# Early/medieval organ and clavichord scores to arrange on concertina?



## MatthewVanitas

Hello all, first time poster here. I play a wide variety of acoustic/folk instruments, and currently live in Bogotá, Colombia.

I've been vaguely interested in owning a clavichord for easily 15 years now but never got around to it. I intended to get one to play some Bach, but more so to play even earlier repertorie, including Iberian composers like Cabezón, and generally explore meantone tunings, basso continuo, early music modes and harmonies, etc. I've seen a few clavichordists on YouTube play vocal melodies from plainchant and Gregorian on clavichord, so I'd love to do that too, as well as the strangely similar 19th century Sacred Harp vocal polyphony. I just like slow and lingering stuff with lots of harmonies on the 4th and 5th vice the 3rd.

I've also been interested in organ/harmonium, so wanting a similar sound in a more transportable package, a few years back I got a Duet-system concertina (very keyboard-like layout) and have been playing organ-esque pieces on that. It occurred to me recently that with my interests in early keyboards, maybe I could find some scores of the repertoire and start arranging it for concertina. That way I'd have the fundamentals of those styles down if I end up getting a clavichord, and if no I'll scratch most of that itch on concertina.

Anyone have advice on how best to track down some sheet music for Early keyboard, and any recommended composers or compilations that would sound good on concertina? For an example, here's me when I was just starting out, playing a Sacred Harp tune: 



 . I'm much better these days (and need to post new clips), but this at least shows the style.

Thanks for any advice!


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## Krummhorn

Hi, and welcome to the forum 

There is a plethora of public domain scores at the IMSLP site. One can search by composer, nationality, time period, instrumentation, and genre easily.

Found this for concertina using their internal search form.

As a professional organist, I use IMSLP quite frequently as a resource. All the scores are in PDF format, downloadable, and printable.

Hope this helps you in some way.

Kh ♫


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## MatthewVanitas

Wow, IMSLP looks most useful, thanks!

Though what I'm looking for is the opposite of what you mention: not looking for "concertina scores", but rather clavichord or organ scores, which I can then interpret on my concertina.

Fortunately the IMSLP does indeed have some Antonio de Cabezón, so I'll go dig about in those. Though very open to other recommendations of medieval and early Ren pieces that'd sound good on concertina.


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## Krummhorn

Here's the link for Clavichord on IMSLP.

Prepare yourself for a plethora of Organ Scores.

See here for Medieval composers and here for Baroque.

Kh ♫


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## ptr

FWIW; if You have some basic woodworking skills it is quite easy to build Your own Clavichord (Myself having a background as Cabinetmaker have built three)! 
There are several sites on the internet with DIY instructions and plans in how to master this kind of build fx. How to build a clavichord / Making a Clavichord / Homebrew Clavichord..
If You do a wider search I'm sure that You can find lots more!

/ptr


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## PetrB

ptr said:


> FWIW; if You have some basic woodworking skills it is quite easy to build Your own Clavichord (Myself having a background as Cabinetmaker have built three)!
> There are several sites on the internet with DIY instructions and plans in how to master this kind of build fx. How to build a clavichord / Making a Clavichord / Homebrew Clavichord..
> If You do a wider search I'm sure that You can find lots more!
> 
> /ptr


It is a remarkably expressive instrument, the dynamic so soft it can only be heard in a (very quiet) small room by the one sitting at it and maybe a few others very close by. It is also an instrument which goes out of tune pretty much if you just look at it. Regular play, or infrequent play, you will want and need to learn to tune it yourself, the cost of hiring someone to do it as needed will be prohibitive!


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## ptr

PetrB said:


> It is a remarkably expressive instrument, the dynamic so soft it can only be heard in a (very quiet) small room by the one sitting at it and maybe a few others very close by. It is also an instrument which goes out of tune pretty much if you just look at it. Regular play, or infrequent play, you will want and need to learn to tune it yourself, the cost of hiring someone to do it as needed will be prohibitive!


I've never met a clavichordist who doesn't tune his own instrument, it is not much harder then tuning a guitar... Learning any instrument, the second lesson should be "how to tune the instrument"! (I don't ply my clavichords that often, but I tune my Blüthner Grand once a week when I'm a home, tuning your piano is very Zen!)

/ptr


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