Technical Library

RESOURCES V: Books

de Blaise, William: Harpsichords Maintenance Manual

The instruments of this London maker of the 1960s were exported the world over. To assist the current owners of these harpsichords, we have reprinted the original maintenance manual and comb 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.

Jorgensen, Owen: The Equal-Beating Temperaments

Jorgensen has written more than one weighty and learned tome on tuning, but his popular 36-page pamphlet gives directions in language that most musicians can understand for tuning 14 temperaments. It uses simple musical notation to show which intervals are tuned pure and which notes require tempering by comparing the beat speeds of two intervals.

Klop, GC: Harpsichord Tuning — Course Outline

Klop’s 32-page pamphlet approaches the subject from a somewhat different viewpoint to Jorgensen, so most enquiring musicians eventually end up with both. There are 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.

Kottick, Edward L: Harpsichord Owner’s Guide

The revival of interest in harpsichords has motivated thousands of people to buy, build and learn how to care for these instruments. Yet few have any idea how the harpsichord operates, how to keep it in good working order, how to make simple repairs, or how to tune it. Edward Kottick, Emeritus Professor of Musicology at Iowa University and an experienced harpsichord builder, offers the first true practical guide to buying, repairing and maintaining a harpsichord. Many useful photos and diagrams are included.

Mactaggart, Peter & Ann: Laying & Decorating Flemish Papers

The authors are distinguished scholars, researchers and restorers of antique instruments and furniture. This nicely presented 34-page booklet details the historical considerations and provides practical techniques for applying printed papers to instruments in the Flemish manner. Painted decorations (applied to the papers after they are glued to the instrument) are discussed, and a list of Latin mottoes occuring on Ruckers instruments included.

Mactaggart, Peter & Ann: Painting & Marbling Harpsichord Cases

Another useful booklet by the Mactaggart pair. This one details the surface preparation and application of oil paint, as well as a marbling technique suitable for the Ruckers-style instruments.

Mactaggart, Peter & Ann: Practical Gilding

This booklet is crammed with useful advice about traditional water and oil gilding techniques, and has a much broader application to the decorative arts rather than just discussing harpsichord considerations.

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 with a clear plastic cover, card and plastic back.