Made in 1999
Click here for a Sound Sample*
The Colmar Ruckers original is currently the finest Ruckers in existance today. It was beautifully restored by Christopher Clarke. Would that the same thing could be said for the Ahaus Ruckers located in the museum in Westphalia. Fortunately, Gustav Leonhardt made some of his best recordings on that instrument before the sound was changed. Since then, the Colmar Ruckers has become the preeminent antique harpsichord for making recordings on for harpsichordists.
The 1624 Ruckers currently stands in the Unterlinden Museum in Colmar in France being well cared for and maintained in playable condition. The qualities that make this particular instrument worth copying are: the beauty of sound and the tone, which is powerful, deep, rich, sonorous, clear, sweet, focused, intense, blooming, and colorful. It is the largest small instrument around. That is, the compass is GG - d''' (without the low GG#) but the case is only about 80 centimeters wide. That makes any copy of this instrument much easier to move around in compact stationwagons and minivans for schlepping to concerts than the larger and substantially heavier copies of 18th century French Harpsichords.
As you can see from the inadequate but only existing photo made, this copy, made as my personal instrument in 1999, comes with an eight legged double frame platform stand (as does the original) and is decorated in the same geometric gold on black pattern as the original, including on the stand and on the top side of the lid. What the photo can't tell you is that my copy is made to be able to be transposed from A - 415 to A - 440. Unlike many copies made of this decoration, my decoration is constructed exactly like that of the original, called in the 17th century, "black that bleeds", a technique that can also be seen on the Egyptian sarcophagae from 2500 BC. This technique creates a feeling of intense warmth in a color (black) which otherwise can feel cold and energy sucking. The lid painting, as yet unfinished, is in the style of Watteau.
The sound of this instrument is bold, sweet, reedy, strongly blooming, powerful in all registers, and very resonant. It sings easily when asked to do so. The touch is light but solid and agreeably manageable. The instrument has leather covered registers, just like the original, and beautifully made wooden jacks. The keyboards are made of linden with ebony naturals with boxwood arcades and bone topped sharps, like the original.
This instrument, other than the completion of the lid painting, is available for immediate sale.
for the Price of this instrument, please inquire.
*(Here's a trick to hear the sound sample and view the site at the same time. 1.Click on the sound sample to download it. 2.Then, download one of my other sites on your browser, in effect, opening a new window. 3.Click on the SITE button, at that site, relating to this site. 4. Once you have this site accessed from the new page and window, you can to view the site and listen to the downloading sound sample for it.)
Keith Hill copy of 1624 Ruckers (SOLD)