Old Musical Instruments & Modern Reproductions!

[jochanaan]

Hi Jo..... - thanks for your comments - I'll past them on to Susan, but I agree (not as an expert or performer) that it is much easier to get notes out of her recorders - Dave

How's the learning process coming for, uh, "Harpo"?

[SonicMan46]

How's the learning process coming for, uh, "Harpo"?

Hi Jo - well w/ difficulty; at the moment, she is trying to improve her guitar skills, both by taking regular lessons & also joining a local guitar group that meet and play together - all prompted by a vacation to Memphis, TN a few years back - at the Gibson Guitar store, I bought her a Masterbilt Epiphone steel string instrument (below) to complement her 'classical' guitar - she is improving but leaves little time to do much else (including playing her several harps - ) - thanks for asking - Dave

[Pat B]

Unfortunately, the instruments in the exhibit are like Nigel's guitar -- kept safely under glass. I'd love to hear what they actually sound like.

Hmm. I know that some of the Smithsonian's instruments were used for recordings in the '80s-'90s by Smithson Quartet, Castle Trio, and some by Archibudelli. Is that normal or do most museums keep them encased always? I would think that the owners -- whether the museum or not -- would want them to be occasionally played (but not toured).

Anyway, thanks for the pictures.

[Karl Henning]

The MFA Musical Instruments Curator does indeed arrange events for performers to demostrate the instruments in the collection.

(Tony, would you like me to have you added to his mailing list?)

[jochanaan]

Hi Jo - well w/ difficulty; at the moment, she is trying to improve her guitar skills, both by taking regular lessons & also joining a local guitar group that meet and play together - all prompted by a vacation to Memphis, TN a few years back - at the Gibson Guitar store, I bought her a Masterbilt Epiphone steel string instrument (below) to complement her 'classical' guitar - she is improving but leaves little time to do much else (including playing her several harps - ) - thanks for asking - Dave

Well, learning any instrument takes great discipline, especially if she wants to do more than just "play around" on it.  I wish her well!

[Szykneij]

The MFA Musical Instruments Curator does indeed arrange events for performers to demostrate the instruments in the collection.

(Tony, would you like me to have you added to his mailing list?)

That would be great, Karl. I'll pm you my info.

[Geo Dude]

It seems to me that it would be of some benefit to a museum to record performances on their instruments and sell the CDs.  Glad to know that they do perform on them once in a while, even though I'm too far away to receive any benefit.

[jochanaan]

It seems to me that it would be of some benefit to a museum to record performances on their instruments and sell the CDs.  Glad to know that they do perform on them once in a while, even though I'm too far away to receive any benefit.

Been done.  One of the ancient LPs in my collection is of a Beethoven quartet, Opus 130, performed on instruments in the Smithsonian collection.

[Karl Henning]

It seems to me that it would be of some benefit to a museum to record performances on their instruments and sell the CDs.  Glad to know that they do perform on them once in a while, even though I'm too far away to receive any benefit.

The curator also produced an e-book with recordings and video, although at present it's only accessible to subjects of the Evil Empire Apple users.

[Karl Henning]

Also, the Boston Museum Trio has recorded a fair amount, playing instruments from the MFA collection.

[Harpo]

Well, learning any instrument takes great discipline, especially if she wants to do more than just "play around" on it.  I wish her well!

Thanks! I taught myself to play many years ago in college but "plateaued" very early. I'm really glad I finally decided to take lessons; the feedback  from a real person is essential. My teacher is literally 40 years younger than I am, an enjoyable intergenerational relationship. I'm still singing and playing piano but the harps, dulcimers and recorders will have to wait.

[stingo]

Has anyone heard (of) this?

Viola Organista

http://www.youtube.com/v/xS9c76V4RDE

[SonicMan46]

Has anyone heard (of) this?

Viola Organista

Thanks Stingo for the links to the Viola Organista - da Vinci was pretty remarkable w/ his ideas (and potential inventions) - liked the sound of that instrument - I'm sure a CD will be released - any information about the latter from anyone?  Dave

[stingo]

Thanks Stingo for the links to the Viola Organista - da Vinci was pretty remarkable w/ his ideas (and potential inventions) - liked the sound of that instrument - I'm sure a CD will be released - any information about the latter from anyone?  Dave

While I love a CD, I think you have to see the instrument played for the best impact. I know when I watched the video, I saw him playing a keyboard instrument yet it sounded like a string instrument. Mind blown. lol

[Cato]

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/v/sv3py3Ap8_Y

See also:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2509546/Musician-replicates-Da-Vincis-viola-organista-piano-makes-sound-cello.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

[SonicMan46]

Just left a post in the listening thread (quoted below) that deserves a place here - just added the lower pictures of these two instruments from the link (there is a PDF file that goes into much detail for those curious).  Dave

Graupner, Christoph (1683-1760) - Partitas, V.1 & V.2 w/ Geneviéve Soly - she has now recorded 7 volumes of Graupner's keyboard works - I've not yet bought other volumes of these works but may?

She plays two different but similar harpsichords (pics below) by Hubbard & Broekman, both dual manuals and after the designs & practices of H.A. Hass (ca. 1730s); reproductions made in 1998 & 2002, respectively - more information HERE, if interested - Dave

 

 

[milk]

While I love a CD, I think you have to see the instrument played for the best impact. I know when I watched the video, I saw him playing a keyboard instrument yet it sounded like a string instrument. Mind blown. lol

[Gurn Blanston]

Dave,
I've never seen this place linked here, and I don't have any particular thing I wanted to point out, but it seems like just the sort of place you antique lovers would like   0:)

Orpheon Foundation

This particular collection (The Vasquez) is amazing on its own, but I see references to others here too. Worth exploring!

[SonicMan46]

Dave,
I've never seen this place linked here, and I don't have any particular thing I wanted to point out, but it seems like just the sort of place you antique lovers would like   0:)

Orpheon Foundation

This particular collection (The Vasquez) is amazing on its own, but I see references to others here too. Worth exploring....

Hi Gurn - thanks for the link - I've not been to that site but plenty of beautiful old wooden instruments, including some nice pics of barytons; also articles on the instruments which are played by members of the Orpheon Consort who seemed to have made some recordings - will need to check on Amazon or on the links at the site.  Dave

[Szykneij]

Sorting through my lps while searching for albums related to the vinyl thread, I rediscovered this 3-record box set from Telefunken that provided some enjoyable afternoon listening today.

Canadian-born Bradford Tracey performs on instruments from the Fritz Neumeyer Collection of Historical Keyboard Instruments housed in Bad Krozingen Castle, constructed in 1579.

The recordings include pieces by Johann Kaspar Kerll (1627-1693), Johann Pachelbel (Ciacona in C, not Canon in D), Johann Joseph Flux (1660-1741), Georg Christoph Wagenseil (1715-1777), Giles Farnaby (1565-1640?), and harpsichord suites by Henry Purcell.

The photos in the enclosed booklet are somewhat lacking, but there is a wealth of background information on the instruments, the composers and the compositions. I've been unable to find these recordings in CD form so I don't know if they're available digitally.