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Harpsichords and Related Topics

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Subject:
From:
Paul Poletti <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Harpsichords and Related Topics <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Wed, 12 Aug 2009 07:49:32 +0200
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Barry Evans wrote:
> The recording was  made using
> the 1977 Philip Belt replica of Mozart's Anton  Walter concert
> instrument.

This, too, was a fantasy instrument, and most certainly is not worthy of 
the term "replica", nor "copy". "Inspired by" is probably about as 
accurate as one can get. Until quite recently, nobody but nobody was 
allowed to touch or exam the Holy Relic that is Mozart's Walter, so Belt 
just sort of made it up working from a few photos. Had he been allowed 
to examine the original, he would have been confronted by the fact that 
the instrument has been significantly altered, replacing its original 
action, work most certainly done by Walter himself, most likely around 
1800, as can be seen from the similarity of the action parts to other 
instruments of that time as well as Constanze's letter to her son saying 
that Mr. Walter had been so kind as to give it a complete makeover.

All this stuff has been thoroughly gone over in the organology 
literature in the last 10 years, as well as one the fortepiano yahoo list.

Ciao,

P

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