# General commentary on harpsichords and related repertoirs



## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Though I am a old member but rarely participate in popular discussion here, many may not know me well. Self-introduction again. I am a 36 yo chinese man living in Guangxi province China. I am very western in musical and philosophical tendencies. You may continue to doubt if I am really a chinese
for my conservativeness and radicalness. LOL.:lol:

Get to the point, why harpsichords? why bother? This is a difficult question, to try to elucidate the reasons and mentality behind the harpsichord phenomenon, it will take more than a book. So,
I can not pretend to be an expert on this here, I havebeen purely a passionate lover of general baroque and early music, refrained from learning music and even to play some. But things are going to change soon, I am starting to learn to play guitar, and then to buy myself an affordable virginal, the cost would be close to or less than a Toyota Corolla if lucky. While a proper double manual which I want the most could cost as much as an Audi A6. 

I am planning this thread to be a series of comments on the harpsichord types, builders, repertoirs, players, historic accounts. Just to share and show how a man like me grow to appreciate the harpsichord while excluding the piano from his classical music experiences, how to appreciate the different types and styles of antique and modern harpsichords. This is not intended to be professional commentary, but like a casual thoughts noted down and to be shared. I hope someday I can add more technical elements as my study of music progresses, but before this, excuse me for the general 
intuitive and emotional contents. 

I do really hope people to become more open and understanding to the harpsichord and the repertoirs. But I do not encourage people to follow a path of non-piano life, Gustav Leonhardt just is so great a person to me I just feel can not listen to piano anymore. 

The first comment is about Martin Skowroneck of course, for almost a month, as the coronavirus swept over China at its full strength, I became addicted to his instruments, and listened for hours Bachs Partitas and other suites played by Gustav Leonhardt. Skowroneck harpsichords always shine, shine shine. I have many cds with his instruments: Gustav Leonhardts English Suites and Bach Inventions and Sinfonias, Domenico Scarlatti on Seon, also Bach Partitas and Well-tempered clavier on DHM; from Bob Van Asperen, his Violin Transcriptions and Krieg and Frieden on Aeolus; from Ludger Remy, The Strasbourg Manuscript ;from Alan Curtis, Franssois Couperin and Armand louis Couperin on Veritas EMI. The rest are italian and virginal keyboards on Naive, Teldec from Skip sempe and Bob van Asperen, and on Philips from Gustav Leonhardt.


I will have to comment on Ludger Remy`s Froberger on CPO first, it speaks to the range of Mr Skowronecks insight into different types of harpsichord except for the famous Dulcken copies. 

The earliest review in 2005 on annazon america on that CD was me. That set of CD is to die for. 15 years since, the passion for that set of cd just grows ever stronger. That copy of 1616 Johannes Ruckers( the original never shown on internet) is one of the most beautiful and expressive I
have ever heard, perfectly imparts the potential of the music, just like the best ingredients of palette for painting. It just paints Froberger like a Rembrandt.:angel:

The sound quality of CPO is also exceptional. After listening to many recordings played on Skowroneck instruments, I find these instruments are extraodinarily convincing with their tonal clarity and the modest resonance. The music just flies and spirals out of the instrument into your astral world. I mentioned once that the variety of harpsichord is also one of the main reasons to dedicate to this family of instruments, but no other single instrument can eclipse them, including the best antiques. Especially under the fingers of Gustav Leonhardt, they just reveal the naked muses.

It is a pitty very few young artists today use his intruments for recordings anymore, at least speaks to the declined tastes. I may be too harsh, but I am afraid it could be true. I am not saying other modern builders are inferior, not at all, it is also one of main reasons to make this thread, to comment on some exceptional modern builders. But I will still say, if you do not play a Skowroneck as a professional frenquently enough, you surely have bad taste, no matter how many antiques you have played. 

Though there are many brilliant modern builders, probably too many to mention them all in one year run, but Martin Skowroneck is a giant star in this starry sky of builders, if not Betelgeuse, maybe Rigel, if not Rigel, maybe the Vega of the Lyra, be him any star, he must be one of the brightest, highest up in the zenith of the starry sky. 

Welcomed to comment, I will just find time to reply as well as continue to post in this thread.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I wish I remembered more. Back in the 1970s, the director of the arts center at my college organized a series of six concerts spread across the academic year by world class harpsichord players (of the time) -- Leonhardt, Sylvia Marlowe, Igor Kipnis, Anthony Newman . . . -- each on his own favored instrument. It was fascinating, but long enough ago that I don't remember the details (except that Leonhardt, ever patrician, played a seemingly endless set of variations on Walsingham  ).


