EarlyMusicNews.Org

Supply house in Belgium.

Added on: May 25, 2007 | Hits: 322

"What are the advantages our workshop can offer to you? They are a combination of skills that result in beautiful and practical keyboard instruments. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 24, 2008 | Hits: 321

"The design of our jacks was originally inspired by Ruckers jacks, particularly where the dimensions of the tongues are concerned, and to some extent the thickness of the bodies. Tongues are currently cut from very nice straight and quarter sawn hornbeam, to maximise the strength at the plectrum slot. (slab sawn tongues are 4 x weaker than quarter sawn, and hence 4 x more prone to splitting. 31 mm long by 4.2 mm wide and 2.8 mm thick, they are fully shaped in profile and aspect. We no longer use a cut across the back of the plectrum slot, as this just weakens the tongue at the slot. The aim being to maximise the strength of the tongue at the plectrum slot, and lighten it as far as possible elsewhere. 6 degree upward slope on plectrum slot. Similarly the jack body we try to make quarter sawn - as did Ruckers - giving a 4 x stronger damper slot, and a more stable jack. Rock maple has served as the material for recent years. Wild Service, pear, holly, beech are other possible materials." See website for more info. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 02, 2008 | Hits: 457

"I have been involved in the making of harpsichords since 1976, coming to the craft from a period of time in an organ-building workshop, which followed an earlier musical training at college and university, where I specialised in early keyboard studies.

I am primarily self-taught as a harpsichord maker, and my experience has led me to offer the range of instruments that you will find detailed here.

In order to cope with the practical needs of musicians, the compass of some of my instruments has been extended, and all have the capability to transpose once, or twice if required. These practical alterations sometimes necessitate a slight widening of the keywell, or enlargement of the case – nonetheless, historical practice is closely followed and respected at all times in the design, the choice of materials and the decoration of all of my instruments. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 24, 2008 | Hits: 424

"Andrew Garlick has been building harpsichords, spinets and virginals in Somerset since 1972 and has gained an outstanding reputation for the quality craftsmanship, clear tone and fine appearance of his instruments. Built to order using authentic materials with accurate historic detailing, they can be decorated to suit individual requirements.

Andrew specialises in French and Flemish harpsichords and examples of his work can be seen all over the world. Many are owned by well-known performers and are often featured in concerts, radio broadcasts and recordings. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Apr 09, 2007 | Hits: 414

"A comprehensive service for players and owners of harpsichords, clavichords & early pianos
• Tools, spares & accessories by mail order including the CTS-5 electronic tuner
• New harpsichords by Andrew Wooderson
• New clavichords by Edmund Handy
• Secondhand instruments for sale
• Harpsichord hire for concerts, recordings, festivals & tours
• Repairs & restorations
• Tuning & maintenance • Professional, friendly advice
• Specialist advice for educational establishments

Added on: Mar 03, 2008 | Hits: 395

"I have been involved with making, restoring and repairing harpsichords, clavichords, virginals, spinets and early pianos for most of my working life, and the vast majority of my customers for brassware know the funny world we inhabit very well. I realise however that a website will inevitably reach others, so a few words of explanation might be appropriate. Harpsichord family instruments like pianos have large lids although not I hope quite so massive. The lids need to be securely fastened but also must be readily removed....for example when a harpsichord is used with a baroque orchestra the lid open would hide players and the music they make. The 'strap' hinges therefore are mostly fitted to the top surface of the lid and fasten to the spine, the pivot being below the lid; the different strap hinges have varying depths for the 'return' and there are fixing holes for the return to the edge of the lid as well as those on the top; these are fitted with a loose pin; some however have no return and are showing on the inside of the lid when it is open. Some of either type are made with a fixed pin and the lid slides off to the tail to remove it. The 'flap' hinges are meant for the joint between main lid and the front 'flap', which exposes the keys and the wrestplank, and are mostly fitted to raised battens on the top surfaces, angled so that the flap opens rather more than parallel to the main lid. Here the important dimension is the open width, since they have to fit onto the battens and not stick out. Locks are either of the 'lock & hasp' variety, or fitted into the top outside edge of the casework, either being very visible and therefore decorative. I'm sure there are many more ways of using any of these decorative hinges than I've thought of.....This is basically a one-man business; I don't pour the metal but I do all else, so any hinge could be given a loose pin if needed; or left with an unpolished but slightly rippled finish from a blast cabinet and glass bead, or even if you have the right object, cast in bronze or even silver (or possibly aluminium although we haven't tried this). The foundry is very small too so we have some flexibility. "

 Visit website for more information and pricing of parts. (ed.)

