French Double Manual Harpsichord after Donzelague
Pierre Donzelague (1668-1747) was the eldest son of a harpsichord making family in Aix-en-Provence, though little is known about his father, Françoise. In Lyon, Pierre presided over a large workshop, and is particularly interesting since he was also a musician with the Lyon Opera at the same time as Rameau was the music director. His surviving instruments are notable for their fine craftsmanship, and for having a full five octave range of FF to f’’’ that would not be found in harpsichord literature for several decades. Its rich and incisive sound is particularly well focused in its higher registers. The earliest of the harpsichords by Donzelague, dated 1711, is the basis for my design, and with its length of scale, the original pitch would not have been higher than a=392. My model has an FF to f’’’ range at pitches of a’=392, 415, and FF to e’’’ at a=440 with the usual disposition of 2x8’ and 1x4’, and buff stop.
French Double Manual Harpsichord after Hemsch
Jean Henri Hemsch (1700-1769) was German émigré, who arrived in Paris in 1728 to apprentice with another German expat, Antoine Vater, and went on to become a highly regarded builder in the strict French guild system. The earliest harpsichord by Hemsch has been ascribed the date of 1736, based on its similarity to the remains of an early instrument by his master, Vater. This harpsichord, in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is one of the best-known antiques in America because of its long history in Museum concerts, its visual appeal, and the rich, well-rounded sound of the archetypal French double. The Hemsch design bares the distinct bloodlines of its earlier 17th century ancestors, with a scale well suited for a pitch of a=392. Though the original has a range of FF to e’’’, I make my model with a full five-octave range of FF-f”’ at a’=392 and 415, and FF to e’’’ at a=440. The disposition is the usual 2x8’, 1x4’ and buff stop.
French double manual Harpsichord after Françoise Blanchet II
From its beginning in the late 17th century, the Blanchet atelier thrived through three generations as one of the most significant Parisian workshops. The family gained renown not only for their new instruments, but also for ravalements of Ruckers instruments, sometimes expertly assembled from a jumble of odd Flemish parts. My model is the 1765 harpsichord, now in the Hamamatsu Museum of Musical Instruments, and it survives as the last signed instrument by Françoise Blanchet II before the shop was taken over by his apprentice, Pascal Taskin. The scale and musical design of the 1765 is one that Blanchet perfected over several decades with a typically rich French double sound, but also possessing a strong projection and clarity over the full five octaves. The original scale design points to a pitch slightly below today’s baroque standard, but this model performs beautifully at a=415. My model has the usual 2x8’ and 1x4’, with buff stop and an FF to f’’’ range at a=415 FF to e’’’ at a=440.
French Single Manual Harpsichord
Very few French single manuals have survived the ages, and only one example, made in 1736, is from the Blanchet workshop. I was able to photograph and measure this instrument twice in its unaltered and unrestored state, and it is a fascinating instrument for a modern builder to study. This single manual was clearly made from an established template, with a similar length of scale to other Blanchet doubles, but with its own distinct plucking points. Without the added load of a 4’ on the same soundboard, the division of the registers renders “two good eights” with depth, sonority and projection. It is a fine ensemble instrument, but also has the bass depth and tonal variety to work successfully as a solo voice. I keep the original range of GG-e’’’, a disposition of 2x8’ and buff stop, with two transposing positions of a’=415 and 440.
(Photo by Cymie Payne)