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Post by mitch on Feb 13, 2007 12:32:09 GMT
Sometimes I get these mad urges (don't ask) and at the moment I am going through a harpsichord stage. I think maybe it's because I'm back in love with Bach at the moment. Anyway, I have found a suitable space in my house (well, sort of. bar a bit of moving of other furniture). It would be dual purpose , a bit of playing as a bit of fun, but also as a piece of furniture to admire. I don't know whether I should supress this urge or invest. What do you think? Have I finally gone totally whacky?
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Post by possom on Feb 13, 2007 12:43:46 GMT
If you have the money then go for it! I finally got into Bach when I hit 30, before then I just didn't get it. If I had the room (and the money) I would get one
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Post by Steve Hopwood on Feb 13, 2007 18:26:25 GMT
Invest. It is only money and you can't take it with you.
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Post by anacrusis on Feb 13, 2007 18:54:19 GMT
Wooo, yes, go for it, not that I'm biased or anything ;D. The only question would be - what sort? One manual or two, how many octaves, and based on which style? My husband looks after the most-copied French instrument in the world, and one or two besides. One problem can be getting enough range to do everything you want, and if you ever get side-tracked by French music, you'll probably want two manuals. Our little Italian-style single-manual is great for accompanying my whistles, but my husband does find some limitations when he starts looking at his own repertoire.
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Post by mitch on Feb 13, 2007 22:44:51 GMT
Ooh, getting excited. Thanks everyone! So I'm not mad then to think about getting one. Anacrusis..I really don't know which one to go for. That's my problem as I don't know very much about them. Really interesting information there you gave me about looking at the range and styles. I feel really stupid asking but, do the different styles give different sounds? What difference would two manuals make? Is it the range?I have played on a two manual before, at music college but didn't really appreciate what I was playing on. I just remember loving playing it doing things like baroque duets. It was fun. I think I'm going to have to have a good look around before I commit. I'm gonna enjoy looking! Thanks!
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Post by Steve Hopwood on Feb 13, 2007 23:20:30 GMT
Ooh, getting excited. Thanks everyone! So I'm not mad then to think about getting one. That isn't what we said. ;D Sounds like a good move to me. Consult loads of experts too.
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Post by anacrusis on Feb 14, 2007 0:26:44 GMT
The different styles do indeed give different sorts of sounds, though it does in part depend also on the makers. Our little Italian has a very direct, slightly punchy sound, works extremely well as an accompanist's instrument, but could also be used to play fairly early repertoire. It is based on an instrument dated 1726, and has two choirs of strings at 8' pitch.
The French instruments copied from the Taskin in the Russell Collection are more likely to have the glorious shimmering sound with rather a rich bass, are fantastic for Couperin and Rameau. The Taskin is a double-manual harpsichord and allows players to perform pieces croisees - sorry, too tired to go and dig out the correct accents tonight - where the two hands are playing in the same octave but on different manuals. It has three choirs of strings which can be combined in various ways, two at 8' and one at 4', so takes a bit longer to tune, and the various sonorities you get from it are achieved because of this and because the 8' sets of jacks pluck the strings at different points in the string lengths, so one set sounds more nasal, the other more plummy. Many people think first and foremost of these instruments when they think of harpsichords.
I really think it depends what you would wish to use the instrument to do, and on how much space you have. Our little Italian sits along our dining room wall, but we'd struggle if we had a large French or Flemish style instrument, so space is our first consideration. That and the fact that an Italian was what our acquaintance happened to have knocking around in his garage and then gave to us... ;D.
Can you get to somewhere which has lots of playing instruments? If you were in reach of Edinburgh you'd be able to hear the originals, as the collection my husband looks after is a playing one; the EMS in Bradford tends to have a bit of a motley collection in its showroom, and I've never seen the one in London.
More later, if that wasn't totally overwhelming as it is!
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Post by anacrusis on Feb 14, 2007 18:24:04 GMT
.....she drivels on.... The little Italian works well for Bach, but you might struggle with some Scarlatti - I think he must've had access to rather big instruments. The bottom note on ours is a C - if you can even get just a couple of notes more, the lowest notes can be tuned to yet lower notes ("short octaves") to increase compass slightly. My husband says very little of the repertoire needs anything higher than d 3 - some Scarlattis go to the g above that, and not so many modern instruments will do that either. The repertoire using down to FF and its sharp is late French, but most music will be playable on GG to d 3 compass. I hope you understood that, I'm shaky on all this. Another consideration might be whether to get an instrument which can be transposed or not - if it might get used for continuo, it will be useful to have a transposing instrument. We hire/lend ours out from time to time - and some groups are playing at a'=415Hz, so the transposing function is useful. Completely retuning to adjust pitch is a pain and takes hours to do.... ....must shut up now......before I put you off totally.....
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Post by mitch on Feb 16, 2007 21:52:22 GMT
Wow, thanks ana for all that info. You get an exalt for that. ...the more info, the better. I think it will take a while, months maybe, before I make a decision. Will keep you posted. Must admit, haven't been to Edinburgh for a while, and I do love it there and it would be good to have a look at your collection. It's only about 3 & half hours away, so always nice for a weekend!
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