florida state university college of music performance practice

early as 1950, the clarion call came from Hindemith for a complete restoration of baroque
instruments but at this time it was largely ignored even by chamber orchestras
specializing in Baroque repertoire including the legendary Schola in Basel. 91
Even though the name of Erwin Bodky is not as well known as Paul Hindemith,
Bodky was very influential through his founding of the Boston based Cambridge Society
for Early Music and his book concerning performance practice of early keyboard music
as well as a book specializing in J.S. Bach‟s keyboard works. 92 Bodky‟s purpose for the
Cambridge Society for Early Music was unapologetic in its function and its reason for
existence, “to offer the musical public of Boston and Cambridge a series of concerts
devoted to the music of the Renaissance, the Baroque and the early Classical periods, and
to perform the music in a manner faithful to the styles…yet not in terms of dry
pedantry.” 93
Early Music – The Middle of the Twentieth Century
The end of the war brought about disclosure and realization of the horrors of war
and the staggering toll of human lives. Many countries and races that had faced near
annihilation struggled to recapture the essence of their existence. The destruction that had
occurred not only destroyed lives but many historical buildings and treasured artifacts as
well. This period, rampant with disillusionment, sought refuge in the glories of the past to
deal with the horrors and guilt of the present. Recollections by Jean-Pierre Rampal, the
celebrated flautist from France, demonstrates this way of thinking, “The beat to which the
city marched was one dear to my heart. Baroque music was the sentiment of the day.
Bach, Haydn, Handel, Vivaldi & Co., with their precise, measured music, gave the public
the security and sense of order that the war had taken away. You knew where the music
was going and what it would do.” 94
Germany, in the wake of ruin, raced to preserve their national heritage and was
one of the first to promote early music after the war. 95 Deutsche Grammophon
inaugurated the Archiv label in 1945 with the first recording released two years later with
91
Fabian Somorjay, “Musicology and Performance Practice,” 78.
92
Fabian, Bach Performance Practice, 1945-1975, 32.
93
Ibid.
94
Anthony Tommasini, “Obituary of Jean-Pierre Rampal. New York Times, May 21, 2000, national edition.
95
Fabian, Bach Performance Practice, 1945-1975, 33.
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