 Tags: David Law

Added on: Feb 02, 2008 | Hits: 462

"Carl Rennoldson was born in Loughborough in 1946. His early training was in traditional cabinetmaking, learning the trade at the bench under the supervision of an established craftsman. The workshop, with connections going back to the old London firm of George Betjemann & Sons, made luxury items of furniture and special commissions. Later he attended Shoreditch Teacher Training College at Egham, Surrey, obtaining a Cert.Ed., with distinction, in Craft, Design and Technology. It was during this period that he made his first harpsichord, a large double manual instrument in the style of Kirkman.

ince 1983 he has been running his own furniture making and antiques restoration business and for 20 years taught antique furniture restoration for the Kent Adult Education Service. His interest in music comes from an early introduction to the violin, which he still plays. In 1993 he decided to further pursue his interest in early keyboard instruments and enrolled at London Guildhall University graduating with a B.Sc.(Hons) First Class in Musical Instrument Technology.

Specialising in French, Flemish and Italian keyboard instruments from the early 16th century to the early 18th century, designs are based on museum drawings of original instruments with some minor adjustments to compass and disposition in order to accommodate the preferences of individual customers.

Great care is taken to source and select appropriate materials with particular attention given to constructional refinements ensuring an even touch and responsive action. The detailed casework and decoration perhaps reflect his early training and long association with the art of woodworking. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 04, 2008 | Hits: 375

"I have been a professional builder and restorer of harpsichords, fortepianos and harps since 1978, and since then my instruments have found homes in the USA, Canada and Australia as well as more locally in this country. Much of my work is producing copies of some of the fine antique instruments that have survived the years of neglect since the end of the Baroque era. I also enjoy the challenge of designing an instrument to a certain specification and historical models will almost certainly influence this.

A finished instrument may use up to twelve types of wood and the same number of animal products. Holly, pear, ebony, boxwood, lime and spruce are all chosen for their particular qualities, while raven and crow-quills, buffalo hide, hog's bristles, play their part too.

I build every part of the instrument myself including the case with it's inlay and marquetry, the keyboards and action which are made up of several hundred parts and the final stringing, tuning and setting up. From start to finish an instrument takes many months to complete. From the first careful selection of the timber every consideration is aimed to produce a reliable and beautifully toned instrument that could become the heirloom of the future. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 24, 2008 | Hits: 338

"Welcome to the Harpsichord Services of London Website. We have a variety of top quality harpsichords and a small chamber organ available for hire for concerts and recordings. We are also happy to tune, repair, or transport your harpsichord, clavichord, virginals, spinet, or fortepiano in London or the Southeast of England. "

Added on: Feb 02, 2008 | Hits: 420

"Colin has been a harpsichordist and harpsichord-maker for more than 30 years.

He has sold around 300 instruments worldwide, and can point to an unusually large proportion of these sales, to Early Music professionals, and harpsichordists in particular. The playing qualities of his instruments have an edge over those of many makers, due to his sensitivity as a player, to touch and response. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 24, 2008 | Hits: 411

"Darryl Martin was born and initially educated in Perth, Western Australia, before moving to Britain (to become a full-time instrument maker) in 1986. Since 1989 he has been based in Edinburgh. Initially trained as a musical instrument maker, specialising in early keyboard instruments, he then pursued a more academic approach to instrument research and commenced a PhD on the subject of English virginals – a thesis which looked at all aspects of the instrument from a design, construction and decorative point-of-view. He was awarded his PhD by the University of Edinburgh in 2003.

Since 1990 Darryl has been involved with the Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments (EUCHMI), initially making technical drawings of a number of instruments and then writing catalogues, which has now amounted to all of the plucked and bowed Western instruments in the Collection. In 2004 he was appointed to the position of Curator of the Musical Instrument Collections. The Collections include the non-keyboard Donaldson Collection housed (mostly) at the Reid Concert Hall, and the keyboard collections at St Cecilia’s Hall, including the Russell and Mirrey Collections. Darryl regularly gives papers at international conferences and has been widely published in British and foreign journals. Present research work includes a transcription and edition of the “Talbot Manuscript” – a seventeenth century source which discusses musical instruments that were known and used in England. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 03, 2008 | Hits: 554

"My main field of interest is the study of the history, construction, design and functions of harpsichords, virginals, spinets, organs and fortepianos from the period of their first construction to the period around 1820.

