The harpsichord used for this recording was built in 1999 by Australian maker A. R. McAllister, inspired by instruments of Johann Heinrich Harraß (1665-1714), a contemporary of Bach.
Performer Biography
Peter Watchorn, the harpsichordist, received the Erwin Bodky Memorial Award for his performances of J. S. Bach's music at the 1985 Boston Early Music Festival.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Bach's preface to the Inventions and Sinfonias states their purpose: to teach keyboard playing, develop compositional ideas, and achieve a 'cantabile' (singing) manner of playing.
Instruments
Research suggests that a famous harpsichord, the 'Berliner Bach-Flügel', may have been made by Johann Heinrich Harraß and potentially owned by J. S. Bach himself.
Composition History
Bach's Inventions and Sinfonias were originally written as teaching pieces for his eldest son, Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, and were later revised and compiled for Bach's application for the Cantor position in Leipzig.
Performer Biography
Harpsichordist Peter Watchorn studied with the celebrated Viennese harpsichordist Isolde Ahlgrimm (1914-1995) from 1985-1992 and later published a biography about her.
Recording & Production
Peter Watchorn co-founded the independent non-profit label Musica Omnia with former student David Fox in 2000, for which he serves as producer and artistic overseer.
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