Listening Examples of 'Revival' Harpsichords:A key research interest is the so called 'revival' harpsichords, a modern version of the instrument developed primarily during the early - mid twentieth century. These instruments were generally manufactured using modern materials and modern building techniques, and as consequence revival harpsichords were essentially a totally new kind of instrument. Composers of the day keenly set about creating new music for this new instrument and the revival harpsichord had a diverse presence in a range of uses throughout popular culture of the mid-twentieth century. However, as time progressed, attitudes changed, and emphasis moved strongly in favour of historic reproductions of the instrument. As such, revival instruments fell out of fashion during the latter part of the century, however the sound of the modern harpsichord remains an important part of music making of the early/mid twentieth century, especially in popular music of the 1950/60s.
My work aims to provide insights into how the unique capabilities of the revival instrument factored into shaping contemporary compositions for the harpsichord. Throughout my research work, I consider if the principles of historic performance practice should be extended to the revival instrument, when it comes to performances of contemporary (both classical contemporary and popular) music written specifically for these kinds of harpsichords. My doctoral work was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the National Trust and focused on post-1930s British harpsichord compositions, performers and the instruments used in performances/recordings during this era. A diverse selection of listening examples is presented below, demonstrating both early and modern music that use a range of different types of ‘modern’ harpsichords. Please see my Research & Publications page for more details on my current work and projects. |
Pleyel Harpsichord, 1930s - click to enlarge.
Neupert "Bach" Harpsichord © J C Neupert - click to enlarge.
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Harpsichordist Wanda Landowska (1879 - 1959) performing Folk Dance on a Pleyel Harpsichord in 1953.
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J.S Bach, Concerto for Four Harpsichord and Strings. Harpsichordists Robert Veyron-Lacroix, Anne-Marie Beckensteiner, Marie-Claire Alain, and Olivier Alain, harpsichord. Recorded in 1959 on an unusual four Pleyel instruments.
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Harpsichordist George Malcolm performing François Couperin on a Goble harpsichord.
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1960 Recording of J.S Bach's Concerto for Two Harpsichords in C major on Challis harpsichords performed by Sylvia Marlowe and Pamela Cook.
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Diferencias for Harpsichord by Nicholas Van Slyck (1922-1983), performed by Irma Rogell (1918 - 2013) a former student of Landowska on a Pleyel harpsichord.
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Harpsichordist Violet Gordon Woodhouse performing J.S Bach's English Suite No 3 (G minor) in 1922 on a modern instrument by Arnold Dolmetsch (incorrectly labelled as A Maj Suite on the YouTube video above)
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1955 edition of The Liberace Show, with Liberace demonstrating different types of keyboard instruments, including a Neupert "Bach" revival harpsichord.
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A 1962 Harpsichord recital by Rosalyn Tureck performing J.S. Bach, Rameau, Daquin & F. Couperin in a recording using a modern instrument by Arnold Dolmetsch.
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Harpsichordist Fernando Valenti plays Bach, Handel, and Scarlatti on a Challis harpsichord in 1966.
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Not a revival harpsichord per say, but Claudine Longet's 1968 version of André Popp and Pierre Cour's, L'amour est Bleu uses another popular instrument of the era, an electronic harpsichord (likely Hohner Clavinet I).
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Revival harpsichord heard in Françoise Hardy's Je ne sais pas ce que je veux (1968).
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Percy Faith and his Orchestra, Rainfall (1954) with Bernie Leighton at a revival harpsichord.
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Rare Bird album recording of Down on the Floor (1970) with a prominent revival harpsichord, likely by Sperrhake from their album As Your Mind Flies By.
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Henry Mancini And His Orchestra, How Soon (1965). It is likely Mancini himself at the harpsichord (revival) in this recording.
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Pastorale by Liesbeth List and Ramses Shaffy on the Liesbeth List Show in 1969 with a revival harpsichord heard throughout much of the song.
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Prominent revival harpsichord (possibly by Wittmayer) in the theme tune to the 1960s Spy series Dangerman starring Patrick McGoohan. Music by Edwin Astley and performed by the Edwin Astley Orchestra in 1965.
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3rd Ave. El (1955) by Carson Davidson, which was nominated for an Academy Award. The film is paired with a soundtrack of a 1937 recording of Wanda Landowska playing Haydn’s Harpsichord Concerto in D on a Pleyel Harpsichord.
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God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (1968) featuring Julie Andrews and André Previn at a revival harpsichord.
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