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

I didn't know that Ludger Remy used a Martin Skowroneck instrument for his Froberger CD. It's a copy of harpsichord by Michael Mietke. Gustav Leonhardt used a different copy of the same harpsichord for this Froberger CD -- Leonhardt's was made by Bruce Kennedy.









The instrument is sweet and refined, the sound is always fluid, intimate and poetic.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Mandryka said:


> I didn't know that Ludger Remy used a Martin Skowroneck instrument for his Froberger CD. It's a copy of harpsichord by Michael Mietke. Gustav Leonhardt used a different copy of the same harpsichord for this Froberger CD -- Leonhardt's was made by Bruce Kennedy.
> 
> View attachment 133184
> 
> ...


I checked the booklet, Remy`s Froberger uses a Franco-flemish instrument. But I thought I had the information about it being a 1616 Johannes Ruckers, I might have to confirm this later on. Gustav Leonhardt`s 1989 Froberger on DHM uses a Bruce Kennedy Mietke, that instrument is fine but honestly I would always prefer a Skowroneck over Bruce Kennedy or William Dowd. 
Even it was the Great Leonhardt playing, I feel I want something more from the 1989 Froberger. Bruce Kennedy is a great builder, love his Skip Sempe`s Taskin used on Franssois Couperin on DHM, and his Franco-flemish on Louis Couperin on Alpha, but still personally I love Skowroneck more. William Dowd built some marvellous instruments, more frequently used by professionals than Skowronecks.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

MarkW said:


> I wish I remembered more. Back in the 1970s, the director of the arts center at my college organized a series of six concerts spread across the academic year by world class harpsichord players (of the time) -- Leonhardt, Sylvia Marlowe, Igor Kipnis, Anthony Newman . . . -- each on his own favored instrument. It was fascinating, but long enough ago that I don't remember the details (except that Leonhardt, ever patrician, played a seemingly endless set of variations on Walsingham  ).


Gustav Leonhardt is the king of harpsichord, of JS Bach`s music. You must feel lucky today to have seen him in real person. I envy you.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Thought 2: Instruments inspired the composers, and also musical talents also inpired the builders. 

I feel JS Bach`s harpsichord suites very elegant while masculine, I imagine maybe the legendary Mietke JS Bach ordered for the Cothen court had influenced his writtings. That instrument must have been very bright and percussive in tone, a bit close to Johannes Dulcken`s. I am wondering how different types of harpsichord had influenced composing and the musical styles in various countries. You can imagine Henry Purcell might have played a Ruckers double, Franssois Couperin a 17th century and a early 18th century french instruments, Telemann likely used a Christian Zell like instrument for composing because he had a large ensemble to serve. JS Bach, he could have been familiar with a Ruckers double and surely with Mietkes.

Thought 3: Who dictates to play italian music on italian instruments only? And the nationality of harpsichords. 

I am a bit bored by playing Frescobaldi ALWAYS on italian singles, why be so bureaucratic about italian keyboard music? It is known that italians also imported flemsih and french doubles since 17th century. It is perfectly ok to use northern instruments for italian keyboard music. Blandine Verlet used a french 17th century double once for Frescobaldi`s music on Auvidis, it was brilliant. In the early 2000s, I favored italian singles over nothern doubles, because of its clarity in tone and some modern builders doubles are overtly resonant as I had not learned to distinquish different builders characteristics, it is not always a good thing but not too bad though. I still prefer modestly resonant harpsichords.

I love Sweelinck on Ruckers, NM Classics offers such recordings played by Menno van Delft and Pieter Dirksen and more, they use a 1638 Johannes Ruckers copy by Sebastian Nunez and an original Johannes Ruckers 1640 double. 

Nice recordings. I love the Nunez 1638 instrument, cold but sinewy in tone, the sinewiness is one major characteristic of the whole Ruckers dynasty. You can hear it on Pieter Dirksen`s Scheidemann and JS Bach keyboard music on Etcetera brand. The Johannes Ruckers 1640 has always been a star instrument, like the 1624 Colmar Ruckers. Gustav Leonhardt used it for many times in recordings, notably he used for the 1962 Froberger recording and English virginal music in 1968. Recently Bob van Asperen used it to record a 2 cd set for a series Froberger complete works. It has a round, bright, muscular tone, because it was a petite-ravalement instrument, the tone is pretty much preserved as johannes Ruckers might have prefered. I personally want to hear JS Bach`s English suites on a Ruckers copy or an original like this one. Martin Souter made a recording of JS Bach`s miscellanous works on the Boston Johannes Ruckers dated 1642 which has similar tone to the 1640 instrument. I still have not obtained that recording yet, but I am trying now :devil:

Off-Topic:
I may ought to mention about the current coronavirus event, for China is seen as the epicenter of this event. it is off-topic, so, just a few words. I am not in any better situation than any of you in the west. We are all in the same hot water because I do not trust our government statistics. I must not say too much now, or this site will be banned from China. Lets take care of ourself, just not to risk the chances, God bless.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Thought 4: Brief comments on a few professional harpsichordists.

