Cathal Gannon
(1910-1999)
CLAVICHORD, begun in 1948.
Using ‘bad photographs and
descriptions’, Cathal attempted to make a clavichord but left it unfinished. He
completed it in the late 1950s or early 1960s and gave it to the musician John
Beckett, who practised on it whilst recovering from a car accident in hospital.
For some time it was in the music department of King’s Hospital, Palmerstown,
Dublin and is now in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin. It has four and
a half octaves, the construction is basic and the wood is plain and unpainted.
FIRST HARPSICHORD, 1951 - 52
Based on an 1777 instrument by
Jacob and Abraham Kirckman in the Benton Fletcher Collection of Early Keyboard
Instruments, Fenton House, Hampstead in London (originally at Cheyne Walk,
Chelsea). Featuring two manuals and ‘dog-legged’ jacks, Cathal made his
instrument shorter than the original, which was 7’ 9”. Painted in black and
Dutch orange with the motto ‘Musica magnorum est solamen dulce laborum’ (Music
is the sweet solace of work) on the lid. Following Kirckman’s usual colour
scheme, the naturals on the keyboard were covered in white Celluloid and the
accidentals in black. The soundboard was made of Sitka spruce. Having examined
a Dolmetsch harpsichord, which Radio Éireann (the Irish national radio station)
had purchased, Cathal modified the work that he had done, then corrected it
after hearing a talk on the radio given by Raymond Russell. It is now in
storage at the Collins Barracks branch of the National Museum of Ireland.
Compass:
5 octaves, F1 to f3.
Registration: 8’ top, 8’ bottom,
4’ bottom, Lute top, Harp (Buff) top, Harp (Buff) bottom; coupler.
Case (excluding lid): length 7’
3” (2235 mm), width 3’ ½” (927 mm), depth 1’ (305 mm).
CLAVICHORD, 1952
This instrument was an
improvement on the first but still not up to Cathal’s standard. It was made
using plans printed in Newnes Practical Mechanics, September 1949 and
the Woodworker magazine in 1950. The clavichord, veneered in mahogany,
was given to a colleague in the Guinness Brewery in about 1960.
VIRGINAL, c. 1959
Based on a 1664 instrument by
Robert Hatley in the Benton Fletcher Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments,
Fenton House, Hampstead. As Cathal did not like it, he gave it to a friend.
HARPSICHORD No. 2, 1962
Based on a Kirckman harpsichord
of 1772 discovered in Townley Hall the previous year. Configured in the same
manner as the first harpsichord, this instrument was an exact copy of the
Kirckman, which was in very poor condition. Cathal’s instrument was given a
handsome mahogany case. Contrary to Kirckman’s usual practice, the naturals on
the keyboard were covered in ebony and the accidentals in ivory. The scaling
and plucking points of the jacks, the thickness of the soundboard and the
positions of the bridges were all carefully copied from the Townley Hall
instrument. Cathal’s instrument was used as a model for subsequent harpsichords
made in the Guinness Brewery and was kept at home until 1972, when it was
purchased by the Guinness Brewery and donated to the Gardner Centre, University
of Sussex, England, where it still remains.
HARPSICHORD No. 3, 1964 - 5
Using the 1772 Kirckman
instrument as a model, Cathal constructed this elegant instrument in the
Guinness Brewery. It was donated to the Royal Irish Academy of Music in April,
1965. Following the pattern of the former instrument, the jacks were made of
holly and the plectra of Delrin plastic. The soundboard was made of silver
spruce and the case was decorated with tulip, mahogany and rosewood. The
instrument remains in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin, and is kept in
the Cathal Gannon Early Music Room.
Compass:
5 octaves, F1 to f3.
Registration: 8’ top, 8’ bottom,
4’ bottom, Lute top, Harp (Buff) top (also available on bottom).
Case (excluding lid): length 7’
9” (2362 mm), width 3’ 17/8” (962 mm), depth 1’ (305 mm).
HARPSICHORD No. 4, 1965
Constructed in the Guinness Brewery,
this instrument was sold to Harrods of London, where it was displayed during
the Irish Promotion Month in August. Cathal made this instrument two and a half
inches longer than the original in order to improve the quality of the bass.
