I'm baffled by this.  You must have awful examples harpsichords around you.
Your comments seem backward (or reversed)  The French harpsichord is
generally less interesting as a continuo instrument than others.  It just
that the French happened to have become the all-purpose instrument.  Willard
once liked the typical French harpsichord to an Oldsmobile Station
wagon -can do it all but not really exciting. I disagree with that, but I
know what he was getting at.  I do know that my French double has a utterly
luxurious quality, and is wasted on continuo.  The clarity and singing
quality of the Ruckers is a better suited sound (which is why I'm getting
one as well!)

Or are you talking about a seventeenth century French harpsichord, in which
case I might understand more of what your saying.

-----Original Message-----
From: Harpsichords and Related Topics
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Jon-o Addleman
Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 1:31 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Different (harps.) strokes for different folks


On Tue, Apr 10, 2001 at 12:23:20PM -0400, [log in to unmask] spake thusly:
> David Jenson:
>
> << I think Italian harpsichords are in many senses the
>  epitome of harpsichord design. I also think that it has taken some time
for
>  folks schooled in the lush and often mushy late French sound to become
>  reeducated to appreciate the Italian sound. And as we all know, there are
> still
>  many who haven't figured it out yet. >>
>
> Late "mushy" French instruments and spunky Italians seem to me about the
two
> opposite extremes in harpsichord building. Why should it necessarily be
one
> or the other? Personally I like Flemish instruments because they can
respond
> a bit more spunkily (if that's a word) to articulation but can also sing.
To
> my ear the sound of a Flemish instrument is as different from the French
as
> the Italians.

I agree... But I find I'd generally rather have a french for
continuo than a flemish. Maybe it's just the (rather few)
instruments I've tried myself, but the flemish sound is just TOO
rich! I find I want to have more time to listen to the instrument
and let the sound come out, and for accompaniment.. that can be
tricky. :)

--
Jon-o Addleman