The Harpsichord Owner's Guide: A Manual For Buyers and Owners

Kottick, Edward L.

Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1987. Hardcover. Brown cloth boards with black lettering on spine; tan illustrated dj with black lettering, mylar cover; xi, 180 pp; bw illustrations, music. VG-/VG- (Ex-library with stamps and labels on spine, inside front and rear covers, ffep and block.Light shelfwear/bumping to boards and block. Light fading to dj. Pages are otherwise very clean and clear.). Item #185568
ISBN: 9780807817452

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, experienced harpsichord builder, offers the first practical guide to buying, repairing, and maintaining a harpsichord. The opening section describes how the harpsichord produces its sound, discusses the forms and styles of harpsichords, and advises the reader on purchasing decisions. Next, Kottick instructs the reader in maintenance techniques, including voicing, regulating, and changing strings, tongues, plectra, springs, and dampers. A third section aids the reader in troubleshooting such common problems as sticking jacks, hangers, weak notes, and leaking dampers. In the final section, Kottick gives detailed instructions on tuning and temperament. Kottick writes in an engaging and entertaining style, presenting technical information in an accessible way. His book is written for the average harpsichord owner, not the harpsichord technician. It enables the potential buyer to make an informed choice, and it constantly reassures the reader that with a little study the average person is perfectly capable of maintaining, fixing, and tuning a harpsichord [Publisher description]. Contents: The harpsichord and its history -- How the harpsichord works -- A short history of the harpsichord -- The harpsichord in the twentieth century -- Buying a harpsichord -- Maintenance techniques -- The tool kit -- The strings -- The jacks -- The action -- The touch -- Troubleshooting the harpsichord -- String problems -- Jack problems -- Action problems -- Care of the harpsichord -- Tuning, temperaments, and techniques -- The harpsichord as furniture.