Much of my time is spent in the restoration of early keyboard instruments and in the construction of historically-based harpsichords and virginals. In addition I have been involved in consultations with private and public institutions and individuals throughout Western Europe concerning the authenticity and restoration of early keyboard instruments from the historical period.

In the past I have devoted a great deal of time and study to the harpsichords and virginals built by the Ruckers family in Antwerp. But my main field of interest at the moment is the study of Italian keyboard instruments and, in particular, the study of the use of the local unit of measurement in their design and construction. Hence I am also deeply involved in historical metrology and have now collated one of the most extensive data bases of the lengths of the various local units of measurements used in the various centres and regions of the Italian peninsula (see: Geometry and the Unit of Measurement). The two main regions of interest are the sixteenth-century instruments made in Venice and in Naples. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 04, 2008 | Hits: 427

"In our workshop we have the facilities to repair or overhaul both historical and 20th century harpsichords. We hold a good stock of parts and accessories for repairs and upgrading of most harpsichords throughout the world.

We are pleased to give quotations on labour costs for work and services carried out in our workshop with a guarantee that no extra expense is incurred on any repairs or restoration work unless the customer is in full agreement.

Please ask about our facility to fit any of our Harpsichord or Spinet parts or accessories to your instrument, including cutting-in of the plectra if we install our HCH Jack Conversion Kit. "

Added on: Apr 10, 2007 | Hits: 351

"I have been making instruments since 1982, and began making harpsichords in 1988. I make them in my own workshop in North London and though I do use machines, I make a point of working as much as possible by hand.

I want my harpsichords to be high quality, reliable instruments, but not to look mass produced. I want them to feel human, and to have my fingerprint on them; for this reason I also make my own jacks and do my own soundboard painting. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 03, 2008 | Hits: 427

"I first established myself as a harpsichord maker in 1980 (in Western Canada) and began making Harpsichords, Virginals, Spinets and Clavichords. In the late 1980’s I added Viennese Forte-Pianos to my repertoire. I also undertake restorations, renovations and repairs of early stringed keyboard instruments. Since moving to North Yorkshire my work has focused almost exclusively on restoration of early pianos, mostly Viennese Forte-Pianos.

I am a former academic (BA, MA - Alta, Can.: PhD -- London) and I have an early background in cabinet making and carpentry (my father was a cabinet maker). I studied early stringed keyboard instrument construction and design at the London College of Furniture (1977-80) and spent a further year (1984-85) as a Canada Council Fellow researching and drawing original instruments in Britain and on the continent.

All the instruments that I build are individually hand crafted, built along traditional lines and made from traditional woods and they are all based on historical models. " See website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 03, 2008 | Hits: 353

“Kenneth Tickell & Company are a small firm of craftsman Pipe Organ Builders. We build new organs to individual contract, ranging in size from portable continuo organs to large church and recital instruments. From time to time we also undertake historic restoration work.

Kenneth Tickell established his first workshop in 1982, moving to larger premises in 1986. Ten years later the business moved again, to large modern premises at Rothersthorpe Crescent which have excellent facilities for building and restoring organs of all sizes. We currently have a full time staff of nine craftsmen organbuilders, and a number of part time associates. …”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Sep 09, 2011 | Hits: 261

"Following an initial training in modern piano technology Lucy Coad completed a three year apprenticeship with conservator Tim Hamilton specialising in the conservation and restoration of historical pianofortes. In response to the growing need to conserve and repair surviving instruments in private and public ownership, Lucy later chose to further specialise in square pianos. This led to the establishment of Lucy Coad Square Piano Conservation and Repair in London in 1985, later moving to our current location between Bristol and Bath. Our work ranges from the making of a single string through to the complete rebuilding of structurally failed instruments. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Feb 24, 2008 | Hits: 328

"1969 graduated from Trinity College of Music, London

1969-72 taught music full-time.

1972-74 worked with John Feldberg, harpsichord makers, GB.

