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:
Andrew Bernard <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Harpsichords and Related Topics <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 18:26:54 +1000
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (38 lines)
Hi Chris,

Well the story of the infamous Lefebvre is rather unique. It's not a simple
case of people not being able to hear and discriminate well enough to pick
old from new. This fake-old instrument was created by two remarkable men
and started out as a joke over a glass of wine to give the pundits their
comeuppance. But it turned into some rather more subtle. And it's important
to see that the title of the article confessing all specifically mentions
there was no intent to defraud. Skowroneck was a superbly skilled maker and
also extremely knowledgeable in the art of furniture making and historical
details. There is a long tradition of fake furniture - and one could find
many Ruckers fakes in Paris in 1750 don't forget! - and a fake that is well
done can produce high market prices so for centuries there has been an
active practice. There are even many books on fake furniture techniques,
which I believe Skowroneck consulted. But that's not my main point. What I
want to say is that in the case of the Lefebvre is it a fine instrument in
its own right by a master craftsman and it is not unreasonable that it
sounds just as good as some master instruments from past.

So we can make instruments as good sounding and playing as old ones with
enough application and experience, and it is not a simple matter of
musicians being insensitive or unaware or deaf to subtleties.

As for guitars and violins, a separate post is required!

Andrew

ps: I have a PDF copy of the article from the Galpin Society Journal, which
is in JSTOR, for which you require a subscription. I think it is OK to
distribute this to interested people. Tilman, as you translated the article

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
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