Bach’s Harpsichord Concerto in D Minor, Jean Rondeau
Listen carefully, and you may hear echos of Bach’s big, hearty belly laugh in the opening of the D minor Harpsichord Concerto, BWV 1052. This is music filled with ferocious vigor and an irreverent, reckless abandon comparable to a sports car driver speeding around a sharp curve. It begins as a single musical subject, played by all of the instruments in octaves, which unfolds with wild leaps and crazy, jagged rhythmic surprises. This opening statement launches an exhilarating ride filled with sparkling virtuosity and pure fun.
The contrasting second movement (Adagio) in G minor also begins with a single, extended musical line. This subject forms the ground bass line for the music which follows. It’s a melancholy and mysterious drama of conversing voices. Throughout the movement, we hear...