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Piano Street Magazine:
A Jazz Piano Christmas 2025 – But not at the Kennedy Center

For more than three decades, “A Jazz Piano Christmas” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. has been a quiet highlight of the holiday season for jazz and piano lovers. No fixed formulas, no “seasonal jazz” clichés — just strong pianistic voices working with familiar material. This year, the live concert is on pause. Here’s what changed, and where pianists can still turn for meaningful jazz piano Christmas listening and playing. Read more

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Topic: Burton Harpsichords (Read 2911 times)

seanhmoss

Newbie
Posts: 4

Burton Harpsichords

on: July 08, 2014, 12:01:42 PM

This is not a piano topic, but I thought this may be a good forum to ask around about it. Are Burton harpsichords good instruments? I am told that certain harpsichords from Burton are not "historically authentic" but can they present a convincing performance of historical repertoire?

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iansinclair

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 1472

Re: Burton Harpsichords

Reply #1 on: July 08, 2014, 07:15:42 PM

Unless memory fails me, most Burton harpsichords were (maybe are?) kits. Therefore what you get may be rather variable, depending a lot on the skill of the person who put it together. I have also heard -- but have absolutely no first hand knowledge on -- that the original Burton plectrum design was a bit troublesome -- but that there are decent substitutes.

All that said, "historically authentic" is a most dubious term. Just as I would suggest for pianos, but even more so, what counts is: can the instrument which you are looking at produce the repertoire you want to play on it in a way that pleases you? If so, fine! If not, it doesn't matter how historically accurate it may or may not be -- it's not the right instrument for you.

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Ian