Audio A new gift of old music (story audio) Photos Hand-painted biblical scene on the inside of the lid Church members view their new instrument Jon Wittgraf on recorder View full slideshow (5 images) Resources Zuckerman Harpsichords Bethlehem Lutheran Church Respond to this story Talk about this story in the MPR News Forum Submit a commentary Help us cover this story

A new gift of old music
by Jeff Horwich, Minnesota Public Radio
December 23, 2002

The harpsichord is what is called a "double manual," which refers to its two keyboards. The instrument has three sets of strings, two eight-foot and one four-foot, which can be configured multiple ways (e.g. the bottom keyboard plucks two strings at a time and the top plucks just one). (MPR Photo/Jeff Horwich)

Many churches around Minnesota boast fine pipe organs. Most of them also have a piano they can wheel out for certain occasions. But rarely can a church add its own harpsichord to Sunday services. Bethlehem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud has just unveiled a meticulously crafted replica of one of the finest harpsichords ever made, and it turns out the fit between church music and harpsichord is more natural than you might think.

	Hand-painted biblical scene on the inside of the lid

St. Cloud, Minn. — The instrument is a hand-crafted copy of a 1740 Ruckers Harpsichord. With two keyboards and three sets of strings, the Ruckers was one of the last and most sophisticated harpsichords ever made. This 21st Century version debuted at a recent Christmas concert.

The concert displayed the versatility of the harpsichord. There was this solo piece, Handel's "Lesson in B-Flat Major." There was Bach's "Brandenburg Concerto No. 4", performed with chamber orchestra, and Vivaldi's "Gloria" with orchestra and choir.

Long-time church member Stan Larson commissioned and donated the instrument. He says the baroque music used in Lutheran services was always meant for harpsichord.

"In 1775 they were making the very last of the harpsichords," Larson said. "So Handel and Bach and those guys would have been surprised to see their music played on a piano, whereas we're used to that. So it's kind of a historical reference that I think is really good."

Whereas the small hammers in a piano make sound by pounding sets of strings, a harpsichord plucks them. The body of the instrument is basswood; the soundboard is sitka spruce. It is painted black, which would have been unusual for 18th Century France but matches the church's decor.

	Church members view their new instrument

Under the lid is a Swedish-style, hand-painted scene of Jesus entering Jerusalem.

The original Ruckers instrument still plays beautifully. With proper care, Larson says this one may last at least as long.

"This harp has the advantage of modern technology," he said. "It has better plucking devices, and much better strings than they had 300 years ago. And they also have made much better choices of wood, so I believe that this harpsichord is actually technically superior to the one that it's modeled after."

When it comes to keeping harpsichords in playing condition, the rule is "use it or lose it."

"It needs to be played every day," Larson said. "We've had volunteers coming in to play it. It's interesting that it takes years to break in a harpsichord, and it will sound better five years from now than it does now."

The instrument came in the form of a kit from the Connecticut-based Zuckerman company. Another church member, Jon Wittgraf, put in more than a thousand hours of assembly time. This was the second harpsichord made by the retired music teacher, so he knew the enemy of the harpsichords is unsteady humidity.

	Jon Wittgraf on recorder

Wittgraf is still a little nervous after one close call.

"The first thing they did was slide it over accidentally next to a heat vent," he said. "That knocked the relative humidity out, and she went right out of tune. So we're going to have to learn to put it in a place where we don't get variances in temperature."

"We're in Minnesota and we do get those."

The church caretakers have probably learned their lesson. At a replacement cost of more than $30,000, the harpsichord is worth a little tender loving care.

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