fortepiano

The predecessor instrument to the modern piano, in use from approximately 1700 to 1850. The fortepiano has a lighter action, thinner strings, and a more transparent tone than the modern grand piano, with less sustain and a more varied timbre across registers. Dussek was one of the key figures in the transition from smaller, lighter fortepianos (as made by Stein and Walter) to the more powerful English-action instruments made by Broadwood, which he helped extend to a 6-octave compass. Much of his writing exploits features specific to the Broadwood fortepiano: the resonant bass, the singing treble, the graduated sustain.

When playing Dussek on the modern piano, consider the instrument for which the music was conceived. The wide dynamic arcs and sustained harmonies he wrote exploit the fortepiano's decay curve: harmonies shimmer and fade in ways the modern piano's greater sustain can over-prolong. Use the pedal with restraint and sensitivity to mimick the natural decay. In the bass, Dussek's wide-spaced voicings (a Broadwood characteristic) can become muddy on the modern piano without careful pedalling. Lightening the left hand touch relative to the right often helps achieve balance.