Harpsichord

My musical adventures this week have included practicing on a harpsichord. I have the honor of performing with the Taranaki Symphony Orchestra in November. I will be one third of a trio playing J.S. Bach's Brandenburg Concerto in D Major, accompanied by the orchestra. For the sake of authenticity, my portion will be played on a harpsichord.

Playing on a harpsichord has an entirely different feel from a piano. Each piano has its own feel, but harpsichords are in a class all of their own. The biggest difficulty at the moment is adjusting to the different sized key. Because the harpsichord keys are shorter and narrower, I find that I am over-shooting quite a bit. Volume control is also a challenge, as this is generally managed by the number of notes you are playing as opposed to how you play them. Then of course there is the fact that harpsichord strings are plucked instead of struck by a hammer.

So what is a harpsichord?
Harpsichords are member of the string family, most in use from the 16-18th century in European music. It was replaced by the piano in the 19th century. The strings are set in vibration by being plucked, with a soundboard underneath. Harpsichords can have one or two keyboards, depending on the range. The shape is similar to that of a grand piano but is narrower.

The harpsichord I will play for the November concert is owned by a local musician. It came in a self-assembly kit and he built the instrument on his own. He maintains and tunes it when needed and said he is happy that it will be used for a major upcoming concert. The last time I played a harpsichord was in college, to accompany a Baroque opera production. Quite a step-up to now be preparing for a performance such as a concerto :)