On March 22, 2013, Adastra Duo (Jennifer Roig-Francoli, baroque violin, and Vivian Montgomery, harpsichord) performed a concert sponsored by the Duke University Musical Instrument Collections (DUMIC) in the lobby of the Mary Duke Biddle Music Building.
The previous afternoon, Roig-Francoli and Montgomery led master classes for modern performers interested in learning to play historical instruments. Roig-Francoli's class was "Baroque Violin for Modern Violinists," while Montgomery led "Harpsichord for Pianists."
The instrument used by the Adastra Duo is one of four double manual harpsichords owned by the Music Department. It was built by Richard Kingston in 1983 when he was based in North Carolina. This Franco-Flemish harpsichord has two 8’ and one 4’ choirs as well as a buff stop—a device which presses pieces of leather against one of the 8’ sets of strings to give a muted or “lute” sound. The manuals have five octaves, from FF to f’’’ and can be coupled together.
While used at “low” pitch for this program of Baroque music (a’=415), the instrument has a transposing keyboard that can be moved to modern, or “high” pitch (a’=440).
Typical of Flemish harpsichords of the Baroque era, it sits on a stand with turned trestles, and the soundboard is beautifully decorated with birds, flowers, and insects in tempera paint.
Click on the image for additional photos.
Department of Music