Chrsitopher Rousset has not been consistent, he was great with Decca for Forqueray and JS Bachs Partitas and Goldberg, but his Rameau is mediocre. I will be very direct and frank with professionals. I will never buy his French and English suites on Ambroisie, that brand is hideous in sound quality. I threw away Roussets Royer on that brand, will never buy anymore ambroisie CDs.

Ton Koopman is too self-contained as a harpsichord player, I do not much appreciate his embellishments, but not to bad too, overall, he is still a first grade professional as harpsichordist and conductor. I have received his complete Bach cantatas. Very rich in sound and near perfect performance, more perfect than Leonhardts Teldec cantatas. But still, Leonhardts imperfection is what makes his recordings everlasting like a Nike statue. Leonhardts probably had surpassed perfection with imperfections. You will still need Ton Koopmans cantatas if you want a full tonal range of JS Bach cantatas. 

Richard Egarr, his recent JS Bach suites are an accoustic disaster, sound quality is the lowest of the lowest. Performancewise, probably also mediocre since he can not choose a proper sound engineer. Avoid his latest performances on HMF. He is probably one of the worst harpsichordists I have ever heard, it does not mean he is bad, just not as good as the rest which are usually excellent. 

Blandine Verlet, I find her close to the spirit of Gustav Leonhardt, maybe you do not feel that. I just feel sorry she did not record more JS Bachs suites. I love her Froberger and L Couperin, also her complete Well-tempered Clavier. 

Blandine Rannou, an excellent harpsichordist, I wonder why french females play better than french men on the harpsichord. Her sets on ZigZag are very good on terms of performance and sound quality. Get them!!

Kenneth Gilbert, I never get his JS Bach suites, I have his Rameau selections from a japanese reissue, sound quality is excellent, but performancewise, to be honest, mediocre. I also have his complete well-tempered Clavier, also mediocre, only the sound quality of Archiv and that antique harpsichord is exceptional. I am sorry, I know it maybe unkind to say this to a friend of Gustav Leonhardt and a respect professional. That Rameau is the decisive factor of this comment. OK, let me explain more, french baroque suites are mostly emotionally charged, is really unfit for refrained style of performance. You might guess it may explain why Gustav Leonhardt did not play much Rameau, and F Couperin, D`Anglebert etc. Christopher Rousset fell into this trap in his F Couperin and D`Anglebert and Rameau suites which are lackluster performances. Want an exemplary F Couperin ? Try Alan Curtis on EMI Veritas with the Skowroneck french copy.


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## caracalla (Feb 19, 2020)

You're obviously very knowledgeable in this field - do you know anything about Mayako Sone? Studied under Gilbert and Leonhardt, and at one point (early 90s) was being talked up as the next big thing. In the event, she recorded very little, and then I think disappeared into academe. All I have of hers are some Scarlatti odds-and-ends on Erato. It seems she still performs from time to time, though, as there are several video clips of recitals by her on YouTube (can you circumvent the Chinese block on YouTube?) Plays a David Ley copy of a French Blanchet.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Ariasexta said:


> french baroque suites are mostly emotionally charged, is really unfit for refrained style of performance..


you should try to hear this one


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Ariasexta said:


> I am a bit bored by playing Frescobaldi ALWAYS on italian singles,


You should try to hear this one


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Ariasexta said:


> Blandine Verlet, I find her close to the spirit of Gustav Leonhardt, maybe you do not feel that. I just feel sorry she did not record more JS Bachs suites. I love her Froberger and L Couperin, also her complete Well-tempered Clavier.


she recorded the partitas twice and the French suites once.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Ariasexta said:


> it may explain why Gustav Leonhardt did not play much Rameau, and F Couperin, D`Anglebert etc..


I wonder why he recorded so much Forqueray.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Mandryka said:


> I wonder why he recorded so much Forqueray.


