Uploaded June 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Guest Interview: Robert Hill, Harpsichordist
I had the privilege of speaking to Robert Hill, one of the foremost harpsichordists alive. Our discussion spans many different topics including harpsichord tuning and repair, clavichords, piano actions, lute-harpsichords, early Bach, old Bach, figured bass, inaudible sounds, metronomes, partimento, and anything else listed here:
People / Topics Covered:
Keith Hill (keithhillharpsichords.com/) (Instrument maker, Robert’s Brother)
Jaap Schröder (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaap_Schr%C3%B6der) (Dutch violinist Hill heard in Michigan)
Fernando Valenti (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Valenti) (American Harpsichordist)
Charles Burney (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Burney) (English Music Historian)
Lute Harpsichord: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lautenwerck
Gustav Leonhardt (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Leonhardt)
John Dryden (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dryden) (the poet Leonhardt Quoted)
The Goethe Haus, Weimar (google.com/search?q=goethe+haus+Weimar&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQhd6thITqAhX-SzABHW9pCPEQ_AUoAXoECB4QAw&biw=1680&bih=890) (paint color)
Andreas Bach Book (french text only) fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Bach_Buch
Andreas Staier (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Staier) Harpsichordist with whom Hill recorded BWV1080
David Stanwood stanwoodpiano.com (Piano Technician)
The Squiggle on the title page of the Well Tempered Clavier (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Well-Tempered_Clavier#Well-Tempered_tuning)
"Bach's face reconstructed (dw.com/en/experts-digitally-reconstruct-bachs-face/a-3157170) "
"Bach's Seal (google.com/search?q=bach%27s+seal&oq=bach%27s+seal&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j0l7.1426j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) "
Partimento (mtosmt.org/issues/mto.15.21.3/mto.15.21.3.byros.html) (Reduction Technique):
--
Randy Rainbow (comedian)
Madame de Villedieu (authoress), novel of note: "Desordres d'Amour
Follow Evan on Instagram for even more content about Bach: instagram.com/WTFBach (instagram.com/WTFBach)
--
Find a playlist of this episode’s music here:
open.spotify.com/playlist/1xyzZShf0RrAx75nvF1zUb?si=xRgHdqtNRtmogsUfvhlf7Q
Support us:
patreon.com/wtfbach
paypal.me/wtfbach
venmo.com/wtfbach
https://cash.app/$wtfbach
--
Suggestions? Want Evan to analyze a specific piece of Bach? Have other questions for Evan about music or anything at all?
Write us:
bach@wtfbach.com (mailto:bach@wtfbach.com)
Get full access to WTF Bach? at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe (wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
Guest Interview: Robert Hill, Harpsichordist
I had the privilege of speaking to Robert Hill, one of the foremost harpsichordists alive. Our discussion spans many different topics including harpsichord tuning and repair, clavichords, piano actions, lute-harpsichords, early Bach, old Bach, figured bass, inaudible sounds, metronomes, partimento, and anything else listed here:
People / Topics Covered:
Keith Hill (keithhillharpsichords.com/) (Instrument maker, Robert’s Brother)
Jaap Schröder (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaap_Schr%C3%B6der) (Dutch violinist Hill heard in Michigan)
Fernando Valenti (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Valenti) (American Harpsichordist)
Charles Burney (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Burney) (English Music Historian)
Lute Harpsichord: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lautenwerck
Gustav Leonhardt (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Leonhardt)
John Dryden (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dryden) (the poet Leonhardt Quoted)
The Goethe Haus, Weimar (google.com/search?q=goethe+haus+Weimar&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjQhd6thITqAhX-SzABHW9pCPEQ_AUoAXoECB4QAw&biw=1680&bih=890) (paint color)
Andreas Bach Book (french text only) fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Bach_Buch
Andreas Staier (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andreas_Staier) Harpsichordist with whom Hill recorded BWV1080
David Stanwood stanwoodpiano.com (Piano Technician)
The Squiggle on the title page of the Well Tempered Clavier (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Well-Tempered_Clavier#Well-Tempered_tuning)
"Bach's face reconstructed (dw.com/en/experts-digitally-reconstruct-bachs-face/a-3157170) "
"Bach's Seal (google.com/search?q=bach%27s+seal&oq=bach%27s+seal&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j0l7.1426j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) "
Partimento (mtosmt.org/issues/mto.15.21.3/mto.15.21.3.byros.html) (Reduction Technique):
--
Randy Rainbow (comedian)
Madame de Villedieu (authoress), novel of note: "Desordres d'Amour
Follow Evan on Instagram for even more content about Bach: instagram.com/WTFBach (instagram.com/WTFBach)
--
Find a playlist of this episode’s music here:
open.spotify.com/playlist/1xyzZShf0RrAx75nvF1zUb?si=xRgHdqtNRtmogsUfvhlf7Q
Support us:
patreon.com/wtfbach
paypal.me/wtfbach
venmo.com/wtfbach
https://cash.app/$wtfbach
--
Suggestions? Want Evan to analyze a specific piece of Bach? Have other questions for Evan about music or anything at all?
Write us:
bach@wtfbach.com (mailto:bach@wtfbach.com)
Get full access to WTF Bach? at wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe (wtfbach.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)
