Pedaling (U.C.) and Baroque

[sachmaninoff]

Hi!

Do you think it's OK to use even Una Corda with Baroque pieces (like Bach Sinfonias) or do you think that we should be using zero pedaling with Baroque?

[brogers70]

Why not? It's a piano. If you want to play a harpsichord, play a harpsichord. Even apart from that, the U.C. pedal could easily be considered sort of like switching manuals on a double manual harpsichord to get a different tone. So don't play Bach as though it were Brahms or Debussy, but don't be afraid to play the piano as a piano.

[j_tour]

That's a nice way of putting it, above. 

I never even considered the una corda pedal for Bach, but why not? 

I admit I find it more refreshing and liberating to play without the sustain pedal — you know, just because so much other music really needs it, it's a nice change of pace.  But it's handy to cheat while turning a page or in some tricky bits where you can't spontaneously grow an extra finger or two.  Even half-pedalling can do the job.  I think of it as an additional trick that can be used very musically.

Hey, it's a piano:  if it sounds good, it probably is good.