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This instrument is based on a French harpsichord made by
Anton Lefebvre who worked in Paris c.1680.
Original French harpsichords of the 17th century are rare.
Lefebvre's instrument is one of only about five single manual
French harpsichords known to have survived from this period.
Other double manual instruments are known but even
this list is relatively short. However those that have
survived evidently belong to an early indigenous
school of harpsichord building. They were
markedly different in many aspects of their
design and construction to the instruments of
Blanchet and Hemch that became established
in a national style at the beginning of the
18th century. These early French
harpsichords show constructional details
similar to those of both the Italian and
Flemish schools of instrument building.
They are noted for their light and
responsive keyboards with naturals
covered usually with ebony and the
sharps of either bone or ivory. On this
instrument a trefoil motif is carved
directly into the ends of the key
levers.At each end of the keyboard
the blocks have a scrolled top
surface reminiscent of Italian
work and the removable
name-board drops from
the level of the sides
in a decorative scroll
to just above the
wrest plank. The
soundboards of these
early instruments
were almost always
decorated with
The Frence Harpsichord
flowers and butterflies etc. and the soundhole fitted with a
pierced parchment rose.
Specification:
Compass: GG - d"'
Disposition: 2 x 8, Strung throughout in brass.
Pitch: a'= 415Hz.
Dimensions: 1915mm x 800mm x 190mm
(850mm high with stand).
©2019 Carl Rennoldson BSc.
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This
instrument
is
based
on
a
French
harpsichord
made
by
Anton
Lefebvre
who
worked
in
Paris
c.1680.
Original
French
harpsichords
of
the
17th
century
are
rare.
Lefebvre's
instrument
is
one
of
only
about
five
single
manual
French
harpsichords
known
to
have
survived
from
this
period.
Other
double
manual
instruments
are
known
but
even
this
list
is
relatively
short.
However
those
that
have
survived
evidently
belong
to
an
early
indigenous
school
of
harpsichord
building.
They
were
markedly
different
in
many
aspects
of
their
design
and
construction
to
the
instruments
of
Blanchet
and
Hemch
that
became
established
in
a
national
style
at
the
beginning
of
the
18th
century.
These
early
French
harpsichords
show
constructional
details
similar
to
those
of
both
the
Italian
and
Flemish
schools
of
instrument
building.
They
are
noted
for
their
light
and
responsive
keyboards
with
naturals
covered
usually
with
ebony
and
the
sharps
of
either
bone
or
ivory.
On
this
instrument
a
trefoil
motif
is
carved
directly
into
the
ends
of
the
key
levers.At
each
end
of
the
keyboard
the
blocks
have
a
scrolled
top
surface
reminiscent
of
Italian
work
and
the
removable
name-board
drops
from
the
level
of
the
sides
in
a
decorative
scroll
to
just
above
the
wrest
plank.
The
soundboards
of
these
early
instruments
were
almost
always
decorated
with
flowers
and
butterflies
etc.
and
the soundhole fitted with a pierced parchment rose.
S
pecification:
Compass:
GG - d"'
Disposition:
2 x 8, Strung throughout in brass.
Pitch:
a'= 415Hz.
Dimensions:
1915mm x 800mm x 190mm
(850mm high with stand).
The French Harpsichord
©2019 Carl Rennoldson BSc.