British Harpsichord Society

Newsletter January 2006

Welcome to the fifth e-newsletter of the British Harpsichord Society.

Editorial

The most delightful result of my membership of the BHS has been getting in touch with an old friend. When I say ‘old’, I mean that we were fellow students at Trinity College of Music, and last saw each other in about 1971!

The events promised in the last Newsletter have taken place, such as the monthly ‘Second Tuesday’ recitals at the late Harpsichord Centre, now transferred to the Handel House Museum, and the Couperin series at the Handel House. The Harpsichord Centre is no more, and I should like to record my gratitude to the generous hospitality we received there, not only the provision of room with harpsichord(s) for the recitals, but also the refreshments, without which chamber music just isn’t the same. The Handel House are equally generous, staying after hours to provide us with a stunning venue and beautiful harpsichord. I am doing what I can to publicise the Tuesday recitals, and urge you all to do the same. The entrance charge of £6 is very ‘reasonable’ as my mother would say, when she meant ‘cheap’.

One of the members who responded favourably to the appearance of the last issue was the harpsichord builder Robert Deegan, and it occurred to me that it would be good to feature a specific British builder in each newsletter, with illustrations of his work. If you would like to be featured, or have a favourite builder who you would like to see featured, do let me know.

I repeat what you have read in previous issues; please do submit reviews of events, publications or anything else that might be of interest. Even the briefest comment on events that have been advertised here would be especially welcome. Also, please note under ‘Forthcoming Events’ we are asking if anyone would be willing to take the compilation of that column. It would be really good to have a volunteer.

This edition has taken longer to put together than I anticipated. However, my IT skills are improving, and I am aiming for an issue three times a year!

Michael Ackerman

Robert Deegan

Robert Deegan has been making harpsichords since 1969 and was previously a graphic designer. He works in a converted eighteenth century quayside warehouse in the City of Lancaster, England, with two assistants, and personally attends to each stage of the demanding process of making a hand crafted keyboard instrument. In 1977 he won a Churchill Scholarship and travelled to the USA where he studied instruments in the major collections as well as visiting other makers.

National Trust Commission Harpsichord

Northern harpsichord maker Robert Deegan has received a commission from the National Trust to build a new single manual instrument for the Wordsworth House at Cockermouth in the Lake District. Bob Deegan of Lancaster, a maker since 1969, is delighted to have been chosen to make a copy of the c.1720 English Harpsichord by William Smith in the Bate Collection, Oxford for delivery in early 2007. It is to be frequently used in a permanent series of musical events to be held at the prestigious

National Trust property.

Robert has extended a kind invitation to members of the Society for a visit to his workshop in Lancaster, which will be arranged in the New Year. He will talk about his instruments and approach to building as well as offering advice on maintenance. We hope to include a recital as well. Open to all members, this is planned particularly with our Northern members in mind.

English Harpsichord Magazine Archive

The exercise to scan and republish relevant articles from the English Harpsichord Magazine, published during the 70’s and 80’s has now been completed. Worth a browse through.

Harpsichord & Fortepiano Magazine

Rumours are afoot that this tome may be about to reappear. We shall keep you apprised of any solid evidence of such apparition.

Greenwich International Festival & Exhibition of Early Music

William was there! Read his report!

Contemporary Repertoire

William writes:

It is hard to get away from the fact that some of our members really like modern repertoire for the harpsichord. As I am still trying to get away from it, would anybody like to form/lead a interest group, between consenting adults?

Master-classes

Master-classes provide an opportunity for players to receive specific guidance for a short period from a top performer and teacher, based around a piece of music that the players have prepared. Often these are targeted at young performers in music schools.

Many of our members are amateur players and might benefit from and enjoy a similar experience. Would you be interested if we were to offer ?

