The plague, a metal monster, and the wonder of Wanda: in pursuit of the performance style

David Kjar

doi:10.1590/s1517-75992011000200010

Abstract

The claim of having achieved "authenticity" in performance has today almost disappeared without a trace. However, Richard Taruskin's efforts to disprove the premise through a series of articles in the 1980s still beg important questions, such as exactly what are the origins of the early music movement's performance style and which performers had a role in its transmission? Taruskin contends that Stravinsky transmitted the "geometrical," or modernist, Bach to the musical world, and that Stravinsky might have learned it from Wanda Landowska. Taruskin's accolade exposes more than a bit of irony within the early-music revival, since Landowska is seldom, if ever, acknowledged as a significant contributor to the development of the early-music "style" of performance, even though Landowska's recordings reveal a performer with a modern style, one that foreshadows 1980s early-music performances. Due primarily to the sound of her non-historic harpsichord, Landowska's influence, however, has been diminished, and her significant role was negated in the post-"authenticity" early music movement. This paper traces Landowska's central influence through an investigation of her Varsovian musical education, Parisian residency, and recordings. It recognizes and advocates for the contributions made by Landowska before the advent of the "authenticity" era.

Highlights

Richard Taruskin’s campaign berating early music’s dependency on “authenticity” as a defense for its performance style, seems irrelevant or even alien (TARUSKIN, 1988).1 For today, the claim of “authentic” performance has almost disappeared without a trace
Taruskin reminds us that there is no way of knowing what music sounded like in the eighteenth century and, the early music movement’s claim of “authenticity” cannot be substantiated
Due primarily to the sound of her Pleyel harpsichord combined with the theatricality of her performance style, Landowska’s influence, has been diminished and her significant role was negated in the post-“authenticity” early music movement

Summary

Introduction

Richard Taruskin’s campaign berating early music’s dependency on “authenticity” as a defense for its performance style, seems irrelevant or even alien (TARUSKIN, 1988).1 For today, the claim of “authentic” performance has almost disappeared without a trace. Due primarily to the sound of her Pleyel harpsichord combined with the theatricality of her performance style, Landowska’s influence, has been diminished and her significant role was negated in the post-“authenticity” early music movement. Using Taruskin’s theory as a starting point, this paper reevaluates Landowska’s contribution to the early music movement’s style of performance within the philosophical and musical framework of the “authenticity” movement.

Results

Conclusion