The harpsichord is sadly misaligned
As tinny, ugly, strange, and frightening!
But why? Its sound is magical and rare
And sharp and clear, but vibrant by compare.
Of course, dynamics cannot be achieved,
And thus the harpsichord seems dull and old.
But trills become a tremulous delight;
Arpeggios are shimmering and bright.
I think that music for the harpsichord
Should stay performed on its exotic keys.
For taking out the glimmer of its tone
Removes the glitter that it does denote.
And thus I love its timbre and its pow’r
And think its foes but ignorant and dour.
This is so true. When Baroque music for the harpsichord is performed on the piano today it lacks something...just something. Maybe it's the unique metallic timbre you're talking about. This is great...and from a teenager! Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Glad you agree with the vague music-related theme that most don't understand!
ReplyDeleteI AGREE 100%!
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work and complete all 365! You can do it!
Thank you Phoenix! After proofreading this one I realized the line "Arpeggios and chords are shimmering and bright" had too many syllables and corrected it to "Arpeggios are shimmering and bright". Thanks again for the encouragement!
ReplyDeleteI wish some of those more unusual and almost anachronistic instruments were revived more often. Wouldn't anyone like to see a real-life serpent, or violas/oboes d'amori?
ReplyDeleteOboes d'amore! OMG yes!
ReplyDeletelol, nice. two points: "Arpeggios" really has 4 syllables? and that means piano is horrible? I think each has good, bad points, you're too harsh sometimes, lol. But I understand it has to fit the poem. This one's great!
ReplyDeleteI think? ar-pe-gi-os? Piano is AWESOME though! I think this guy's just defending a pretty much extinct instrument.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry. I read over my post, and it didn't have the right tone... it sounded bad. I meant that you criticizing piano (kinda) was very funny (since you'll never do that, I think)and so was the harsh thing.
ReplyDeleteTo Anna: Thanks for coming to read my blog, however you wound up here (chances are you won't be reading this though!)
ReplyDeleteTo Alice: I have to rewrite/reread/edit my stuff all the time because it almost never turns out the way I want it to turn out the first time! Of course I loooove piano, but this was more of (as Anna said) a defence of the harpsichord, which is often thought of as old and boring and not expressive. Well, maybe it is all those things...but I love harpsichords anyway. COUNTERPOINT GANGSTERS UNITE!
lol. But you know... the harpsichord is old and out-of-date and not that expressive... I mean, you can hardly do dynamics on it. Bach does sound great on it, though. Boring, I don't understand. How can a harpsichord be boring? It's part of the past, people! Anna, you are absolutely correct! Funny how it sounds like you've known Mike for a long time just by reading his sonnet, eh, Mike?
ReplyDeleteYeah I guess...sonnets do wonders ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, I especially love the shimmer a harpsichord brings as part of the basso continuo, like the rippling of a stream in the background.