Skowroneck harpsichords

Updated 8 August, 2009

A fair amount of incoming searches for this site are on “Martin Skowroneck”, who is a harpsichord maker and my father.

I am not acting as his agent, but I regularly perform maintenance for some of his customers and am occasionally involved with the making of contacts and the likes. The information on this page is about identifying and re-selling Skowroneck harpsichords, and even includes a remark about beryllium-copper strings.

Identification:

Before the mid-sixties, Skowroneck harpsichords would typically be signed with “Martin Skowroneck fecit” and the place and date. After that, the signature for harpsichords is found hidden behind the nameboard, and in smaller instruments like virginals and clavichords on the bottom, inside, under the keys. At first sight, these instruments appear unsigned.

Beryllium copper:

Instead of brass, Skowroneck uses beryllium copper strings. This modern material, which has a breaking point similar to brass, has one positive mechanical property similar to historical brass: it sets quickly instead of stretching endlessly. A replacement string will keep its pitch after only a few adjustments. Other advantages include a relatively high resistance to breaking when bent, and a complete absence of the annoying tendency of modern brass to slip at the loops. Beryllium copper also has a good sound. True, most people will have no possibility to make direct comparisons between the various materials – and “good” is a problematic term. I have tested various materials in one single instrument and monitored their properties over a time span of 15 years. I found beryllium copper to have a slightly “fuller sound” than the brass I could use. Together with the advantages listed above I personally prefer this material. It may, however, be that these properties vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and not all beryllium copper is as good as I describe here.

The reason for this lengthy explanation is that beryllium copper looks very much like phosphor bronze, and has occasionally been mistaken for it. Phosphor bronze has been used by some makers of harpsichords and is for various reasons despised by many others. It would be a shame to change the brass section in a used Skowroneck harpsichord into new brass strings on the basis of a misunderstanding.

Re-selling:

Since the workshop in Bremen has been in action for more than five decades, it occasionally happens that earlier Skowroneck harpsichords are being offered for re-sale. These instruments were all hand-made to the very highest standards and naturally, we have a strong interest that they are kept in a good state and end up in good hands. I therefore offer the non-profit service of bringing sellers and buyers of used Skowroneck harpsichords together.

* Do you own a harpsichord made by Martin Skowroneck and want to sell it?

* are you interested in buying a used Skowroneck harpsichord?

Send me an e-mail (tilman[at]skowroneck[dot]de).

Current offers:

A 1959 one-manual Italian harpsichord in good shape is offered at http://www.harpsichord.com/