Harpsichord in Singapore?
The Harpsichord Experience
Yes, I managed to find one shop that sells harpsichords. For those interested about this instrument, I'll tell you where you can find them. It's at Synwin Enterprise at Tanjong Katong Complex (near Paya Lebar station). This is also one shop that specialises in string instruments.
Yup, today I went to Synwin Enterprise to take a look at this rare instrument. Well, they just had harpsichord in the shop quite recently. Currently they are selling 2 models, one is the double-manual French harpsichord, the other is the single-manual Italian harpsichord. Generally, the double-manual harpsichord over there is for solo keyboard works, while the single-manual one is for continuo or for accompaniment (mainly due to the sound and tone quality).
Anyway, when I asked the salesperson about the price, he said that the double-manual harpsichord cost about $36000, while the single-manual one cost about $26000. Hmm... ok, that isn't so expensive for a "antique" instrument. Anyway, they also let me try out the harpsichord as well. Haha... Thought usually people would be very stringent about pricey instruments like harp and harpsichord, but this one is kind enough to let me try. Haha... my very first touch of the harpsichord.
Anyway, I have to say that the feeling of playing the harpsichord is different from that of the piano. The touch is generally lighter, and the keys are smaller than the piano. The double-manual one even have the inverse keyboard colours (where the natural keys are black in colour, and the accidentals are white, which is the total opposite of piano keys).
Well, I tried playing some of the Bach pieces on the harpsichord. Haha... Just can't get used to the touch. Well, no matter how soft or how hard you press the keys, the dynamics (loudness and softness) will always be the same, unlike the piano. Haha... Me just kept forgetting about that, thinking that the sound will go softer by having lighter touch... There re also no pedals on the harpsichord as well. That's fine for me, since I don't usually play Romantic period pieces or pop music on the piano.
Anyway, I always didn't play quite consistently, often missed a few notes out. The person said that I need to lift up the keys completely in order to play the same note. Ok, just something not like the piano, where I always hold the keys, and sometimes I just lift up the key and press back again without lifting up the key completely... Me sometimes being lazy to lift the keys completely... Haha...
Well, the person said that the harpsichord need to be maintain regularly. He said that the jack may need to be changed quite often, because it might become a bit unusable after many playings. Ok, I can understand that. While trying out both the harpsichords, one of them cannot play one note because the jack could not function properly, another got stuck halfway after pressing the key. Never mind, unlike the piano, the smaller parts like the jacks, the strings and the tuning screws can be changed or adjusted. Well, you don't see people changing the strings on the piano, right? Anyway, I was really aspired by the salesperson when he tried to fixed the harpsichord, and when he made the jacks and plectrums (the thing that plucked the harpsichord strings) by himself. Haha... after I finish my university, think I'm going to learn how to maintain a harpsichord, that is if I'm given at least some time and also a chance to do so, and I'm really serious about that. :P
Too bad I don't have a video camera (my family doesn't have one), or else I would let you see and compare my performance on JS Back Prelude No. 1 in C between the harpsichord over there and my piano, using YouTube.
The salesperson over there also tell me jokingly that I can be the harpsichord demo if they need one. Well, I don't mind being the demo. Haha... If I am the demonstrator, you'll must come to Synwin and see me play the harpsichord, ok?
Harpsichord Perfomance and Demostration
Ok, there will be a harpsichord performance and demonstration on 25 June (Sunday), at a price of $20. Those people who are interested can come and contact me through the blog tags/comments, MSN or SMS. I'll get the tickets by either next week, or 2 weeks later.
The Harpsichord Concepts
Ok, here are some of the pictures on harpsichord and how it works.
Double-Manual French Harpsichord, taken from Synwin.
Single Manual Italian Harpsichord, taken from Synwin.
Harpsichord action, taken from Wikipedia
Upper part of the harpsichord jack, taken from Wikipedia.
How the harpsichord works when the key is being pressed, taken from Wikipedia.
Coupling for double-manual harpsichord, taken from Wikipedia.
Flute: The Last Lesson
Ok, from next week onwards, I'll be joining another class. It's still on Saturday, but the timing will be from 5pm to 6pm. Haiz... now I'm going to miss my fun and funny classmates like Johanna, Jasmine and Michelle. Well, never mind, I still can see them when they were being dismissed from the class. I wonder how is the 5pm class going to be like.
Well, changing class would also means that my school fees will increase... Haiz... my teacher said that the class is currently doing Level 3 Flute, so I'll be paying the school fees for Level 3 Flute... Haiz... The same goes to my violin as well, going to pay the Level 2 Violin fees as well... Ok, time to revise how I'm going to spend my money...
After my lesson ended, Johanna, Jasmine, Michelle, Veronica and I walked around in Plaza Singapura. Well, Jasmine said that she had to buy the movie tickets for tomorrow. Yup, tomorrow, you can't possibly buy the movie tickets last minute at such popular cinemas like GV Plaza, right? Anyway, the queue was quite long that it almost reached the escalator. The 4 of us, Johanna, Jasmine, Veronica and I decided to go down to the basement to buy the Crispy Chicken from Ke Kou Wei. Anyway, the queue was quite long as well, haha... Jasmine managed to come down just on time to take the food we helped her to buy.
Yes, I managed to find one shop that sells harpsichords. For those interested about this instrument, I'll tell you where you can find them. It's at Synwin Enterprise at Tanjong Katong Complex (near Paya Lebar station). This is also one shop that specialises in string instruments.
