Tactus, a fantasia for harpsichord (2010)

A meeting with Colin in the summer of 2008 resulted in a decision to write a piece of around 6-7 minutes, starting at a fairly free, slow tempo and evolving into something more upbeat; the work would complement, and contrast with, the mostly traditional repertoire of his performance programmes.

The subtitle, A fantasia for harpsichord, is inspired by the sectional structure, similar to that of 16th and 17th century fantasias with their free improvisatory elements; however, in this piece, each section’s motifs evolve throughout whilst the tempo is underpinned by a steady pulse. It is this which gives the piece its title, Tactus.

Duration: 6-7 minutes

pdf download, price £7

Diamond Fantasia

I was delighted to share Colin’s YouTube video performance of Diamond Fantasia, the companion piece to Tactus, on Facebook, and to see so many enthusiastic responses to the music and this exquisite but not widely known instrument.

Liz Lane, June 2020

YouTube video

Duration: 5 minutes

pdf download, price £7

My own arrangement of Bach’s Chaconne in D minor

from the original chaconne for violin.

Many of today’s leading harpsichordists have made their own arrangements of this mighty piece (the concluding movement of Bach’s Partita No. 2 in D minor for solo violin). I first heard such a performance when given by Gustav Leonhardt in 1986. The harpsichord is particularly effective in conveying its mood and stature, and it presents the player with a single movement more than ten minutes long, which is a rarity in the harpsichord repertoire.

It can be heard in its entirety on the CD Bach by Arrangement and also - transposed down to the more sombre key of A minor - on Dark Harpsichord Music, (see CDs above).

Here are the first few bars:

pdf download, price £7