Newsletter July 2005

 

 

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

 

New Newsletter Editor – Michael Ackerman

Greetings!  I have volunteered to help with the production of the newsletter.  A word about myself: I began my studies many years ago as an organ student at Trinity College of Music and thereafter attended many seats of learning.  For thirteen years I was Director of Music at St John’s College, Southsea, but, after a mid-life career change, I now earn my living as practice manager of a solicitor’s firm in Soho.

I am mainly interested in Renaissance music, and one of my favourite composers is Thomas Tomkins.

 

 

Broadwood Competition Winner
English Harpsichord Magazine Archive

London Harpsichord Centre Recitals

Couperin Recitals

Harpsichord Week July 2006 

Forthcoming Events

Reviews

Publications

CD’s

Recital Offers

Featured Links

Guestbook

Instruments for sale and wanted

 

 

 

 

Membership 

Membership is now over 420.  Please when you change your email address, we don’t want to lose you!  Some people have already disappeared because of this.

 

Website search engine

If you type in ‘harpsichord’ on Google, the very first entry is the British Harpsichord Society!  This bit of internet magic is William’s doing.

 

Broadwood Competition Winner

On the other hand, if you type in ‘Broadwood Competition’ (exact phrase), nothing relevant comes up.  However, using other means of research, I am able to inform you that Andrzej Zawisza is this year’s winner.  Congratulations!

 

Here is the press release from Fenton House:

Polish-born Andrzej Zawisza, age 31, has won First Prize in the 7^th  Broadwood Harpsichord Competition, held at The National Trust’s Fenton House, London, on 9^th & 10^th May, using instruments from the historic Benton Fletcher Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments.   For the Competition, Andrzej played three instruments in the Collection:  the 1664 Hatley virginals, the 1600 Vincentius virginals and the 1761 Shudi harpsichord.    His prize includes the final recital in the 2005 Concert Series at Fenton House, on Thursday 18^th August when he will play the large and elaborate Shudi & Broadwood harpsichord (c1770) and one of the smaller instruments in the Collection.      Additionally he will be offered engagements at Hatchlands (Cobbe Collection) and in Edinburgh (The Russell Collection) in 2006.

 

Highly commended in the Competition was Julian Perkins, who will be offered engagements as “Artist in Residence” at Fenton House in 2006.

 

The Broadwood Harpsichord Competition was made possible by The Broadwood Trust who helped to found the competition and provided an endowment for its future.   Former winners have been Steven Devine (1993), Robin Bigwood (1995), Kaori Kikuchi (1997), Philippa Estall (1999), Ian Pritchard (2001) and David Wright (2003).    The candidates were heard by a distinguished Jury of early music specialists:   Peter Holman, Tess Knighton and Malcolm Proud.

 

 

 

English Harpsichord Magazine Archive

Some of you will remember the English Harpsichord Magazine, published by Edgar Hunt in the 70s and 80s. Many of the articles published, though written around 30 years ago, still have relevance today.

We are pleased to announce that Edgar Hunt has kindly given permission for us to provide an archive via our website. You can see how far we have got here.

We are very keen to publish similar up to date articles, so please if you would like to contribute.

With thanks to Robert Blackstone for the original idea and loan of his collection.

 

 

 

Harpsichord Week July 2006 

There is the possibility that a harpsichord week under the aegis of Robert Woolley is going to take place this time next year.  We shall keep you informed of developments.

 

 

Forthcoming Events

 

Have a browse through Forthcoming Events, which include a series of candle-lit concerts in Oxford, the excellent series of solo and chamber music at the Handel House Museum and at Fenton House, together with other events in other parts of the country.

 

 

Reviews

 

Please send in reviews of events, publications or anything else that might be of interest to members.  Don’t think they have to be long and scholarly, items that are short and snappy (which doesn’t thereby preclude their being scholarly, of course) are very acceptable.

 

Publications

 

Rudolf Straube's complete keyboard works

Charivari Agreable Publications is pleased to announce the publication of Rudolf Straube's complete keyboard works (£13, catalogue no. CAP016).  These consist of two manuscript sonatas in the empfindsam style and a later 'Mecklenburgh Gavotte'(London, 1768) in an Italianate style similar to J S Bach. Straube was a lutenist and one of the last keyboard pupils of JS Bach.

 

Other music arranged by Charivari:

Bach's 6th Brandenburg Concerto for 2 harpsichords, (£12. catalogue no. CAP033).  This is in the more user-friendly key of F major.

 

Johann Gottlieb Janitsch Duets for 2 harpsichords (or harpsichord and fortepiano)

(no price)  These are arrangements by the composer of his quartets.

 

The music is being stocked by leading early music dealers, and can also be ordered directly from

 

CD’s

Quality performances of historical keyboard repertoire on appropriate instruments

Steven Devine has started selling CDs from his website at www.devinemusic.co.uk.  He has taken on the catalogues of Finchcocks and Soundboard Records and they are all available POST FREE in the UK!

 

Colin Booth founded Soundboard Records a few years ago to promote quality performances of historical keyboard repertoire on appropriate instruments.  The range is about expand with a number of new releases.  Those already in the catalogue have been highly acclaimed.  The catalogue is at http://www.devinemusic.co.uk/shop/soundboard/index.htm

 

The Finchcocks Series not only encompasses the new releases from the Finchcocks Press, but also the re-releases from the famous Amon Ra catalogue of recordings from the 1970s, 80s and 90s.  These are highly sought after by collectors as they represent a milestone in the historically-based performance movement.  The performances are not just interesting for their ground-breaking use of historical instruments (with the keyboards of the Finchcocks Collection at their heart); they are internationally acclaimed performances (Richard Burnett's 1991 recording of the Schumann Piano Quintet was last year voted Radio 3's  "Building a Library" choice as the best overall recording).  Now re-released in the original packaging they are available at http://www.devinemusic.co.uk/shop/finchcocks/index.htm

 

 

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 let us know if you are arranging anything, or would like help or advice.

 

Featured Links

Fascinating website offering free sheet music of early Renaissance vocal and instrumental music transcribed for  harpsichord, organ or harp.  You can also listen to the music if your computer is up to it!

http://home.planet.nl/~teuli049/petrucciblad.html

Here’s the website of a dedicated restorer, it’s worth a look, although I’m a bit puzzled as to who the restorer is:

http://www.dunford.plus.com/harpsichord.html

 

If you’re interested in musical pastiche, then this will be of interest:

http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Choir/8989/baroq.html

 

Have a look at the profile of Christophe Rousset on the Goldberg magazine website:

http://www.goldbergweb.com/en/magazine/interviews/2005/04/31344.php

 

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 illustrations in this newsletter are all from the Sale and Wanted section.

 

Wanted