Replica of 1624 Flemish harpsichord sings with lovely and robust tones

By Melinda Bargreen
Seattle Times music critic

	MIKE SIEGEL / THE SEATTLE TIMES Jillon Stoppels Dupree's double-manual harpsichord was handcrafted by a builder in San Francisco.
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What exactly is a harpsichord? A forerunner of the modern piano, it was in wide use from the 15th through 18th centuries, and has come back in the 20th century to a new popularity. This keyboard instrument exists in several different forms, usually with either single or double manuals (keyboards). But the piano and harpsichord really are members of different families: the piano technically is a percussion instrument, with the player depressing a key that trips a hammer, striking the metal strings. With a harpsichord, depressing the key causes a plectrum (originally a bird's quill) to pluck the string on its way up, and to dampen the sound when the key is released.

Composers such as Bach, Handel, Vivaldi, Couperin, Scarlatti and their contemporaries wrote their keyboard music for the harpsichord (or the organ, which is even older than the harpsichord). In the past 30 to 40 years, an authentic-instruments renaissance has spawned a lot of new contemporary music for this instrument, too, including a Philip Glass concerto that premiered last season at the Northwest Chamber Orchestra.

Concert information "Scottish Folk Meets Baroque," presented by Gallery Concerts, featuring harpsichordist Jillon Stoppels Dupree and violinist Richard Gwilt. 8 p.m. Saturday, Town Hall, Eighth Avenue at Seneca, downtown Seattle. $22, discounts available for seniors and students (206-726-6088, or online at www.galleryconcerts.org.)

Dupree played that premiere. You've also heard her in many other local performances, from Seattle Symphony concerts to presentations of the Early Music Guild, but most of all at Gallery Concerts (where she is co-director with George Bozarth). Now, most of her performances will feature the new instrument, a double-manual harpsichord built by San Francisco maker Kevin Fryer. It's a copy of an instrument in Colmar, France, made by one of the most revered of the Flemish makers, Joannes Ruckers (d. 1643).

The instrument has a lovely sound, surprisingly robust and with a great deal of tonal variety between the upper and lower manuals. These can be played separately or coupled together with a device that allows notes on both keyboards to sound when only the lower keyboard is played. An additional higher octave also can be engaged, adding to the instrument's versatility.

"It's wonderful for Bach," says Dupree, running her hand over the keys, "and wonderful for Couperin. I'm so happy with it."

Added to the beauty of the tone is the elaborate decoration, courtesy of painter Adrian Card. The scrollwork around the manuals is intricate and lovely, but what really draws the eye are the details of the case painting. Inspired by Dutch still-life painting of the period (17th century), Card also added several Northwest touches to the dark red-toned case — from birds to a sly little slug.

The scrollwork around the manual is intricate with details of the case painting inspired by Dutch still-life painting of the 17th century.

Not surprisingly, it was another harpsichord that brought together Dupree and her husband, former harpsichord builder Anderson Dupree (he now works for Microsoft). When she was in high school in Grand Rapids, Mich., he came over with another builder to look at her harpsichord. He ended up looking at her, too — but they didn't really click until seven years later, after Jillon Dupree had studied in Amsterdam (with the renowned Gustav Leonhardt) and returned to the United States.

Her concert career has spanned London, Krakow, New York, Amsterdam, Boston and Los Angeles, with live performances on TV stations in several countries. She has taught at the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music (her alma mater), the University of Washington, the University of Michigan, Northwest Center for Early Music Studies and the Cornish College of the Arts.

A tall, elegant blonde, she is the mother of Nicholas, 14, and Sarah, 7, and she's readying a set of J. H. Fiocco works for an upcoming solo recording on the Centaur label. Her lucky harpsichord students get their lessons on the Colmar Ruckers replica instrument.

You can hear and see it in Saturday's Gallery Concerts program, called "Scottish Folk Meets Baroque."

Dupree will be featured with violinist Richard Gwilt, a 20-year member of London Baroque, in instrumental variations on Scottish songs and other works demonstrating the synthesis of Scottish and Italian styles.

They'll also play music of Corelli, Castello and Veracini, plus two works of J.S. Bach — Prelude in G Major (BMV 902) and Violin-Harpsichord Sonata in G Major (BMV 1019).

"This program will be a great way to hear the instrument," Dupree says, "because there is quite a bit of solo harpsichord, and very varied repertoire."

Note: Gallery Concerts continues one of the most commendable of all educational policies: children 7-14 are admitted free, on a one-to-one basis with a paying adult.

Melinda Bargreen: mbargreen@seattletimes.com.

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