Bach - Six French Suites, Isabelle Nef (Pleyel Harpsichord, 1966)

[@tumanmisty1767]

Absolutely classy, elegance itself, exclusive, exceptional, extraordinary perform, record, upload! Luxuriously partition AegonCouperin Le Grand! Délicieux aussi!

[@jeremymillard2904]

I love the Pleyel Harpsichord! Anyone who doesn't think they at least sound majestic is kidding themselves.

[@takemyjobpleeez]

It's does have it's own charm, but I've heard a few Sabathil instruments that sound better, and that's saying a lot. Pleyels record well, but in the flesh, they are very metallic. They have a "curdled cream" quality to the sound, IMHO. In fairness, the bottom 8 foot choir does sound like a genuine harpsichord, even in the base. The 16 ft is dreadful: the strings are wrapped to the top note! A lot of vibration, but not a lot of tone. I wouldn't turn one down, if it were given to me. The first thing I'd do it, is rip out the soundboard, put in a thinner one, put in lighter strings, and use solid phosphor bronze, for the 16' even for the lowest base note, close up the bottom, lighten the action, and do away with those overhead dampers.

[@aquaesulensis7332]

Pleyel harpsichords have a magnificent sound. They are served by historical recordings which do not allow to have their true, ample sound. My Pleyel harpsichord has plectrums refurbished in thin delrin except the 16 'which is in leather. Its sounds are beautiful and sweet. The tutti is flamboyant and powerful. I love this instrument. One day Wolff Dieter Neupert (harpsichord maker) told me that the Pleyels were the best of all the modern harpsichords ever made. I know that the best Pleyel harpsichords were made before 1939 by Mr Lebal. Pleyel made 180 Grand modèle Landowska harpsichords between 1923 and 1969. Mine was made in 1963.

[@takemyjobpleeez]

@@aquaesulensis7332 No two instruments are a like, so it's really unfair to judge all of them as bad, plus a lot of them aren't in full playing order. I'm no way a purist, as I own an Ammer (which has its own faults, particularly the registration). I've never liked pleyels, they're complicated, and "overdone". Even the way that they look. They look like pianos, but it's just a matter of taste. As far as Neupert, they're responsible for that "Bach" registration nonsense being so ubiquitous during the last century, because every big firm after that, started making them. He should have followed Pleyel in that regard, if he admired them them so much. Pleyel resisted, which I do admire them for. Pleyels certainly have a much more useful registration.

[@aquaesulensis7332]

@@takemyjobpleeez Hello. I read your answer and I think I misspoke. Please you have to know that I do not, and never will, judge harpsichords of this type because I myself am in favor of "revival harpsichords". When I was young, I had a Lindholm which allowed me to work on a 5-octave harpsichord in a minimum of space even if its sound in the bass was necessarily weak. Please note that in France it is very difficult nowadays to campaign in favor of these instruments hated by too many people. The answer I mentioned was the one that Mr. Neupert had told me. For my part, I continue to militate in favor of "revival harpsichords" but I have the impression of being very alone here everyone having a taste only for historical instruments or the copies which are made of them. If I have a pleyel, I'm always happy to see somewhere a harpsichord made by Sperrhake, Neupert, Lindholm, DeBlaise, Ammer (Elisabeth Chojnacka had one she used for her concerts) and many others. Thank you for your attention. Take care during confinement.

[@philipbay1548]

@@takemyjobpleeez solid phosphor bronze wont work, you have to use wrapped strings given how short the strings are. And phosphor bronze is awful to start with, use yellow and red brass

[@_PROCLUS]

Isabelle (Lander) Nef 1898 - 1976 a Swiss harpsichordist, pianist, and teacher; … studied with Marie Panthes (piano) at the Geneva Conservatory, and with Isidor Philipp (piano), d'Indy (composition), and Wanda Landowska (harpsichord) in Paris. In 1936 she was appointed the first professor of harpsichord at the Geneva Conservatory

[@DavidAgdern]

I love Pleyels. I heard Rafael Puyana live twice in the 60s. Two of the most memorable concerts I ever attended. I bought one about 20 years ago, and would warn anyone interested that they are very high maintenance instruments. It’s pretty much a full time job - finding the right grade of leather for the plectra -glueing them to the tongues with the right Hyde glue. But why does Ms. Nef slap down the nasale stop and never change the registration ???

[@philipbay1548]

converting them to delrin improves the tone quite a bit.

[@dejanstevanic5408]

Lovely. Thank you.

[@selmatischer5688]

Une grande claveciniste !

[@perrytownsend4151]

Sorry but her performance is sloppy as all get out - splats and mistakes everywhere. Plus I think her phrasing is kind of stilted.

[@philipbay1548]

Not a harpsichord, only a piano with a plucking mechanism, complete with an iron frame, wound strings, overhead dampers, pedals, and an iron frame. The greatest catastrophe to overtake the harpsichord since the burning of instruments for firewood after the French Revolution

[@philipbay1548]

IRON FRAME stated twice for ed emphasis

[@perrytownsend4151]

@@philipbay1548 By pedals, you mean piano-style damper, etc?

[@philipbay1548]

@@perrytownsend4151 they did have overhead dampers like a modern piano, yes, but also pedals to change the registration

[@Paulofibonelli]

Why? I was led to believe that they tried by the introduction of the iron frame only to increase the stability and strength of the instrument. This allowed for greater string tension, resulting in a more powerful and resonant sound while keeping the instrument in tune. The same happened to the piano during the Romantic Era