Bach: The Six Trio Sonatas, Bach-Ernst: Concerto No. 1 (BWV 592) /Bach-Vivaldi: Concerto No.2 (BWV 593)
E. Power Biggs pedal harpsichord
Pedal harpsichord built by John Challis
The trio sonatas were recorded in Columbia 30th St. Studios, New York City, December 7-9, 1966
Recording date of the two concertos unknown.
Released 1967 two-LP-set in box by CBS S 72644 & S 72645
Produced by Andrew Kazdin
Cover photo Sandy Speiser/Don Hunstein
Texts sleeve notes by E. Power-Biggs

Side 1
SONATA NO.1 IN E-FLAT MAJOR (BWV 525)
00:00 I-[Moderato]
02:55 II-Adagio
07:22 III-Allegro
SONATA NO.2 IN C MINOR (BWV 526)
11:07 I-Vivace
15:38 II-Largo
19:40 III-Allegro

Side 2
SONATA NO. 3 IN D MINOR (BWV 527)
24:15 I-Andante
30:12 II-Adagio e dolce
34:15 III-Vivace
SONATA NO.4 IN E MINOR (BWV 528)
38:28 I-Adagio; Vivace
41:18 II-Andante
46:43 III-Un poco allegro

Side 3
SONATA NO.5 IN C MAJOR (BWV 529)
49:18 I-Allegro
53:41 II-Largo
59:09 III-Allegro
SONATA NO. 6 IN G MAJOR (BWB 530)
1:02:56 I-Vivace
1:06:25 II-Lento
1:10:36 III-Allegro

Side 4
BACH-ERNST: CONCERTO NO.1 IN G MAJOR (BWV 592)
1:14:18 I-[Allegro]
1:18:02 II-Grave
1:20:45 III-Presto
BACH-VIVALDI: CONCERTO NO. 2 IN A MINOR (BWV 593)
1:22:40 I-[Allegro]
1:26:49 II-Adagio
1:30:36 III-Allegro

A NOTE ON THE PEDAL HARPSICHORD
Keyboard stringed instruments with pedals are as old as organs with pedals. But just as the evolution of the piano pushed the harpsichord temporarily from stage center, so did automatic organ blowing-first by hydraulic power and later by electricity-terminate the necessity (though certainly not the artistic usefulness) to the organist of the pedal harpsichord. Practical instrument as the pedal harpsichord may appear to have been, it obviously was far more than a practice medium. It has enormous musical possibilities, for it combines harpsichord sparkle and clarity with something of the bass sonority of the organ. In fact, it brings together the literature of the two instruments. John Challis (1907-1974), leading harpsichord builder for several decades, was the first in America to realize this potential and to bring the pedal harpsichord to practical realization. The specification of the Challis instrument heard on this recording is as follows:
Manual I__________Manual II___________Pedal
16′ 8′ 8′ 4′ ________8’___________________ 16′ 8′ 4′
Harp stop on 8’___Harp stop________Harp stop on 16′ and 8′

Stop controls for the manuals are in the center, below the lower manual. Stop controls for the pedal-board are manipulated by four foot pedals. Two additional pedals are used for dynamics: One couples full harpsichord and pedal without altering the setting of stops, the other controls a Venetian swell for the pedal-board.
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In 1960, the organist E. Power Biggs approached John Challis and engaged him to build a pedal harpsichord. After years of experimentation and research, Challis constructed such an instrument for the famed performer, who recorded some music on the instrument (Wood, metal, various materials, Overall: 113 x 139.7 x 301 cm (44 1/2 x 55 x 118 1/2 in). Challis later made a second instrument for the Canadian organist Gordon Jeffery; this instrument was completed in 1967 and acquired by The Met in 2003
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Purchase, Murtogh D. Guinness Bequest, 2003 (2003.377a, b)

The pedal harpsichord certainly existed at the time of Bach, yet no known historic example survives with its original keyboard intact. Like pedal clavichords and pedal pianos, including the grand piano attributed to Johann Schmidt in The Met collection, the pedal harpsichord was probably used by an organist as a practice instrument. The Weimar court organist J.C. Vogler (1697–1763), a pupil of Bach, is known to have owned a pedal harpsichord. The organ works of Bach, including this Passacaglia and Fugue, are appropriate to the harpsichord and were probably sometimes performed on such instruments in the early 18th century.