1975 set up a workshop at Mayfield, Sussex, and undertook harpsichord maintenance.

1976 began studies of historical wires, with the metallurgist Derek Slater.

1977 began producing harpsichords based o­n the Henri Hemsch in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. "

Visit website for more information. Also sells harspchord/fortepiano wire. (ed.)

Added on: Mar 24, 2008 | Hits: 378

“The 68-stop four manual and pedal organ in the Church of St Ignatius Loyola, New York is the largest mechanical action ever to have been built by a British builder. It stands some 44 feet tall on the west gallery of this fine Manhattan church and took almost two years to build and install. This instrument embodies all the principles of excellence which are the hallmark of a Mander Organ. Based on the French Romantic organ of the mid nineteenth century, it has proved to have exceptional versatility. The case is an original design and is built of French oak from trees planted about the time of the Revolution. The sensitive suspended key action which employs purely mechanical couplers has delighted many organists.”

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Sep 09, 2011 | Hits: 174

“Martin Goetze and Dominic Gwynn set up the firm in 1980 to help revive the interest in the classical tradition in British organ-building, to revive interest in pre-Victorian British organ and choral music, assist congregational singing and provide a suitable instrument for modern liturgies.

• we make new organs in the classical British styles, using traditional materials and manufacturing techniques.

• we make chest and chamber organs in classical British and other styles for use by musicians in the Early Music world, and to encourage the use of appropriate organs in recording and concert performances.

• we restore historic organs, trying to preserve as much of the original organ as possible. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jul 14, 2009 | Hits: 289

“This website is posted by Michael Cole, who has a workshop in Prestbury, under the Cotswold escarpment on the northern fringe of Cheltenham.

 It is intended to give you information about the kinds of instruments that I have been making and restoring since my first reproduction instruments were made in the early 1970s.

Ten years earlier, like many others, I was inspired by Raymond Russell's excellent book The Harpsichord and Clavichord which he modestly subtitled 'a preliminary survey'. For those of us who were accustomed to 1960s harpsichords, made by commercial piano makers using modern designs and materials, the instruments shown in Russell's photographic plates were utterly beguiling. A few years later came Frank Hubbard's Three Centuries of Harpsichord Making, which was very strong on accurate historical source material, supplemented by some excellent technical drawings made by Hubbard's father. ..“

Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: May 14, 2009 | Hits: 381

At Michael Johnson Harpsichords we create instruments that suit all periods. Superb craftsmanship has made our instruments renowned for their reliability and stability. They are hand-crafted from air-dried timbers, using the same traditional methods as makers in the 16th, 17th and 18th Centuries. We build harpsichords that the finest musicians and academies throughout the world choose for solo, continuo and orchestral work. ...

Also supplier of PEEK monofilament for boar’s hair spring substitute.

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 377

"- New instruments and repairs to keyboard instruments including square pianos
- Maker of covered strings for clavichords and square pianos
- Tunings, maintenance and hirings in the Bath area
- Traditional soundboard painting by Sheila Barnes and Jennifer Douglas
- Harpsichord Rescue Service Guide Prices Revoicing from £100 per register. Phone 01373 831498 for a free quote
- Secondhand Harpsichords and Keyboard Instruments
- Plans and Instructions"

Added on: Apr 10, 2007 | Hits: 393

"PETER BAVINGTON was born in 1941 and educated in London and Exeter. After working for many years as a Civil Servant, he decided in 1982 on a complete change of career and enrolled at the London College of Furniture (now London Metropolitan University), where he studied early keyboard instruments under Lewis Jones. In 1985 he obtained his Higher National Diploma in Musical Instrument Technology with distinction in every unit.

He then spent two years working with John Rawson before founding his own London workshop, making and restoring harpsichords, clavichords and fortepianos. In addition to individual musicians, his customers have included the Royal Academy of Music, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and the Hochschule der Künste Berlin. As well as making instruments, Peter undertakes historical and acoustic research, and is a regular participant in international organological conferences. He is a founder member and past Chairman of the British Clavichord Society.

Recently, Peter has focussed mainly on the clavichord; he believes that to produce a really responsive clavichord is the supreme challenge for a keyboard instrument maker. " Visit website for more information. (ed.)

Added on: Jun 22, 2005 | Hits: 304