A translation of Jean Denis's Treatise on Harpsichord Tuning (1643/50), with notes and an introduction.

Kottick presents technical information in an accessible, but entertaining, way: the forms and styles of harpsichords, advice on purchasing decisions, maintenance techniques (such as voicing, regulating, and changing strings, tongues, plectra, springs, and dampers), aids in troubleshooting common problems, and detailed instructions on tuning and temperament. As builder of some thirty keyboard instruments, Kottick is well qualified to speak on the subject.

This practical guide treats the mechanics and evolution of the instrument, and offers a survey of its literature. The author provides valuable advice on touch and technique, including articulation and fingering, with a lucid exposition of the issues involved in historical performance practice and a clear explanation of ornamentation. The repertoire of each of the great national schools is presented and discussed, with four representative pieces singled out for detailed analysis. More advanced players will welcome the author's suggestions on continuo playing and the helpful discussion of tuning and temperaments. From advice on acquiring a harpsichord, to wise counsel on how to play it and what music to choose, to suggestions on maintenance and tuning, A Guide to the Harpsichord is an indispensable companion for both beginning and advanced harpsichordists.

The Harpsichord and Clavichord, An Encyclopedia includes articles on this family of instruments, including famous players, composers, instruments builders, the construction of the instruments, and related terminology. It is the first complete reference on this important family of keyboard instruments. The contributors include major scholars of music and musical instrument history from around the world. It completes the three-volume Encyclopedia of Keyboard Instruments.

"A fascinating and genuinely accessible guide....Educating, enjoyable, and delightfully unscary."—Classical Music What if Bach and Mozart heard richer, more dramatic chords than we hear in music today? What sonorities and moods have we lost in playing music in "equal temperament"—the equal division of the octave into twelve notes that has become our standard tuning method? Thanks to How Equal Temperament Ruined Harmony, "we may soon be able to hear for ourselves what Beethoven really meant when he called B minor 'black'" (Wall Street Journal).In this "comprehensive plea for more variety in tuning methods" (Kirkus Reviews), Ross W. Duffin presents "a serious and well-argued case" (Goldberg Magazine) that "should make any contemporary musician think differently about tuning" (Saturday Guardian). Some images in the ebook are not displayed owing to permissions issues.

This classic chronicle of the longstanding challenges of tuning and temperament devotes a chapter to each principal theory, features a glossary and numerous tables, and requires only minimal background in music theory.