Yup, today I went to Synwin Enterprise to take a look at this rare instrument. Well, they just had harpsichord in the shop quite recently. Currently they are selling 2 models, one is the double-manual French harpsichord, the other is the single-manual Italian harpsichord. Generally, the double-manual harpsichord over there is for solo keyboard works, while the single-manual one is for continuo or for accompaniment (mainly due to the sound and tone quality).
Anyway, when I asked the salesperson about the price, he said that the double-manual harpsichord cost about $36000, while the single-manual one cost about $26000. Hmm... ok, that isn't so expensive for a "antique" instrument. Anyway, they also let me try out the harpsichord as well. Haha... Thought usually people would be very stringent about pricey instruments like harp and harpsichord, but this one is kind enough to let me try. Haha... my very first touch of the harpsichord.
Anyway, I have to say that the feeling of playing the harpsichord is different from that of the piano. The touch is generally lighter, and the keys are smaller than the piano. The double-manual one even have the inverse keyboard colours (where the natural keys are black in colour, and the accidentals are white, which is the total opposite of piano keys).
Well, I tried playing some of the Bach pieces on the harpsichord. Haha... Just can't get used to the touch. Well, no matter how soft or how hard you press the keys, the dynamics (loudness and softness) will always be the same, unlike the piano. Haha... Me just kept forgetting about that, thinking that the sound will go softer by having lighter touch... There re also no pedals on the harpsichord as well. That's fine for me, since I don't usually play Romantic period pieces or pop music on the piano.
Anyway, I always didn't play quite consistently, often missed a few notes out. The person said that I need to lift up the keys completely in order to play the same note. Ok, just something not like the piano, where I always hold the keys, and sometimes I just lift up the key and press back again without lifting up the key completely... Me sometimes being lazy to lift the keys completely... Haha...
Well, the person said that the harpsichord need to be maintain regularly. He said that the jack may need to be changed quite often, because it might become a bit unusable after many playings. Ok, I can understand that. While trying out both the harpsichords, one of them cannot play one note because the jack could not function properly, another got stuck halfway after pressing the key. Never mind, unlike the piano, the smaller parts like the jacks, the strings and the tuning screws can be changed or adjusted. Well, you don't see people changing the strings on the piano, right? Anyway, I was really aspired by the salesperson when he tried to fixed the harpsichord, and when he made the jacks and plectrums (the thing that plucked the harpsichord strings) by himself. Haha... after I finish my university, think I'm going to learn how to maintain a harpsichord, that is if I'm given at least some time and also a chance to do so, and I'm really serious about that. :P
Too bad I don't have a video camera (my family doesn't have one), or else I would let you see and compare my performance on JS Back Prelude No. 1 in C between the harpsichord over there and my piano, using YouTube.
The salesperson over there also tell me jokingly that I can be the harpsichord demo if they need one. Well, I don't mind being the demo. Haha... If I am the demonstrator, you'll must come to Synwin and see me play the harpsichord, ok?
Harpsichord Perfomance and Demostration
Ok, there will be a harpsichord performance and demonstration on 25 June (Sunday), at a price of $20. Those people who are interested can come and contact me through the blog tags/comments, MSN or SMS. I'll get the tickets by either next week, or 2 weeks later.
The Harpsichord Concepts
Ok, here are some of the pictures on harpsichord and how it works.
Double-Manual French Harpsichord, taken from Synwin.
Single Manual Italian Harpsichord, taken from Synwin.
Harpsichord action, taken from Wikipedia
Upper part of the harpsichord jack, taken from Wikipedia.
How the harpsichord works when the key is being pressed, taken from Wikipedia.
Coupling for double-manual harpsichord, taken from Wikipedia.
Flute: The Last Lesson
Ok, from next week onwards, I'll be joining another class. It's still on Saturday, but the timing will be from 5pm to 6pm. Haiz... now I'm going to miss my fun and funny classmates like Johanna, Jasmine and Michelle. Well, never mind, I still can see them when they were being dismissed from the class. I wonder how is the 5pm class going to be like.
Well, changing class would also means that my school fees will increase... Haiz... my teacher said that the class is currently doing Level 3 Flute, so I'll be paying the school fees for Level 3 Flute... Haiz... The same goes to my violin as well, going to pay the Level 2 Violin fees as well... Ok, time to revise how I'm going to spend my money...
After my lesson ended, Johanna, Jasmine, Michelle, Veronica and I walked around in Plaza Singapura. Well, Jasmine said that she had to buy the movie tickets for tomorrow. Yup, tomorrow, you can't possibly buy the movie tickets last minute at such popular cinemas like GV Plaza, right? Anyway, the queue was quite long that it almost reached the escalator. The 4 of us, Johanna, Jasmine, Veronica and I decided to go down to the basement to buy the Crispy Chicken from Ke Kou Wei. Anyway, the queue was quite long as well, haha... Jasmine managed to come down just on time to take the food we helped her to buy.
water source from MiZ @ 7:30 PM
1 Comments:
At 9:21 PM,
Frank Mento said…
I am Professor Emeritus of Harpsichord at the Conservatory of the 18th district in Paris, France, and have written an online harpsichord that starts from scratch. You can see the previews here: harpsichord-method.com
Please let me know what you think.
Sincerely,
Frank Mento
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