Bach
Six Partitas BWV 825-830
Martin Helmchen | Tangent Grand
Martin Helmchen’s programme is dedicated – how could it be otherwise – to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach. But not only the programme of this evening is special – Martin Helmchen also plays it on an extraordinary instrument:
The tangent grand is a special intermediate step between the harpsichord and the fortepiano: the strings of the instrument are no longer plucked as on the harpsichord, but struck by means of so-called tangents. Tangents are small wooden rods that are struck against the strings by the key action. This technique was already used on the clavichord, but was modified at the beginning of the 18th century to create the tangent grand piano, an instrument with a sound somewhere between the harpsichord and the fortepiano. Compositions for the instrument indicate that it was popular with composers such as W.A. Mozart and C.P.E. Bach before 1800. Subsequently, however, it was supplanted by the fortepiano and its further developments.
We are very pleased to be able to present a programme on an original 18th century tangent grand piano this evening. The instrument comes from the New Musicalien Collection of Köthen Castle, the place where Johann Sebastian Bach worked before becoming Thomaskantorat in Leipzig.
Tickets: 40/25/10 EUR (reduced) plus booking fee
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