Labour of love is music to the ears

Think of harpsichords and images of Bach, Handel and Vivaldi spring to mind. But Paul Hobson from Walsall has spent 15 years building one of the instruments that was popular around 300 years ago.

"You would have only found a harpsichord in concert halls around Europe and the most upper-crust homes," says Paul, aged 44.

"Some big houses around Europe have broken ones because they were not very strong – they are mainly museum pieces. "A working one is very rare."

Paul is senior instrumental technician at Forest Arts Centre in Walsall and controls the 3,000 musical instruments on loan to schools in the town.

He had been thinking about making a harpsichord in his spare time and 15 years ago managed to secure funding for the project.

"I thought it would be good to have an instrument like this, so firstly I looked at buying one but it would have cost at least £15,000," he said.

"I wanted one available to schools in Walsall as I knew it would give children a completely different experience.

"Children learn about harpsichords but often they have never seen one, I believe it is important that they get the opportunity to play one.

"I started working on it 15 years ago when the Federation of Walsall Musicians said they would pay for the project.

"Luckily we have some good keyboard players at schools in the authority and they will now have the chance to play a harpsichord."

The harpsichord was widely used in Baroque music but became less popular following the invention of the piano, but is still used in contemporary music due to its distinctive sound.

The first music written specifically for solo harpsichord was published around the early 16th century.

Favourite tunes included the Dance Suite, the Fantasia and the Fugue.

Paul says he wasn't worried about taking on such a unique project as he is used to working with musical instruments. "I have worked for the music department of Walsall council for 24 years and also repair and purchase instruments," he says.

"I made a clavichord when I was at college, which is a lot smaller than a harpsichord.

"When I decided that I would make the harpsichord I actually bought a kit.

"However, it didn't have everything in it – it was just the parts you needed such as a manual, plans, strings, sound board and jacks.

"I had to make the keys and the case but I have restored grand pianos in the past so I was used to it.

"Other priorities have cropped up over the last years, which meant the harpsichord idea was shelved for a while.

"At the end of last year I brought it back out and decided to veneer it.

"Before it is finished, which should be in September, the legs will be painted dark red, which is their traditional colour."

The instrument, which is called a French Double Manual Harpsichord, has two keyboards, called manuals, and each keyboard has five octaves.

There are 189 strings, compared to 288 on a piano, and it is around 8ft long.

"Even though we have five grand pianos at the centre I think we will be surprised by how much use the harpsichord will get," says Paul. It can be used for concerts and recitals and we hope to eventually have it in the Town Hall. "When the piano was invented they found that you actually got a better sound when the string is hit rather than plucked, which is why the harpsichord fell out of favour.

"However, someone who plays the piano should be able to go straight to a harpsichord. You get a lot more variety from a harpsichord because you connect-up different strings.

"Children are used to hearing the sound of a harpsichord when they press a button on their keyboard – but this is about giving them the real experience.

"Hearing the wonderful sound of a harpsichord is an experience you can never get from an electric instrument.

Maybe my harpsichord will help some future Bachs of Vivaldis in Walsall to blossom."

By Cathy Spencer.