The harpsichord used for this recording is a 1999 double-manual instrument by Anne and Ian Tucker, which is a copy of a 1636 Andreas Ruckers harpsichord later converted by Henri Hemsch in 1763.
Interpretation
The harpsichord on this recording is tuned in quarter comma meantone, a historical tuning system that produces pure major thirds, recreating a richness of sound that was cherished by early 18th-century English musicians.
Composition History
Parthenia (1612/13) was the first music ever printed for the virginals, making high-quality English harpsichord music readily available to devotees.
Historical Context
During the Great Fire of London in 1666, Samuel Pepys observed that many people fleeing the fire were carrying virginals (a type of harpsichord) in their boats, highlighting the instrument's importance in domestic music-making.
Composer Biography
William Byrd, one of the greatest English composers, almost single-handedly created an idiomatic keyboard style of immense sophistication.
Performer Biography
David Pollock, the harpsichordist on this album, was inspired to take up the instrument due to his long-standing love for the music of J.S. Bach.
Composition History
My Ladye Nevells Booke, a major manuscript collection of William Byrd's music, was copied under his supervision by John Baldwin and completed on September 11, 1591.
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