NEUPERT harpsichord Blanchet

Audio samples:

Here you can see a part of a concert with Jean Rondeau playing on a NEUPERT harpsichord "Blanchet" double manual:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMbBYR_lplE

François-Étienne Blanchet (1695 -1761) was the most famous member of a family, which decisively influenced harpsichord making in France in the 18th century. His father Nicolas Blanchet (born in 1660), a native of Reims, set up his workshop in Paris and started making harpsichords and spinets, with the highest reputation being gained under the direction of his son François-Étienne II.

François-Étienne Blanchet was also the master of Pascal Taskin, the most eminent French harpsichord maker during the second half of the 18th century. After the death of François-Étienne‘s son in 1766, Pascal Taskin married his widow and led the family tradition of harpsichord making to its last climax.

Among the surviving harpsichords of Blanchet, the J.C. NEUPERT workshops had access to a single manual harpsichord, made in 1737 by François-Étienne, which was the model for our replica. The sound of this single manual harpsichord was so convincing that J.C. NEUPERT decided to develop a double manual version of this outstanding instrument.

Technical details:

• keyboard compass: F₁ - f³ (5 octaves)
• naturals ebony, sharps pearwood covered by bone
• lower manual: 8₁‘, 4‘
• upper manual: 8₂‘, lute to 8₂‘
• shifting coupler
• length 234 cm (7‘7“), width 94 cm (3‘1“), net weight 70 kg

Additional equipment:

• transposing device (a¹ = 440/415 Hz)
• 8‘-lutestop for the upper manual
• gold leaf bands
• painted soundboard
• stand in different styles
• benches and covers matching the instrument
• lid painting