Harpsichord Classes at Morley College, nr Waterloo Station, London

Harpsichord technique, the interpretation of early Continuo playing for all levels, for pianists and organists taking up the harpsichord. Lessons are on Wednesdays 7.30~9.30pm. New students are always welcome to recreate perform and enjoy the music of the 17~18 century. The small class format makes the lessons very affordable. The reference is as follows:

MORLEY COLLEGE: 020 7450 1889 COURSE CODE: 1506

Forthcoming events

The ‘forthcoming events’ webpage looks more like an ‘Events you have missed’ page. (Williams joke!)

Would anybody like to take on keeping this up to date?

Second Tuesday Recitals 6.30pm

Now that we have moved our Second Tuesday Recitals to the Handel House Museum we have much improved space, ambience and organisation. We are now building a programme further ahead so that we can promote the events more widely.

We would like to hear from anybody who would . New faces are particularly welcome. Now that there is an admission charge there is a small honorarium available for a single performer.

At the Handel House Museum:

BHS recitals (entrance £6):

October Masumi Yamamoto played a programme of 18^th century music

November Tal Arbel, viole da gamba and David Wright, harpsichord played

French baroque music

December Julian Perkins, Artist in Residence at Fenton House and Director of the British Camerata, played a programme of music by J Nares and D Scarlatti at the Handel House.

January Le divertissement du roi, Helen McKean – baroque oboe and Anthony Noble, play sonatas for oboe and harpsichord by London theatre musicians.

February Nick lane plays a mixed programme of Rameau, Scarlatti and Handel.

March Lina Zilinskyte

M.Weckmann Toccata in A minor

J.J.Froberger Suite in D minor (1649)

G.Muffat Passacaglia in G minor

J.S.Bach Partita in D major BWV 828

April Bridget Cunningham (Harpsichord) and Katherine Manley (Soprano) perform Aria excerpts from Handel’s operas and harpsichord highlights.

Couperin series First Saturday in the Month 2pm

(Admission, £6 full price, includes admission to the museum. Ticket numbers limited Handel House Museum)

Couperin is more than worthwhile when people say, as they did last time that it was 'the best musical event they had ever been to', and 'the pleasure of the music so great, almost indefinable, not a concert, a lecture, or lesson.....one sat there in the room with all the musicians and the Couperin just there, within reach, the sound a few feet away'.

Thanks to Jane Clark, for conceiving, organising and delivering this series. This kind of interaction with the music and performers is what the Society was created for. Thanks also to all the performers who have given their time and enthusiasm so generously.

When the Couperin series finishes some time this year we would like to arrange something to continue this very successful genre. Any gratefully received.

5 November

Ordres 7, 18, 20, 21, 22, 27

Bridget Cunningham, Anna Kucharska, Katharine May, Micaela Schmitz, Kasia Tomczak, David Wright

10 December

Ordres 2, 12, 15, 17, 26

Penelope Cave, Anna Parkitna, Gilbert Rowland, Paul Simmonds, Jane Clark

7 January

Ordres 1, 3, 5, 14

Anna Kucharska, Ben Van Nespen, Anna Parkitna

4 February

Ordres 6, 9, 26

Kasia Tomczak, Nicholas Lane, Julian Perkins (?), Anthony Noble.

4 March

4, 12, 19, 22

Ludmila Tschakalova

1 April

8,10,

Simon Willoughby, Charlotte Wilson, Jane Chapman, Anna Tetsuya,

Music in Lewes

2006

January 14^th - The Anatomy of Solitude. Lute songs and solos exploring the Melancholy

Muse as inspiration for poetic fanatasy. Evelyn Tubb and Anthony Rooley

develop a meditation on the love of lonely places, quiet groves and deep

sequestered hollows in the now remote England of the 17th and 18th

centuries.

February 18^th - Fathers and Sons – Ekkehard Weber, viola da gamba and Paul

Simmonds, harpsichord, with music by two generations of the Marais and

Forqueray families.

March 11^th - Mozart and Friends, with Catherine Martin, violin and Steven Devine,

fortepiano

All concerts are held at The Workshop, English Passage, Lewes (off Cliffe High Street) and start at 8pm. The venue is easily accessible from train and bus stations, and there is ample parking close by. A map will be sent on request (s.a.e. please).

