The Saint Luke Harpsichord
The Saint Luke Harpsichord was purchased by the parish in 2002. It was given in loving memory of Pierre Alec Escandar through the generosity of the Escandar family. A formal description of the harpsichord follows:
A Flemish harpsichord by Lynette Tsiang of Boston, completed in 1987, serial number 17, single manual, transposing, GG-e''', with two eight-foot registers and buff stop, strung in soft iron wire and brass, keyboard covered with bone naturals and stained fruitwood sharps; exterior of case painted in panels of very dark red, with surrounding bands of grey and narrow separating stripes of trompe l'oeil; interior of case covered with Flemish papers in the keywell, nameboard and soundboard surround areas; the soundboard decorated by Sheridan Germann of Boston with birds, fruits and flowers, arabesques and scalloped borders and a cherub and seraph flanking an actual gilded rose in the Ruckers style containing the builder's initials LT; the lid, flap and removable fallboard covered on the interior surfaces with moire papers, which bear painted Latin mottoes surrounded with arabesques and on the exterior surfaces with painted panels similar to the rest of the case; the whole sitting on a simple turned Flemish trestle stand painted a very dark and unobtrusive blue-grey.
The harpsichord is featured regularly in some of our most popular concerts, including the annual 'Sing-along' presentation of Handel's Messiah. This event is generally held close to the holiday season and, beyond the regular audience members, often draws hundreds of choir members and singers, professional and amateur alike, from the Washington, D.C. area. In addition, our concert series frequently presents Baroque chamber ensembles as well as harpsichord soloists, who enjoy the use of the instrument.
A Flemish harpsichord by Lynette Tsiang of Boston, completed in 1987, serial number 17, single manual, transposing, GG-e''', with two eight-foot registers and buff stop, strung in soft iron wire and brass, keyboard covered with bone naturals and stained fruitwood sharps; exterior of case painted in panels of very dark red, with surrounding bands of grey and narrow separating stripes of trompe l'oeil; interior of case covered with Flemish papers in the keywell, nameboard and soundboard surround areas; the soundboard decorated by Sheridan Germann of Boston with birds, fruits and flowers, arabesques and scalloped borders and a cherub and seraph flanking an actual gilded rose in the Ruckers style containing the builder's initials LT; the lid, flap and removable fallboard covered on the interior surfaces with moire papers, which bear painted Latin mottoes surrounded with arabesques and on the exterior surfaces with painted panels similar to the rest of the case; the whole sitting on a simple turned Flemish trestle stand painted a very dark and unobtrusive blue-grey.
The harpsichord is featured regularly in some of our most popular concerts, including the annual 'Sing-along' presentation of Handel's Messiah. This event is generally held close to the holiday season and, beyond the regular audience members, often draws hundreds of choir members and singers, professional and amateur alike, from the Washington, D.C. area. In addition, our concert series frequently presents Baroque chamber ensembles as well as harpsichord soloists, who enjoy the use of the instrument.
