Lute-harpsichord

The lute-harpsichord is distinguished from the traditional Clavecin initially by its cords. Whereas the harpsichords use metal cords, the lute-harpsichord is equipped with cords in bowel, at least for the base register. Its other characteristics derive from the choice of material used for the cords and the musical properties inherent in the cords in bowel pinches.

Not only one lute-harpsichord did not come from to us; what us remainder are written descriptions. The majority of what we know about the lute-harpsichords in Germany of the medium of the XVIIIe century, come us from the entourage of Johann Sebastian Bach. Johann Friderich Agricola, raises of Bach and important figure of the music of the court of Berlin, tells to have seen and have heard a lute-harpsichord designed by Bach and carried out by Zacharis Hildebrant, which was smaller than the harpsichord ordinary but identical to any other harpsichord for all the remainder. It had two series of cords in bowel and a series out of brass known as short octave. It sounded more like a Théorbe than like a Luth. But when the play which is called “play of lute” on the harpsichords was used with the play of horn, even the professional lutists would have been mistaken there.

Jacob Adlung, in his Anleitung zu DER musikalischen Gelahrtheit ( Instructions for a musical knowledge , 1758) described a quantity of unusual keyboard instruments, such as the Harfenclavier , the Pandoret or the Xylorganum (a xylophone of the XVIIIe century). In its essay on the lute-harpsichord, he affirms that “the flattering sounds of the lute which one can hear in the lute-harpsichord, equipped with cords in bowel… are obtained thanks to one, two or three keyboards. The sound is produced by the sautereaux ones and plectres, as in a harpsichord”. The more detailed remarks of Adlung in its work Musica mechanica ordanoedi compensate for up to a certain point the lack of preserved instruments. He explains how the cords in bowel require an incrustation of bone in the rest in order to avoid the loss of energy and that this action does without chokes.

The inventory of the goods of Jean Sebastien Bach gives a report on two lute-harpsichords ( Lauten Werck ). One of them could be that manufactured by Hildebrandt and attested by Agricole. The other could be an older instrument, because other indications show that Bach was interested in the lute-harpsichord during several decades.

Bach composed some parts intended for the lute or the harpsichord, like the prelude for lute BWV 999, the prelude running away and allegro BWV 998 for lute or harpsichord and others still.

Discography

J.S. Bach: works for lute-harpsichord. Robert Hill (Hänssler)

External bonds

(in) The baroque lutes-harpsicord: In Forgotten Instrument

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