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NICOLAS DAUTRICOURT & JUHO POHJONEN 21
To what extent has the revival of Baroque performance practice changed
your conception of Bach’s music?
J.P.:
For me, Baroque music represents a world of abundance and a form of
generosity in terms of ideas. On a harpsichord, you play ornamentation, but on
a modern piano, it’s small subtle nuances that further enrich structurally difficult
music. The most stimulating work to be done, on a modern piano, concerns some
movements written in figured bass notation (the bass line consists of numbers
indicating the chords to be played, on the basis of which the player improvises an
accompaniment) with the superb and haunting aria in an earlier version of the
Sixth Sonata, which we decided to record as well.
What are the limits you imposed on yourselves in your interpretation?
N.D.:
The limits are those of good taste, and my aim is to find the point of
equilibrium between control, the singing line, and letting go: for me that is the
secret of interpretation. This is what I’m trying to achieve, just as it is when I
improvise on a jazz standard. In the case of Bach’s sonatas, it’s imperative to avoid
any exaggeration, any over-emphasis. This music doesn’t need any help to stand
on its two feet.