Re: A Harpsichord question

[Jim Morrison <jim_morrison@sprynet.com>]

HI list


Here are a couple of nice harpsichord pages

http://www.harpsichord-man.com/index.htm

http://www.i-way.co.uk/~storrs/jsw/English/Introduction.html


the following is taken from the above website.


"In the harpsichord family the string is plucked by a small plectrum,
originally of quill but nowadays usually Delrin. The variety of sound from
these plucked instruments is achieved not primarily by finger pressure, but
more subtly by phrasing and articulation. Variety of tonal colour can be
obtained, on a harpsichord in particular, by judicious choice of
registration. The harpsichord was used both for solo performance and
accompanying in chamber groups and in larger ensembles of the period. It
typically had two sets of strings per key, tuned either to the same pitch or
with one set sounding an octave higher (a 4' register). On later instruments
an additional device could be found, called a buff (or sometimes harp) stop
to give a pizzicato effect. The registers were controlled by hand stops
above the keyboard. Two manuals (keyboards) were to be found on certain
larger instruments, which usually featured three sets of strings."




There's a haprischord webring at

http://nav.webring.yahoo.com/hub?ring=hpsiclavi&list

I've never heard of "French" and "German" harpsichords being defined like
Antonio thought they may have been, but I guess that could be true.  One odd
thing I do know about German harpsichords is that some of them had a sixteen
foot register which gave a much deeper sound to the instrument than most
had.  Some German instruments even had three keyboards.

By the way, Gould, on the Handel disc, makes extensive use of the buffstop,
a kind of baffle that mutes the sound and brightness of the strings. If
you've ever wondered just what was going on there, in pieces such as the
opening movement to the second suite, now you know.


Jim