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D. Ledbetter Bach's Well-tempered Clavier

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p.353 note 6 line 1 < Parnassus was published by 1736 at the latest, but ><br />

end the fn at < earlier. > delete ‘than their publication date’.<br />

[should work out line‐wise with addition to line 1]<br />

p.355 note 30 line 3 < fugues in 16 keys: L’ABC musical (Amsterdam c.1734);<br />

ed. A.Milka (St Petersburg: Musikverlag ‘Kompositor’, 2004). ><br />

p.356 note.5 line 11 < p.31) and Bernhard (c.1649); it chimes ><br />

p.374 Fischer, line 4 < 1736 ><br />

p.386 Franklin line 4 < (1989b) > b<br />

Hermlink line 2 < Preußischer > r<br />

p.395 Stinson line 7 < 1995b > + b<br />

p.405 Fischer, J.C.F. second last line < (n.d.) > not 1738<br />

In July 2003 I received a letter from the late Madame Denise Restout, who was<br />

Wanda Landowska’s personal assistant and published a translation of<br />

Landowska’s writings on music in 1965. She has put me right about some of<br />

Landowska’s views: those of us not privileged to have known Madame<br />

Landowska have to rely on written records, which can be misleading. You<br />

could say the same of Bach.<br />

‘One point in particular I would like to refute and rectify. In Chapter One<br />

<strong>Clavier</strong> you wrote: “Wanda Landowska added (1907–1911) an element of her<br />

own hysterical prejudice against the clavichord…” and later: “her dislike of<br />

the clavichord was lifelong and passed on to generations of students”. This is<br />

TOTALLY FALSE. Landowska loved the clavichord for what it was and what<br />

it could do – she owned two beautiful ancient ones, and in 1942 Challis built a<br />

new one for her (on which I still teach today!). She played many types of<br />

clavichords…. What Landowska objected to was playing on that instrument<br />

music that obviously was not meant for it. The clavichord’s tonal limitations<br />

do not allow important contrasts of sonority, nor of timbre coloration, as does<br />

the harpsichord, and which are needed for many of J.S.Bach’s works….<br />

You also quote her as having said of Kirkpatrick’s recording of The <strong>Well</strong>‐<br />

<strong>tempered</strong> <strong>Clavier</strong> on the clavichord: “it is a pity that he could not afford a

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