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Harpsichord after Goermans ⁄ Taskin by Bizzi, 1997

This French double manual harpsichord by Bizzi after the Goermans 1764 ⁄ Taskin 1784 in the Russell Collection in Edinburgh has a compass of 5 octaves (FF-f³), with 2 × 8′, 1 × 4′ registers and buff stop, and is transposable a¹=415 - 440.

The case is painted black with gold banding with the interior in red tortoise-shell laquer, and sits on 6 turned legs in the Louis XVI style. The soundboard is in spruce with painted flower decoration, the bridges and nuts are in beech, the keyboard in ebony with bone topped sharps. The wooden jacks have delrin plectra. The harpsichord comes with a matching stool.

Dimensions: 2335 × 940 × 305mm approx. (92 × 37 × 12″).

This instrument was fully serviced in our workshops and was sold in 2017.

Below is a recording of this harpsichord made at our workshop of ′Allemande La Verneüil′ by François Couperin, published in 1722. Our thanks to Penelope Cave for the performance.