Handel’s harpsichords revisited Part I: Handel and Ruckers harpsichords

Abstract The harpsichords supposedly owned or played by Handel have long been the subject of scholarly enquiry, in recent years mainly to try match their compasses and disposition his solo music, a strategy also used, for instance, with instruments associated J. S. Bach Mozart. Similarly, Grant O’Brien, John Koster others tried determine how Ruckers-family might used play early 17th-century keyboard music. In these two articles I will survey plucked that from composer’s time present. focus Part is on three surviving Ruckers were promoted as ‘Handel’s harpsichord’ 18th 19th centuries. A good deal new information about them has come light result projects digitize newspapers, journals other 18th- 19th-century documents. This enabled me trace provenance greater detail than before, place context process importing, modernizing circulating Ruckers-Couchet family Antwerp 18th-century England. Evidence more said followers, making six all, helping us understand they why preferred obsolete larger modern ones London makers such Shudi Kirkman.