Latest Harpsichord finished - at last

[Ernie Miller]

Many years ago I visited the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and was able to see the original 1736 Hemsch double manual harpsichord on display. Since then, I've always wanted to build it, and when I turned 70 (a year and a half ago - ugh!) I decided I'd better do it while I was still able to physically work on such a large instrument (93 11/16" x 37 15/32"). I started working on it and got 2/3 of the way through when I got a couple of commissions and had to stop working on the Hemsch to build them. I finished the second commission in May and resumed working on the Hemsch. This week, I finally finished it. It was challenging, but a lot of fun nonetheless. For me, the most difficult part was the Louis XV cabriole stand. The aprons at the top of the stand flair out at 5 degrees to better match the curve of the legs. The stand alone took five weeks to build, but well worth the time.

Thanks for looking.
Ernie

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[peter gagliardi]

Impressive work!

[John K Jordan]

Wow, I'm impressed too. Although playing the harpsichord drives me nuts!

JKJ

[Bill Conerly]

don't just post pictures; post a WAV file of the music.

[Vince Shriver]

Wow, I'm impressed too. Although playing the harpsichord drives me nuts!

JKJ

One definition of a gentleman is someone who knows how to play the harpsichord or the bagpipes -- and doesn't do it! I agree with others - beautiful work.

[Larry Frank]

Amazing work...

[Frederick Skelly]

Beautiful work. I too, would like to hear how it sounds.
Fred

[Tom M King]

Awesome! I didn't know there was a Harpsichord maker in Chocowinity.

[Aaron Conway]

Amazing! My wife was just looking over my shoulder and said "that's not just a woodworker, that's an artist".

[Ernie Miller]

Thanks for all your kind words. I'll try to post some sound files when my neighbor, who is a recording engineer, can record it. I also need to wait for John O'brien (professor of keyboards at East Carolina U.) to return from summer vacation. Believe me, you certainly don't want to hear me play it.

[Ole Anderson]

That, my friend, is a mighty fine project! Well done sir.

[Robby Tacheny]

I'd love to see pictures of the action that plucks the strings. I am not sure many people realize the mechanical differences between a harpsichord and a piano.

Great work, but I think I'll pass on hearing it. There is a reason why the pianoforte is still around and harpsichord, well, isn't as much.

Robby

[Andrew Gibson]

Beautiful work!
I am heading up to Boston in a few weeks to visit family and I am planning a trip to the Boston Museum of Fine arts, now I am very excited to go.
I'm also hoping to see Old Iron Sides and catch a game at Fenway. The Royals will be in town and being from St Louis I am always up to root against them

[Jeff Monson]

Wow Ernie, that is quite impressive!!! I would not even know where to start. I have to ask, how many hours does a project like this take you?

[Raymond Fries]

Absolutely stunning and awesome project. Cannot wait to hear the sound.

My wife, a piano player, was in awe over your work.