Yonit Lea Kosovske surveys early music and writing about keyboard performance with the aim of facilitating the development of an expressive tone in the modern player. Reviewing the work of the pedagogues and performers of the late Renaissance through the late Baroque, she gives special emphasis to la douceur du toucher or a gentle touch. Other topics addressed include posture, early pedagogy, exercises, articulation, and fingering patterns. Illustrated with musical examples as well as photos of the author at the keyboard, Historical Harpsichord Technique can be used for individual or group lessons and for amateurs and professionals.

A practical handbook for early keyboard technique

About the Author

Yonit Kosovske performs on both modern and historical keyboard instruments as a soloist and chamber artist. She has produced several solo CDs, the most recent of which include La Gracieuse, French chaconnes, passacailles, & preludes (La Douceur, 2010) and Keyboard Music of Girolamo Frescobaldi (Focus, 2010). Kosovske lives in Ireland, where she performs as a freelance artist and teaches at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance at the University of Limerick.

Reviews

The basic approach to playing the harpsichord with sensitivity which Kosovske encourages is absolutely right, and this will be a valuable reference book for those setting out to play the harpsichord seriously. Because so much of the material presented here is relevant to any early keyboard instrument, it will be of value to other performers as well, particularly those playing the fortepiano.

* The Consort *

Kosovske's book is an important addition to the literature on harpsichord playing. The focus on touch, and sound production in particular, gives it its own weight and importance. . . . [I]t will certainly remain an important reference work for many years to come.

* Early Music Performer *

Period performance has established such strong norms by now that students too often simply follow notable current performers, not bothering with historical performance sources. Excellent and necessary as it is to follow a good model, returning to the sources is the best way of then developing one's own individuality and creativity. Those starting out on the journey need a reliable guide, and that is what Kosovske provides.

* Early Music *

[This] book is methodical and well-written, and it is a strong contender for inclusion in any harpsichordist's library.

* Early Music America *



Book Information
ISBN 9780253356475
Author Yonit Lea Kosovske
Format Hardback
Page Count 240
Imprint Indiana University Press
Publisher Indiana University Press
Weight(grams) 499g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 8mm