Entrance is by programme £9 and includes a glass of wine. £38.25, paid in advance, secures admission to all five concerts. Cheques payable to Duo Basiliensis. Seating is limited so reservation is strongly advisable.

Inquiries and reservations: by post to Workshop Concerts, 58 Redhill Drive, Brighton

BN1 5FL, telephone 01273 – 552548 , or

(E-mail address protected by Ospam; please confirm your e-mail address if requested to.)

March 2006

Les journées de CLAVECIN en FRANCE  :   Samedi 18 et Dimanche 19 Mars au CNSMDP, 209 parc de la Vilette, 75019 Paris.  M° Porte de

Pantin

(pendant la période du salon Musicora )

Le programme de ces journées comprendra des communications destinées aux professionnels ainsi que des conférences s'adressant au grand

public, sur des thèmes tels que la facture, l'iconographie du clavecin,  le tempérament à l'époque de JS BACH, l'édition des fac-similés, les caractères des danses, la notion d'amateur à l'époque baroque, la basse continue en Italie, l'état des recherches sur la musique anglaise au XVI° siècle...

Harpsichord Variations

Handel House Museum Thursday 2 February

6.30pm – 7.30pm

In this recital Kevin Fitzsimmons (harpsichord) will focus on harpsichord variations of popular dance and original themes, by Frescobaldi, Gabrieli, Muffat and Handel.

£8.50/£7 concs.

Booking line: 020 7399 1953

PEKC Concert Series. There will be four concerts, the first two on the opening weekend of February 25-26, and the other two on March 26 and April 23. The concerts are all at 4:00 at Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. The concerts include lute songs, solo lute music, solo harpsichord music, and 18th century chamber music for winds. The full details are of course available at the Center's website http://www.pekc.org

Guildford Spring Festival Friday 31^st March 1pm

Music from the Theatre

Penelope Cave (harpsichord)

Harpsichord Recital with Dramatic Readings

Box Office 01483 444789

Benslow 19-21 May will be entitled: Counterpoint Unravelled - the study and performance of Bach's Two and Three part Inventions. The course will not only cover style and interpretation but also use the material suggested in improving practical harpsichord techniques. Keyboard players, not necessarily harpsichordists, of intermediate to advanced standard welcome.

Jackdaws 18-20 August

Exploring the keyboard fantasia - the style and techniques on both harpsichord and piano will mainly focus on music from 1600-1800.

Benslow 28-31 August. Baroque Chamber Music at A440 tutored by Penelope Cave, Helena Brown and Henrietta Wayne

Reviews

John Collins has sent reviews of an editions of the complete keyboard works of the Krieger brothers, of the complete works of Georg Muffat and of German Organ and Keyboard Music of the 17^th Century.

The Editor has written a review of the South Bank Tallis day, 17 September 2005.

CD News

Delphian have just released a second CD of John Kitchen, Senior Lecturer and University Organist at Edinburgh, playing nine instruments from the Russell Collection, chamber organ, harpsichords and pianos. http://www.delphianrecords.co.uk/

Recital Offers

One of our aims is to introduce harpsichord music to a wider audience. We would like to encourage members to offer recitals to audiences near them. Please if you are arranging anything, or would like help or advice.

Guestbook

Please visit the Guestbook, you may be able to help other members with their problem, or initiate your own discussion.

Instruments for sale and wanted

Please visit our Sale and Wanted page with a number of instruments available and requests.

If you have an instrument you would like to you can place an advertisement with picture for £20. Instruments wanted ads are FOC. The Sale page currently gets about 600 visitors per month, interested in buying or selling harpsichords.

Harpsichord Lessons in Paris

Frank Mento, who is Professor of Harpsichord at the Conservatory of the 18th precinct, would be delighted to hear from you if you are looking for harpsichord tuition in Paris. Contact him by

Membership

Membership is now over 490. Please when you change your email address, we don’t want to lose you! Some people have already disappeared because of this.

Feedback

Please of this Newsletter and the Society. New ideas are always welcome, especially when people can offer a little time to make them happen