>***************************************************************


Judy wrote:
 > Allemande to the E major French Suite,
 >where in the usual motoric performance you have absolutely no idea
 >where the beginning of the beat, let alone the downbeat, is.
 >(...) I think on a harpsichord with an audience WATCHING me, I can
 >make it clear what's going on, via body language. Otherwise I'm not
 >sure how you telegraph the concept of 'pickup to the downbeat,
 >bassline entering on beat 2'. I have considered just playing a bass
 >note or two or three on the downbeat the first time; I've thought
 >about playing the pickup b as a whole-note gathering tone the
 >first time, then doing it as written on the on the repeat; I've
 >considered adding a turn to the downbeat g#. But none feels right;
 >and to me this piece feels like it SHOULD be motoric.  I can bring
 >it off on clavichord, with a good accent on the g#; I'm not sure
 >I can on hpschd, one feels really rather seasick for the first few
 >measures, then by the repeat the brain has settled in to enjoying
 >the piece the way it looks on the score.

How about overholding the three right hand notes under the slur,
G#-A-B?  And making the pickup B very short and light?

By the way, what is your tempo if you're hearing the left hand come in on
"beat 2"?  You're feeling two or four beats to the whole measure, not
eight, right?

Overholding would be less of an option in measure 2 and 3 where (on fretted
clavichord) D# and E share a string.  But not a problem on harpsichord in
any case.


Bradley Lehman, Dayton VA
home: http://i.am/bpl or  http://www-personal.umich.edu/~bpl
clavichord CD's: http://listen.to/bpl or http://www.mp3.com/bpl
trumpet and organ: http://www.mp3.com/hlduo

"Music must cause fire to flare up from the spirit - and not only sparks
from the clavier...." - Alfred Cortot