Micrologus; The Harpsichord

81-16 THE HARPSICHORD

The harpsichord is becoming better and better known nowadays, through concerts and recordings of music from the 18th century and earlier, and most people know that it is a keyboard instrument, mostly made of wood, and produces its sound by a plucking action on its metal strings. But, like anything else, where one takes a closer look, there are great differences, both in appearance and in sound, among harpsichords. All harpsichords are not created equal. Some of the factors that affect tone include the size and the shape--those are the most obvious ones; the type and the thickness of the wood; the construction techniques, including such things as the design of the internal bracings--those pieces of wood necessary to prevent the instrument from collapsing in on itself under the tension of the strings; the number and the pitch of the sets of strings--some smaller harpsichords have only one set of strings, but larger harpsichords In the 18th century commonly have three sets; and also the place where the strings are plucked--the closer one plucks to where the string is fastened, the brighter, more nasal the sound and, of course, the farther away, the more mellow the sound. Also, some instruments have things to touch the strings like pads of soft leather--that is called a "buff stop." But even two instruments which are identical in these respects can be made to sound different by such variables as the material of the strings--steel, phosphor-bronze, brass--and the material of the plectra. Most harpsichords of the earlier centuries had crow-quill plectra--carved from the feathers of crows--and some of them also had leather plectra. Nowadays, we use Delrin, which is a type of plastic and rather like crow quill, except that it does not break quite so often.

On today's show, we are going to listen to performances of eight different instruments, and all but one of these are instruments which were actually built in the 16th to the 18th centuries. We will begin with a small Italian Spinet, which is now in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. I call it a "spinet," but it is just as much a harpsichord as the other Instruments you will hear. Actually, in England, it was probably referred to as a "virginals," which was the generic name used for all harpsichords in England, up to about the middle of the 17th century. Queen Elizabeth herself, we know, was a skilled player on the instrument and, in fact, this particular virginals bears her coat of arms. The piece is entitled: “The Short Mesure off Lady Wynkfylds Rounde," and the performance is by Trevor Pinnock.

[MUSIC: A small Italian pentagonal spinet made about 1570 and played here by Trevor Pinnock in "The Short Mesure off Lady Wynkfylds Rounde"]

The next Instrument we will hear is of a type which is known classically as a "virginals," that is,· a rectangular instrument with its keyboard on the long side. Perhaps because of the squareness of the sound box and also, certainly, because the strings are plucked much closer to the center of their sounding length, the sound produced by this type of instrument is rounder, more hollow than that of other harpsichords. Also, this particular instrument is fitted with a set of metal tangents, which can be set to jangle against the strings. This was referred to as an "arpichordum" stop, and you will I hear it clearly towards the end of the selection. The instrument is a copy of one made In 1617 by the famous Andreas Ruckers of Antwerp. The piece is "Variations on the Romanesca" and the performance is by Christopher Hogwood.

[MUSIC]

Andreas Ruckers and, in fact, his entire family were very well known as harpsichord builders. Besides instruments of the rectangular type, they also made them in what became the more popular wing-shaped design. We are going to listen to one of Andreas Ruckers' actual wing-shaped instruments now, one which he made in 1648. The sound of this instrument differs from that of the previous ones by virtue of the fact that there is an additional set of strings pitched an octave higher than the standard set. The piece is: "Spagnioletta," the composer is Giles Farnaby, and the performer Is Gustav Leonhardt.

[MUSIC]

Next, we hear an example of an Italian harpsichord of the wing design. Italian harpsichord building in this type of instrument did not change much from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Generally, the instruments are long and narrow, and very lightly constructed of some soft wood like spruce. The sides of the Instrument we are going to listen to, in fact, are a mere 4 mm., that is, about one-sixth of an inch, thick. Characteristically, the instruments have no legs--they are meant to be set on tables or placed in some outer case which has legs, and that, of course, also helps to protect them. Most commonly, and this one is no exception, Italian harpsichords had two sets of strings sounding in unison. We will hear an instrument from the late 17th century in a performance of some galliards by Frescobaldi, at the hands, once again, of Gustav Leonhardt.

[MUSIC]

Next, we hear a late-17th-century French harpsichord, which differs from the previous instruments in having two manuals, and three sets of strings, one pair tuned in unison and another an octave higher. The two manuals and improved hardware make it possible for the player to change registers in mid-stream, that is, to change the combination of sets of strings that are sounding at any one time. Whereas, in the last selection Gustav Leonhardt had to reach up and change registers between pieces, Alan Curtis is now able to change within the piece. We will hear the "Chaconne" from the Suite in F Major by Louis Couperin.

[MUSIC]

Our survey would not be complete without a German instrument. We will hear a harpsichord built in 1728 by Christian Zell of Hamburg. Although the specifications of these instruments are very similar to the one you just heard, the characteristic ringing tone is quite different, as you will hear. The selection consists of "Minuets I and II” from J. S. Bach's French Suite No. 2 in D Minor, performed by Alan Curtis.

[MUSIC]

Next, we take a step towards the sound of a forteptano, with a late-18th-century Instrument made by the firm of Jacob and Abraham Kirkman, of England. It is interesting to note that Thomas Jefferson himself ordered an instrument from this workshop in 1786. Especially prominent here is the use of the lute stop, that mechanism whereby the strings are plucked close to the end and produce a much brighter sound. The piece is the last movement of Johann Christian Bach's Sonata in C Minor and the performer is Trevor Pinnock.

[MUSIC]

The last instrument on today's show is actually one which was built In France in the late 17th century, but which was rebuilt by the great late-18th-century French builder, Pascal Taskin. Like the Kirkman instrument which we just heard, one set of jacks is fitted with leather plectra, peau de buffle the French call it--buffalo skin. That is the stop which sounds somewhat like the 18th-century fortepiano, although the strings are still being plucked, rather than struck. Unlike any of the other instruments we have heard on today's program, and almost unique in harpsichord building, Taskin sometimes fitted his instruments with knee levers, in order to change the stops more efficiently. Actually, they were not very comfortable, and were not successful either. But, never mind. We have a performance on such an Instrument by Kenneth Gilbert, "La Dauphine" by John Philippe Rameau, on a harpsichord rebuilt In 1789 by Pascal Taskin.

[MUSIC]

You have been listening to a program exploring the different sounds of harpsichords from the 16th to the 18th centuries.