Author Topic: The Colmar Ruckers  (Read 1696 times)

Offline Tam Lin

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The Colmar Ruckers
« on: February 16, 2018, 11:22:55 AM »
I am partial to harpsichord music. I’ve built a few Zuckermann harpsichord kits in my day and two of my ‘Deserted Island’ recordings are Froberger: “Pieces de Clavessin” with Blandine Verlet on Astree E 8716 and John Bull: “Musik Fur Cembelo” with Bob Van Asperen on Teldec 242 944-2. Two different recordings featuring different artists, playing works by different composers, but allegedly using the same harpsichord, the 1624 Ionnes (Hans) Ruckers instrument now at the Musee d’Unterlinden in Colmar, France. I say allegedly because the recordings sound very different. The Froberger recording is close mic’ed with a very rich, full sound.  The Bull CD, recorded at a distance in a very reverberant space, has a thinner sound.

I am partial to horn loudspeakers. I remember walking through a hi fi store one day in 1957 and hearing this incredibly life-like music coming from one of the rooms. I stopped and looked inside and saw a JBL Paragon. Wow. That’s how I was hooked. Years later, after reading Jonathan Valin’s review of the Avantgarde Trio, I knew I had to hear the Trios.

I located a dealer in the SF Bay area, I was living in New Mexico at the time, and made an appointment to audition his Duos, he didn’t have Trios. I arrived at his door at the appointed time only to learn that he had blown out his woofers and tweeters while I was in route. Since I was there, I resigned to listen to the mid-range horn, only. It has a range of 170 to 2000 Hz. Of course, I had the two above-mentioned CDs with me. Guess what? For the first time, the two recordings sounded like the same instrument. The rich bass of the Froberger was gone and the accentuated high frequencies and reverberation of the Bull was gone leaving only the mid-range with the Ruckers signature.

For more about the Colmar Ruckers I recommend Kevin Fryer’s write up.
http://kevinfryer.net/index.html?nav/nav.html&http://kevinfryer.net/portfolio.html
Kevin is a remarkable harpsichord builder. Many harpsichordist play modern-day copies of the Colmar Ruckers however, in most cases, the only way you’d know that is to read the CD notes. With Kevin’s instruments, it’s obvious just by listening.
Jon Bokelman

Offline Nick B

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Re: The Colmar Ruckers
« Reply #1 on: February 16, 2018, 08:05:41 PM »
What an interesting post. Had really only heard of Stradivarius previously. I wish I could audition horns in my living room, but its never gonna happen
Nick
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