Technical Library

RESOURCES VII: Books

de Blaise, William: Harpsichords Maintenance Manual

The instruments of this London maker of the 1960s were exported not only to the British Commonwealth, but all over the world. To assist the current owners of this specific make of harpsichord, we have reprinted the original 18-page maintenance manual and spiral bound it with a clear plastic cover, card and plastic back. This booklet is essential for understanding the intended setup and operation of these twentieth-century instruments.

Contents:

• Regulating the Pedals
• Setting the Plucking Strength of Each Stop
• Regulating Individual Notes
• Damping and Touch
• Sticking Jacks
• Replacing a Broken or “Tired” Leather Plectrum
• Broken Jacks
• Replacing Broken Strings
• Sudden Changes in Temperature
• Instructions for Regulation & Tuning model “A” William de Blaise Harpsichord
• Instructions for Regulation & Tuning model “K2” William de Blaise Harpsichord
• Instructions for Regulation and Tuning model “K3” William de Blaise Harpsichord
• Instructions for Regulation and Tuning models “B3” and “C1” Harpsichords

Craig, Hugh: Hugh Craig Harpsichord Maintenance Manual

Hugh Craig trained with Dolmetsch, and emigrated to Australia in the 1960s. He built several hundred revival-style instruments in Victoria during the harpsichord’s halcyon years, before returning to UK in the early 1980s. His magnum opus was a large concert harpsichord commissioned by the newly-opened Sydney Opera House. (This instrument has since changed hands repeatedly.) We have reprinted the original 12-page Hugh Craig manual from 1973 and included the additional page “For customers with wooden jacks”. This A4 spiral bound booklet with seven b&w photographs will prove useful to owners of these instruments.

• To assemble the instrument
• Regulation
• Tuning
• Harpsichord technique
• Cleaning care
• Broken strings
• Replacement of new strings
• Sticking key
• Sticking jacks
• Spring
• Broken spring
• Trimming plectra
• Broken plectra
• Capstan screws
• Damper
• Pilot screws
• Pedal action
• Coupler adjustment
• Illustrations

Klop, GC: Harpsichord Tuning — Course Outline

Klop’s 32-page pamphlet contains some good general hints and several temperaments are discussed, although not every one in sufficient detail for them all to be tuned. Beat speeds are given for the most usual temperaments—a metronome will ensure accuracy here. This is the slightly revized 1983 reprint.

Taylor, Robert S: Manual for the care and adjustment of Sperrhake Harpsichords

This 43-page manual for Sperrhake instruments was authored by the US agent in 1965 and revized by him in 1968. It has helpful discussion of all facets of action and tuning, and includes two pages of diagrams. We have reprinted the neatly typed original, then comb bound it with a clear plastic cover, card and plastic back.

• Introduction
• Uncrating the Instrument
• Tuning
• Strings
• The Key
• Removal of Keys or Action
• The Jack Guide Rail or Slide
• The Jack Rail
• The Jack
• The Plectrum
• The Coupler
• The Shifting Coupler
• Synchronization of Plucking
• Problems
• Glossary of Terms

Hubbard, Frank: Three Centuries of Harpsichord Making

A classic text with elegant hand-drawn plates. A 1960s examination of the then-known surviving historic harpsichords of various schools with details of their construction.

Hardcover with dustjacket in plastic sleeve, $50 including GST. SOLD

Neupert, Hanns: How to Maintain a Modern Harpsichord

English translation published by Bärenreiter in 1968, useful for the upkeep of revival harpsichords, 24 pages, $20 including GST. SOLD

Sotheby’s: Musical instruments including Early Music, 14 & 16 November 2000

Profusely illustrated auction catalog with many early keyboard instruments including 1758 Kirckman double, 152 pages.

Paperback, $44 including GST.

Sotheby’s: Musical instruments including Early Music, 13 & 31 November 2001

Profusely illustrated auction catalog with many early keyboard instruments including 1679 Couchet, 158 pages.

Paperback, $44 including GST.

Zuckermann, Wolfgang: The Modern Harpsichord

The central theme of The Modern Harpsichord—that harpsichords should be made today as they were in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries—altered the course of modern harpsichord development. The story behind the book, and the jacks that Wolfgang collected from makers all over the world, can be found on our Wolfgang’s Jacks page.

Hardcover with dustjacket in plastic sleeve, $85 including GST. SOLD