Academy of Harpsichord "London, a Cosmopolitan City (16th-18th Centuries)"
From 27 October to 01 November France / Valenciennes
Harpsichord Academy : from October 27 to November 1, 2025
London : a cosmopolitan city (16th-18th centuries)
As part of its professional integration program "BAROQUE (A)VENIR!", Harmonia Sacra offers its fourth academy with the collaboration of Jean-Luc HO.
In the 18th century, London established itself as one of the musical capitals of the West. A cosmopolitan city, it has welcomed musicians and instrument makers since the 16th century, published scores from all over Europe, and hosted several generations of keyboard composers, from virginalists to Johann Christian Bach, including Blow, Croft, Purcell, Händel, Roseingrave, etc. This 4th academy in Valenciennes will be dedicated to the practices of the harpsichord in London from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
The interns will be invited to play from the repertoire of musicians active in London, whether English or visiting, but also, more generally, French, Italian, or German music published or copied in London (Babel manuscript, Scarlatti sonatas, etc.). In addition to the original repertoire for keyboard, transcriptions of operas will be welcome, especially those by Händel, which have led to numerous arrangements.
Thanks to the collection of the Hôtel de Barneville, the internship will benefit from the presence of about fifteen instruments representative of several schools of craftsmanship present in London from the 16th to the 18th century, allowing for an in-depth work on different aesthetics. Two rare copies of London instruments, a Thewees (1579), a testimony to Antwerp emigration, and a Mahoon (1732), different models by Rückers (virginal and harpsichords), Italian instruments, French ones, a claviorganum built by Émile Jobin, as well as several clavichords, will offer trainees countless opportunities to explore the London repertoire.
Each day, a common class preceded by a historical presentation will be devoted to a segment of the harpsichord repertoire in London: virginalists, French dance suites, Italian sonatas, fancies and voluntaries, opera transcriptions, etc. Lectures on traditions of instrument making, on harpsichords in English painting, as well as a workshop introducing source research will complement the knowledge of the repertoires.
Speakers : Jean-Luc Ho, Marie Demeilliez (musicologist, University of Grenoble Alpes), Florence Gétreau (musicologist and art historian, IReMus), Julien Bailly (harpsichord maker).
London : a cosmopolitan city (16th-18th centuries)
As part of its professional integration program "BAROQUE (A)VENIR!", Harmonia Sacra offers its fourth academy with the collaboration of Jean-Luc HO.
In the 18th century, London established itself as one of the musical capitals of the West. A cosmopolitan city, it has welcomed musicians and instrument makers since the 16th century, published scores from all over Europe, and hosted several generations of keyboard composers, from virginalists to Johann Christian Bach, including Blow, Croft, Purcell, Händel, Roseingrave, etc. This 4th academy in Valenciennes will be dedicated to the practices of the harpsichord in London from the 16th to the 18th centuries.
The interns will be invited to play from the repertoire of musicians active in London, whether English or visiting, but also, more generally, French, Italian, or German music published or copied in London (Babel manuscript, Scarlatti sonatas, etc.). In addition to the original repertoire for keyboard, transcriptions of operas will be welcome, especially those by Händel, which have led to numerous arrangements.
Thanks to the collection of the Hôtel de Barneville, the internship will benefit from the presence of about fifteen instruments representative of several schools of craftsmanship present in London from the 16th to the 18th century, allowing for an in-depth work on different aesthetics. Two rare copies of London instruments, a Thewees (1579), a testimony to Antwerp emigration, and a Mahoon (1732), different models by Rückers (virginal and harpsichords), Italian instruments, French ones, a claviorganum built by Émile Jobin, as well as several clavichords, will offer trainees countless opportunities to explore the London repertoire.
Each day, a common class preceded by a historical presentation will be devoted to a segment of the harpsichord repertoire in London: virginalists, French dance suites, Italian sonatas, fancies and voluntaries, opera transcriptions, etc. Lectures on traditions of instrument making, on harpsichords in English painting, as well as a workshop introducing source research will complement the knowledge of the repertoires.
Speakers : Jean-Luc Ho, Marie Demeilliez (musicologist, University of Grenoble Alpes), Florence Gétreau (musicologist and art historian, IReMus), Julien Bailly (harpsichord maker).
