It is clearly beyond the scope of this short article to attempt to list and consider every maker of early keyboard instruments who is active in Britain, so I have confined my focus to plucked instruments – harpsichords, virginals and spinets – and those makers who currently have the highest profile.
Any article on instrument building written by a performer risks being subjective, coloured by inevitably strong tastes and opinions and based on experiences gained over years of playing. In order to mitigate against this and give a better-rounded view of the current state of British harpsichord making, I asked various makers their own thoughts on the matter. Their responses are fascinating and I will attempt to put them in order by looking at different styles of instrument in turn.
Naturally, a buyer’s choice of instrument will be determined by several considerations; including budget, space and the repertoire he or she favours. In my view, there really is no such thing as the ‘all-round’ harpsichord, or a style of instrument upon which all kinds of music sound equally good. After all, a founding principle of the period performance movement was to place repertoire in the right context and surely that has to begin with the instrument. I advise my students to research the differences between the national styles of harpsichord building and how this affects sound, touch and disposition: it is also essential to listen to and play as many instruments as possible. There is always the option of hiring an instrument in the short term, to try out a certain style before you commit to buying.
Italian harpsichords are popular today on account of their light weight and lively sound. One maker who has done a huge amount of research on these instruments recently is the Edinburgh-based Grant O’Brien, whose background as the former curator of the Russell collection and working relationship with the late John Barnes allowed him access to many important antique instruments. His study and restoration work on these instruments has allowed him to make ground-breaking discoveries about their design and construction, which in turn has informed his own making. At the moment, his interests lie in Neapolitan style harpsichords, an early, 4-octave one and a later, 5-octave model. He collaborates with the Italian harpsichord maker, Graziano Bandini.
Another maker of fine Italian instruments is David Evans of Henley, who copies instruments from museum collections, including (like Grant O’Brien) the Neapolitan Guarracino harpsichord from the RCM collection. He also builds instruments from northern Italy, including those by the Roman 17th century maker, Giusti and the 16th century Venetian, Baffo. David is attracted to smaller instruments and makes a beautiful copy of the so-called ‘Queen Elizabeth’ virginals from the Victoria and Albert museum. His output is fairly small but his work is very fine.
West country based Colin Booth, who is an active player in addition to his activities as a harpsichord maker, also makes Italian instruments with a particularly clear and bell-like tone. They are increasingly similar to the old instruments that inspired them but, unlike David Evans, Colin is happy to base an instrument on an original design rather than aiming always to make a faithful copy. In their search for ‘authenticity’, makers and players will always debate what degree of personal interpretation is desirable.
Alan Gotto of Norwich says that he sees the historical makers as his teachers and continues to study and consider their solutions to the various and diverse aspects of harpsichord making. He points out that, time and again, one finds that those masters had refined their product over many decades of production and development, so careful study of their work repays the effort and time involved. Alan, like David Evans, makes fine northern Italian virginals and harpsichords and is happy to consider commissions of unusual instruments within these genres: he once copied the 1620 Boni with 15 notes to the octave!
Of course, unlike their illustrious forebears, modern makers have the luxury of being able to study and make a variety of different styles of instruments; though many specialize in similar genres. For example, in addition to their Italian harpsichords, Messrs Deegan of Lancashire, Booth and Gotto are unusual in this country for their interest in German style instruments. To my knowledge, there is nobody else in Britain with such expertise in this particular kind of harpsichord.
Moving on to the Flemish style, we must remember that these were the most highly prized instruments in northern Europe during the 17th and early 18th centuries. They were so desirable that contemporary makers would often fake them, giving their own work a Flemish appearance to increase its value. Flemish harpsichords were often kept in a family for generations and, as their compass gradually became too restrictive for the later repertoire, they were often sent off to a different (French) maker for ravalement - to be enlarged and modernised. These ravalements sometimes resulted in an instrument that combined the best of both worlds and there are many modern harpsichord builders who copy these – of which, more later. However, there seem to be comparatively few who currently specialize in pure, unaltered Flemish instruments. The most notable of those who do are the Dorset based Michael Johnson, David Evans, who produces a mid-17thc. Couchet harpsichord and a Grouwels virginals and Andrew Garlick, who makes copies of the Fleshuis and Colmar Ruckers in Somerset. Andrew Garlick is a maker with enormous flair, whose passionate interest in producing the best sound spurs him constantly to review and refine his craft. A player himself; what sets him apart is that he understands the whole nature of the instrument he is copying, including a depth of knowledge of decorative styles and techniques unusual in a harpsichord maker.
