Hi all,

I've decided that I would like to learn to play the harpsichord, coming from a background of playing the piano. It's quite convenient at the moment for me as I have access to a University harpsichord, but obviously this won't last indefinitely.... Ideally, I'd like to do a grade; at the risk of appearing arrogant, perhaps grade 8: the major appeal is that B1 on the 2005/2006 syllabus is the first movement of Bach's Partita 2 (the C minor one), a piece I was working on anyway with a view to playing it for a piano LRSM.

So - any advice from anyone who plays? I've done quite a bit of research into Bach and historically inspired performance (Dip. programme notes and viva prep). I appreciate that there's music written for harpsichord other than Bach, so I still have quite a bit to learn. Does anyone have any specific points I should be aware of when playing earlier material?

Thanks for any help

PS. As an amusing aside, for those who aren't fond of the usual list-C pieces: the Harpsichord list A is Couperin, Byrd et. al; B is Bach-era; and C is Scarlatti.

The only thing I can say I do is that quite often I switch my digital piano over to the Harpsichord voice especially when playing Bach or other Baroque pieces. I enjoy its bright quality as a change to the piano and it is suited well for this type of music. Unfortunately, I've never even seen a real Harpsichord let alone have had access to play one. Hope you enjoy it.

Gae

Yep. I often switch my digital piano's voice over to the harpsichord because the tone is just so different from a piano's. That aside, I've seen a real harpsichord ONCE but I've never played on one before. Is the touch very different from the piano? I should think so, right?

I'd imagine the Harpsichord touch is a lot different to the piano. I think the mechanism is totally different to a piano i.e. doesn't it pull/pluck rather than strike. Also, they aren't touch sensitive like a piano. Quite often I've seen the colour of the keys in reverse i.e. white keys black/black keys white.
I'm off to do a bit of research on the Harpsichord now!

Gae

What a beautiful looking instrument.
How the other half lives eh? Now, why wasn't I born the son of a Duke or someone else rich? Oh well! Maybe in the next life eh?

Gae

Why two manuals? Do they produce a different tone?

In my (admittedly limited) experience, harpsichords often have the black/white that we are used to reversed (I may be remembering wrongly, but I think it never used to be fixed which way was "normal" - there just had to be a contrast. But I could have remembered wrongly).

I've only played a real harpsichord once or twice, but yes, the feeling is very different: much less dynamic control (if any???) hence the piano being called a "pianoforte" because it could play both loudly and softly, whereas a harpsichord has little or no dynamic contrast... very different playing a real one to playing a clavinova with the harpsichord sound. Also generally bigger. But that's all I know and I know it isn't much!

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Mar 8 2005, 05:15 PM)

...whereas a harpsichord has little or no dynamic contrast... very different playing a real one to playing a clavinova with the harpsichord sound. Also generally bigger. But that's all I know and I know it isn't much!

On Clavinovas when the harpsichord sound is chosen the touch sensitivity is disabled thus making the dynamic experience the same as a harpsichord. The only major difference will be the weighting of the keys, the touch of the instrument, and perhaps the lack of a second manual....

QUOTE (freda_bloogs @ Mar 8 2005, 04:46 PM)

Why two manuals? Do they produce a different tone?

Yes, usually. A big harpsichord could have two or three stops on each manual too, perhaps a 4 foot, an 8 foot, and a lute stop, which sounds less resonant.

QUOTE (AnotherPianist @ Mar 9 2005, 05:19 PM)

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Mar 8 2005, 05:15 PM) ...whereas a harpsichord has little or no dynamic contrast... very different playing a real one to playing a clavinova with the harpsichord sound. Also generally bigger. But that's all I know and I know it isn't much! On Clavinovas when the harpsichord sound is chosen the touch sensitivity is disabled thus making the dynamic experience the same as a harpsichord. The only major difference will be the weighting of the keys, the touch of the instrument, and perhaps the lack of a second manual....

Really? well, you learn something new every day!

QUOTE (kenm @ Mar 9 2005, 06:05 PM)

QUOTE (freda_bloogs @ Mar 8 2005, 04:46 PM) Why two manuals? Do they produce a different tone? Yes, usually. A big harpsichord could have two or three stops on each manual too, perhaps a 4 foot, an 8 foot, and a lute stop, which sounds less resonant.

Stops like on an organ? I only have a brief understanding of what they do on an organ so I really can't imagine on a harpsichord.