No wonder at all, I am also a huge Forqueray fan, annazon Rousset Forqueray set was also first reviewed by me, that Telemacus :lol: I love that set very much. Forqueray is a true virtuoso, spontaneous, skillful and exploiting the possibility of both harpsichord and the viol. You should listen to Forqueray more to feel him. It is so sad his works do not survive much.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Mandryka said:


> You should try to hear this one
> 
> View attachment 133274


It seems to me Pierre Hantai on Naive also used the same italian double by Philippe Humeau. Interesting instrument. I do not have the discs you recommended here. I will try to check out. Thanks.



> You're obviously very knowledgeable in this field - do you know anything about Mayako Sone? Studied under Gilbert and Leonhardt, and at one point (early 90s) was being talked up as the next big thing. In the event, she recorded very little, and then I think disappeared into academe. All I have of hers are some Scarlatti odds-and-ends on Erato. It seems she still performs from time to time, though, as there are several video clips of recitals by her on YouTube (can you circumvent the Chinese block on YouTube?) Plays a David Ley copy of a French Blanchet.


I had once her Bach toccatas from a japanese brand, the sound quality was also hideous enough to force me to trash it. But performancewise, good and not bad at all. I do not have her other recordings yet, I will watch out next time. Maybe she should oversee her own recording technicians in Japan. David Ley builds fantastic instruments. I have a Louis Couperin CD played by Noaki Kitaya, that one is wonderful on all aspects. Thanks for you commendation, I am glad to be of any help.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Continue with the brief comments on professionals:

Bob van Asperen, the only sad thing about him is that he is too old to be expected to rally in the shambles left by Gustav Leonhardt, otherwise he is quite prospective to produce some more remarkable recordings. You can also rest on his Goldberg and Toccatas on Veritas EMI, and his English suites on Brilliant. His Froberger and L Couperin editions are quite nice, recommended. However, you will still wonder how Gustav Leonhardt managed to make the unsurpassed 1962 Froberger recording on 1640 Ruckers. I also anticipate Lars Mortensen to be of great inspiration, but his recordings are very hard to find. 

Leon Berben, one prospective young guy, I have noticed one critical comment on his Well-tempered clavier for excessive rubato on a JS Bach site. But I still love his well-tempered clavier on Brilliant. Brilliant brand has so-so sound quality, its weakness in sound can be sometimes made up by good performers. Overall, you can buy Brilliant brand CDs, his Well-tempered Clavier is Recommended.

Pierre Hantai, his JS Bach miscellanous pieces on Veritas EMI are excellent, the Joel Katzman 1638 copy shines under his fingers. 
Unlike Mr Egarr`s technician croonies, which always ponder how to stifle it from singing. Mr Hantai`s Frescobaldi on Naive is also interesting, you must not worry about Naives sound, and his performance is also rubato filled sometimes, but the effect is elucidating for Frescobaldi. His Goldberg won a Diapason dor, the Bruce Kennedy Mietke also shines under Mr Hantai, lovely tuning for Mietke, the performance is slow, discrete, emotionally intimate, speaking to typical french psyche. 

Jean Rondeau, I hate his wrist rings, it makes me want to puke seeing him playing with that thing on, but judging from his performance aired on video of Bach violin Chaconne transcription, I think he has some talent for music, but surely bad taste for dress.


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## caracalla (Feb 19, 2020)

Thanks for your reply, Aria. Sone's only Western recordings were of Scarlatti's unpublished sonatas (some dubious), selections of Bach's English and French Suites. and the Goldbergs. All on Erato and dating from the early 90s. I have no information on what else she might have recorded in Japan. The vid clips of her in concert all seem to hail from the Far East, and are worth seeing just to get an eyeful of her Ley/Blanchet. Probably the most beautiful harpsichord I've ever seen.

She was initially chosen by Erato to do the Scarlatti as an appendix to Scott Ross's complete sonatas (Ross had been another of her teachers). This disc was recorded in Paris, and to me the sound is perfectly acceptable (though I'd guess my ears are less fastidious than yours). It has been reissued on Apex, and seems to be the only one currently available.


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## ZeR0 (Apr 7, 2020)

Although I'm definitely no expert on the harpsichord myself, I just wanted to say that I greatly enjoyed reading your posts about it. In fact, based on your appraisal, I am going to endeavor to listen to some of Gustav Leonhardt's recordings.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

ZeR0 said:


> Although I'm definitely no expert on the harpsichord myself, I just wanted to say that I greatly enjoyed reading your posts about it. In fact, based on your appraisal, I am going to endeavor to listen to some of Gustav Leonhardt's recordings.


Thanks for your kind response, I am a self-appointed early music connoisseur.But, I think that People always deserve good music. I will not comment on Gustav Leonhardt here, people will find it out in their own mind.


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