Il Sussurro (Italian for ‘whispering’), this name neatly describes our instruments: soft and caressing. We first met at a music course in Portugal, I was still playing harpsichord but thought of acquiring a clavichord and exploring its expressive possibilities, not just as a soloist but also playing with traverso. And as CPE Bach waxed lyrically about the clavichord being the ideal instrument to accompany the traverso, I thought I should give this a try with Amanda. It is a new way of playing and listening, not just for us, but also for the audience. Our modern lives are filled with noise, people talking, music – either live or through iPods – that at first hearing this combination of instruments might sound too soft. It will take a few bars to get used to our sound, but we hope that after a while your ears will have adjusted and you’ll appreciate being whispered to. ~Gerard van Vuuren
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