Jean-Luc Ho

Instrument made by Émile Jobin, 2012

The clavichord played this evening was born from the interpretation of historical instruments and the desire to explore the intimate sound universe of Johann Sebastian Bach.

The ancient texts come together to boast both the expressive richness and the great requirement specific to the clavichord, Bach's favorite instrument.

If it does not have a specific repertoire, this instrument paradoxically embraces all of Bach's musical thought: From the French dance suite where we rediscover an elastic choreographic energy, an obvious vocality; in concert style (Toccata Dorienne) through the domestic Lutheran sphere, the most explosive Stylus Fantasticus or even the transcription of his violin works "which he himself often played on the clavichord, bringing all the harmony he considered necessary ”(Agricola).

Forkel relates that Bach "considered the clavichord to be the best instrument for study and for all music played in an intimate place and as being the most apt to express his most refined thoughts ... [and] capable of so many subtleties despite its small size ”.

Instrument of expression par excellence, but also of transmission, it ensures the passage between repertoires and times:

Kittel reports that the master "considered the study of the clavichord with pedals to be of great importance, and that he allowed his students to study on a clavichord with two keyboards and pedals that he had at home. It is precisely this "3 Klaviere nebst Pedal" that he bequeathed to his son Johann Christian before his death.

Adorned by Müthel, one of Bach's last students, the Sinfonia de la Partita II finds a new sensibility very close to the works of CPE Bach. The Chromatic Fantasy 903, for its part executed according to the edition of Griepenkerl, pupil of Forkel, himself a pupil of Bach, seems to show "how the master played it": The text, although from 1820, contains many nuances, indications of speed and ornamentation.
Jean-Luc Ho, May 2018

Chromatic fantasy & Fugue BWV 903
Trio in D minor BWV 583
Toccata & Fugue "Dorienne" in D BWV 538
In Dulci Jubilo BWV 729 (transposed to the ground)
Sinfonia (extracted from Partita II in C minor)
French Suite in G major BWV 816 (German - Courante - Sarabande - Gavotte - Bourrée - Loure - Gigue)
Choral fantasy Wo Gott der Herr nicht bei uns hält BWWV 1028
Ciaconna (extracted from the Partita for violin BWV 1004, transposed into G and adapted to the clavichord)