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Ramsay sidesteps these challenges, and the lovely if echoic acoustic of King’s College Chapel – which gives the harp a sometimes overwhelming shimmering acoustic ripple – by playing subtly with tempos and dynamics, effecting what must be some very nifty footwork on the pedals, as well as finger-twisting work on the strings. None of this effort comes across in the nuanced, insightful playing.
"I kept struggling with what my ideal 'Goldbergs' might sound like. I wanted the raw pluckiness of the harpsichord, but with the expressive qualities of the piano. About five years ago, I came to realize that the way to hear this work — and most of Bach, for that matter — as I wanted would be to use my first instrument, the modern pedal harp."
