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Mon, 7 Nov 1994 14:12:06 -0800
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Hello - Lee Ridgeway comments that he liked the Chickering harpsichord
he heard better than Pleyels.
 
Dolmetch worked at Chickering in Boston from 1905 thru 1910, during
which time he made I believe 80 instruments. I own a spinet, #72,
which differs surprisingly little from the small harpsichords the
Dolmetch firm was making in production 50 years later.
 
I've seen a couple of the big harpsichords - Ralph Kirkpatrick had
one, I believe, and Blanche Winogren has one. The latter impressed
me as really well conceived for the time; I thought that it would
respond to some deferred maintainance of its quills with a good
sound.
 
The clavichords that Dolmetch made were masterpieces. One can be
seen at MusicSources in Berkeley, belonging to the San Francisco
Conservatory. It's playable, makes a big sound, and is rewarding
to the player - and I can understand how it would fill a hall.
Another may be found in Boston with Peter Sykes, I believe, and
one may be examined (or could) at the Stongton
Zuckermann shops.
 
David Calhoun, Seattle

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