Franco-Flemish ravalements were probably the most popular style of harpsichord for a modern maker to copy in the 1970s and 80s, possibly because of their impressive appearance; their large compass and mixed lineage also makes a broad repertoire playable. As a result, many makers who started their careers at that time became interested in this style of instrument. Michael Johnson is one such maker, who has been so inspired by the Edinburgh Goermans Taskin that he has spent much of his making life refining this instrument. Over a long career, he has been faithful to the Flemish and Franco-Flemish style of harpsichord building and has sold his very reliable and flexible instruments to players and conservatoire in many parts of the world.
Instruments from the Iberian peninsula are somewhat neglected by modern makers as so few of the originals are accessible. However, one maker who copies a Portuguese harpsichord is the London based Andrew Wooderson. He copies the Antunes, which is kept at Finchcocks in Kent.
There are four notable makers of English instruments: Christopher Barlow in Frome, Malcolm Rose in Lewes, Edinburgh based Darryl Martin and Huw Saunders in London. Christopher Barlow and Huw Saunders both copy instruments from the 18th century: these large, complicated harpsichords pose an extra challenge to the craftsman in that they were not painted, but veneered in the manner of English furniture of the time. Christopher Barlow’s harpsichords are especially beautiful examples of this kind of cabinet work. Most of the makers I have mentioned so far started their careers during the surge of interest in period performance during the 1970s and 80s and are now in their 50s and 60s. Oddly enough, there seem to be very few younger makers emerging; however Huw Saunders is one such. He says “I enjoy working by hand and use machines as little as possible. I like traditional tools like moulding planes, scratchers & scrapers and I quite often make my own. Usually I copy, or base an instrument closely on an original but I am not afraid to experiment with the design.”
Darryl Martin and Malcolm Rose both copy earlier English instruments from the late 16th and 17th centuries. Original examples of these are rare and it is something of a mystery as to what happened to all the English harpsichords and virginals from such a vibrant period in our musical history. One that we do have is the Theewes of 1579, by a Dutch maker who had moved to London. Malcolm Rose points out that this instrument provides an intriguing link to the English virginalists, as its first owner was a friend of Tallis and Byrd. Darryl Martin also makes a Theewes and copies some later English virginals, such as the 1680 instrument attributed to John Player. Darryl is Grant O’Brien’s successor as the curator of the Russell Collection in Edinburgh, so also benefits from the opportunity to study these valuable old instruments at close quarters.
The last important style of instrument to discuss is the French, an area of special interest for me. Throughout his long career Robert Deegan has been making fine copies of the Edinburgh Taskin, a wonderful instrument which represents the late flourishing of the harpsichord’s popularity, just before it gave way to the pianoforte. Malcolm Rose is more interested in the earlier French style, choosing the 1683 Dufour and 1711 Donzelague to copy. Having been fortunate enough to play many French museum instruments including the Goujon, the qualities one searches for are a long, ‘blooming’ quality in the treble and a dark richness to the bass. The maker who I feel understands the French sound quite exceptionally is Andrew Garlick. He makes both early and late styles, copying the Victoria and Albert Museum’s Vaudry (1681) and the Goujon harpsichord (1749) from the Paris conservatoire. He was inspired by the Goujon early in his career and has refined and perfected this mid 18th model for many years. This is in fact, my instrument of choice. Needless to say, Andrew’s instruments also have a highly refined French touch and always look as aristocratic as they sound.
As for price? Most makers charge between £5000 and £30,000, depending on your choice of instrument, its stand and the decoration chosen. As the proud owner of a new harpsichord, you might need some help in looking after it and, if repairs are needed and the maker is not on hand, there are various technicians who specialize in this. Something you will need to learn is how to tune your new instrument - there are various electronic devices on the market which will make this process easier. However, you will need to seek advice from your tutor and even consider attending a short course on tuning, if you want to become very adept. If well looked after, your new instrument might last for several centuries and become a document for the makers of the future. In the meantime, it will give you and your family enormous pleasure - good luck with your new harpsichord!
Makers:
Grant O’Brien
David Evans
Colin Booth
Alan Gotto
Andrew Wooderson
Robert Deegan
Michael Johnson
Christopher Barlow
Malcolm Rose
Darryl Martin
Huw Saunders
Andrew Garlick
Instruments for hire and technicians:
Edmund Pickering
Malcolm Greenhalgh
Keith McGowan
Andrew Wooderson
Alexander Skeaping
Simon Neal
David Wright
Claire Hammett
Mark Ransom
Colin Booth
Robert Deegan
Alan Gotto
Andrew Garlick
