Robert Morley Clavichord

[berthaschiller]

Hi,

I used to study clavichord as second study but have not touched the instrument for about 5 years now. I would really like to get back to playing it though and have seen some unfretted Robert Morley 4-octave clavichords for rent. Does anyone have any experiences with this maker?

Would be grateful for some thoughts.

Regards

[chrisbutch]

I've had a Morley clavichord for about 40 years - the 5-and-a-bit octave model. Although the materials and manufacture are a lot more basic than the beautifully-crafted artisan instruments you can find nowadays at many times the price, I've always loved it. The construction of a clavichord is so simple that those economies are far less significant in the musical result than they would be in a piano. The projection is minimal, again in comparison with some beefier instruments, but who wants projection with a clavichord? Once your ears have adjusted to the low dynamic level, the expressive range is remarkable - but then if you're already a clavichord player, you'll know this.