HPSCHD-L Archives

Harpsichords and Related Topics

HPSCHD-L@LIST.UIOWA.EDU

Options: Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Peter Thresh-BH <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Harpsichords and Related Topics <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 23 Nov 2010 16:03:39 -0000
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (67 lines)
A number of list member have kindly asked so here are a few details about the Dedeban harpsichord. Would be good to find a good home for this instrument so please do circulate the info!  The Dedenban was famous in the past more for its music desk (a drawing was made and widely copied) and soundboard decoration. In the 1970s various proposals were drawn up to bring it back to playing condition but these were not fully implemented. The good news is that the instrument has not been interfered with and remains structurally extremely sound. With remarkably little effort, it should be possible to restore it to full playing condition when the combination of mid 18th century structure etc with the full expressive possibilities of the Taskin-style harpsichord (including crescendo!) will make it rather an exciting beast.  

Jean Marie DEDEBAN harpsichord 

1/   The Dedeban harpsichord is one of very few surviving Grand French harpsichords remaining in private hands.  Almost all such instruments are now in museums.  
2/   The Dedeban is extremely rare in being equipped with the full 'expressive' capabilities of the late French harpsichords with their knee pommels or genouillères.  It is even rarer in possessing a sophisticated hinged coupler mechanism invented by Taskin.  
3/   Another point of special note is the Dedeban's two part, swivelling and adjustable music desk - complete with silver candle holders - of the sort illustrated in Diderot's Encyclopédie and numerous Eighteenth century paintings.  Very few such music desks now survive and the Dedeban's has become justly famous (and often copied
4/   The original Régence style stand features pied de biche (split hoof) feet. The harpsichord retains its original heart shaped hinges, buff stop lever and genouillères mechanism.
5/   The soundboard decoration has been widely written about and includes a unique early depiction of a Macaw parrot from the new French colonies of the Caribbean.. 
6/   Such features as a bridge which tapers by 0.2mm per octave, an extremely carefully constructed soundboard and an unusually thin baseboard point to the work of a master builder.  

Preliminary and Brief Synopsis of history:

This  instrument is the sole surviving example of the work of the leading Parisian maker, Jean Marie Dedeban (or De De Ban) who lived and worked in the rue de l'Eperon.  Once on permanent loan to the Smithsonian in Washington, the harpsichord has been written about in a number of leading journals over the past forty years.  As with almost all French instruments, the Dedeban has been 'updated' on successive occasions (see below) but, in terms of its construction (soundboard, barring, keyboard, jacks, registers, mechanism etc) it remains intact and original.  Musically speaking, the combination of a mid 18th century construction with the full expressive devices of the late French harpsichords should prove to be extremely valuable.

Dedeban was a leading member of his Guild, according to the extant original sources.

Built c 1738-50			3 registers (and possibly a single direction harp stop)
					Stand is stylistically mid eighteenth century
					Relatively delicate bridges (8' of sawn walnut) and bridge pins
					Especially light 4' hitchpin rail 
					Traces of original copper-pigmented paint (rarely used after mid c18th)
					Vermillion interior possibly with painting

c. ? 1760				pale blue (lead white and smalt) paint applied to keywell 

(1770)				The name and inscription '1770' on the nameboard is clearly not original.  
					X rays might reveal an original inscription.
					
c 1780s				Gap widened to accommodate 4 registers (addition of peau de	bouffle)
					'Taskin' style coupler dogs installed (an extremely rare feature)
 					Harp stop adapted to act both ways 
					Stop knobs at either side of keyboard replaced with:
					5 genouillères (including crescendo) installed
					Keywell, jackrail, and case side interiors gilded and swags and floral bouquets added by 'Taskin decorator.' 
					Stand redecorated
c. 1805-20				Putti painted on exterior (probable date)

1870s					Restored by Charles Mueller 'specialist in the restoration of harpsichords.' 
					He moved 4ft to the upper manual. NB this is easily reversible.  
					
Soundboard Decoration:		The Dedeban soundboard was decorated by the same painter as, among others, the 1760 Stehlin (Smithsonian), 						1764 Anon/Taskin (Edinburgh), 1764 Goermans (Kenneth Gilbert Coll.)
					Sheridan Germann writes: "The Dedeban soundboard artist is perhaps the most enthusiastically rococo of all the 					French soundboard painters.... this soundboard epitomizes the	essential gestures of high rococo forms." 	
  
Further Information:  [log in to unmask] 									
Literature:
Boalch  Makers of the harpsichord and Clavichord
Pre conservation report by William Dowd 1959
Preliminary conservation report by Scott O'Dell
The Historical Harpsichord vol 4, ed. Frank Hubbard and Howard Schott
Early Music 1979 and 1980 Lengthy articles on the soundboard decoration by Sheridan Germann

http://www.bbc.co.uk/
This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated.
If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system.
Do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately.
Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received.
Further communication will signify your consent to this.
					

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Note:  opinions  expressed on HPSCHD-L are those of the  individual con-
tributors and not necessarily  those of the list owners  nor of the Uni-
versity of Iowa.  For a brief  summary of list  commands, send mail to
[log in to unmask]  saying  HELP .
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

ATOM RSS1 RSS2