Piano and harpischord

[ilpastorfido]

Well, I have a book of harpsichord pieces downstairs on my piano, and hoping to do a second study in piano/harpsichord, but since I won't get much if any chance to play a harpsichord before Birmingham, is it wise to be try a harpsichord technique on piano, or is that just plain stupid? I'm aware a piano is very much different to a harpsichord in terms of technique (slightly), touch of the keys, weight of the keys, volume contrasts and no pedals on a harpsichord to sustain notes etc.

Any thoughts/opinions would be appreciated (especially from harpsichord playing pianists...YAP? )

[petite joueuse]

Get hold of a copy of Ann Bond's book - A Guide to the Harpsichord (Amadeus Press). Its about £15 - or order it from your local library.
She will give you lots to think about on this piano vs. harpsichord question. She also mentions at length techniques which are particular to the harpsichord, and she explains why they work (or don't work on a piano!).

Its also a very entertaining read - she's VERY enthusiastic about the harpsichord (and occasionally a bit disparaging about the piano!!).

[anacrusis]

My husband has fixed Ann Bond's harpsichord....
very different technique, and I've heard pianists who think they can play the harpsichord when they just make it sound like a sewing machine in distress, and harpsichordists trying to make a piano go...

YAP plays both, beautifully.

[petite joueuse]

anacrusis said:

My husband has fixed Ann Bond's harpsichord....

She gave me a lesson on Scarlatti! Lovely lady!

[YetAnotherKlavierist]

Thanks .

Must have a look at Ann Bond's book . I have Eta Harich Schneider's 'The Harpsichord: an Introduction to Technique, Style, and the Historical Sources'. Very interesting read, out of print but I got a second hand copy through abebooks.co.uk for a few pounds.

Technique wise, as a starting point the shades of grey between staccato and legato are so much more important on harpsichord. This can be developed on piano to a certain extent - work on scales which are half way between staccato and legato, then try and make them a pinch more staccato or legato. Try and get a feel for it - as on recorder, dynamics are hard to come by on a harpsichord so articulation is much more important.

Once you've got that sorted, have a look at Bach's table of ornaments from the art of fugue (available from the Wiener Icking archive). Learn to play the shorter ornaments in a range of shades between staccato and legato - a mordent not in the melody, for instance, needs to be more light and fleeting than one in a prominent part.

[anacrusis]

petitejoueuse said:

anacrusis said:

My husband has fixed Ann Bond's harpsichord....

She gave me a lesson on Scarlatti! Lovely lady!

Isn't she just? She was very nice about the harpsidoc's fixing job too - he had the instrument up here to work on it. Bits of wire and bird quill/plastic (can't remember which he used now) all over the place...*sigh*.

[petite joueuse]

I'm amazed she let the harpsichord out of her sight - I think she's very attached to her instruments.

Which one did harpsidoc fix? The smaller one? Or the one with Musica dona Dei on the front flap?

[YetAnotherKlavierist]

petitejoueuse said:

I'm amazed she let the harpsichord out of her sight - I think she's very attached to her instruments.

There are few people one might trust with one's prized harpsichord, but the harpsidoc is most definitely one of them .

[anacrusis]

petitejoueuse said:

I'm amazed she let the harpsichord out of her sight - I think she's very attached to her instruments.

Which one did harpsidoc fix? The smaller one? Or the one with Musica dona Dei on the front flap?

He tells me he was also involved in the building of the instrument, in fact - he did its original voicing, and revoiced it when it came up to Edinburgh. The bigger instrument, it would be. His voicing and regulation skills are particularly in demand, though he can turn out a mean tuning (or most other temperaments, by ear...) very readily as well .

Thanks YAP - I'll tell him you said that .