The lowest strings of the four foot stop were also longer than the original
model. The case was veneered with panels of Cuban mahogany, cross banded with
Honduras mahogany and inlaid with ebony and boxwood stringing. The keyboard
surround was veneered with panels of burr walnut, cross banded with tulip wood.
In private ownership, UK.
HARPSICHORDS Nos 5 - 7, 1965 -
67
1965 - 67: Starting on 15th
November, 1965, Cathal built three plain walnut copies of the 1772 Kirckman
harpsichord, with added manual couplers. These are detailed below.
HARPSICHORD No. 5
1966 (September): First of above
copies, sold to Radio Éireann on 20th September. RTÉ (the Irish national radio
and television station) still owns this instrument.
HARPSICHORD No. 6
1967 (end of June): Second of
above copies; in private ownership.
HARPSICHORD No. 7
1967 (November): Third of above
copies sold to the conductor, musician and harpsichordist John Beckett, who
subsequently sold the instrument when he moved to London. Now in private
ownership.
HARPSICHORDS Nos 8 - 14, 1972 –
74
1972 (September): Cathal began
making seven single-manual Italian-style harpsichords, based on a Zuckermann
kit assembled and loaned by a friend.. The keyboards were bought from Pyne’s of
London. Sold to Cathal’s friends.
Compass:
4½ octaves: 54 notes (one extra added by Cathal), B1 to e3.
Registration: 2 x 8’.
Case (excluding lid and
mouldings): length 6’ (1829 mm), width 32 15/16” (837
mm), depth 8” (203 mm).
HARPSICHORD No. 8: Made for
David Lee. This instrument was later sold to Malcolm Proud and subsequently
sold again. In private ownership.
HARPSICHORD No. 9: In private
ownership, Dublin.
HARPSICHORD No. 10: In private
ownership, Dublin.
HARPSICHORD No. 11: Made for the
Dublin Baroque Players.
HARPSICHORD No. 12: In private
ownership, Dublin.
HARPSICHORD No. 13: In private
ownership, Dublin.
HARPSICHORD No. 14: In private
ownership, Dublin.
HARPSICHORDS Nos. 15 – 17, 1974
- 76
In November, 1974, Cathal began
the construction of three copies of a Pascal Taskin harpsichord, 1769, housed
in the Russell Collection, Edinburgh. Frank Hubbard’s book Three Centuries
of Harpsichord Making and other sources were used as references, for he
never saw the original instrument. All were painted a delicate shade of green,
like the original, with lines made of gold leaf. All had two manuals, 2 x 8’, 1
x 4’ and a buff stop.
Compass:
5 octaves, F1 to g3.
Registration: 8’ top, 8’ bottom,
4’ bottom, Harp (Buff) top, Harp (Buff) bottom. Coupler – top manual slides
forward.
Case (excluding lid): length 7’
7” (2311 mm), width 3’ 1½” (952 mm), depth 11 11/16” (297
mm).
HARPSICHORD No. 15 (1976): With
decorated soundboard and hand-made jacks. See
photo.
HARPSICHORD No. 16 (1976): With
plain soundboard; made for the harpsichordist Emer Buckley, who sold the
instrument. In private ownership.
HARPSICHORD No. 17 (1976): In
private ownership, Dublin.
FORTEPIANO, 1976 - 1980
In April, 1976, Cathal began to
assemble a Frank Hubbard fortepiano kit, modelled on an instrument by Andreas
Stein, which was shipped from Boston. Cathal added a fine mahogany case.
Although completed in late 1978, modifications were made to the hammers and
hammer shanks in 1980 and the name plate was added.
HARPSICHORDS Nos 18 – 20, 1977 –
86
Three simplified versions of the
Pascal Taskin model with one manual and 2 x 8’ stops.
Compass:
5 octaves, F1 to f3.
Registration: 2 x 8’, Harp
(Buff).
Case (excluding lid): length 7’
2½” (2197 mm), width 3610/16” (930 mm), depth 11 12/16”
(298 mm).
HARPSICHORD No. 18, 1977
Built for and sold to Mr Norman
Finlay, who subsequently sold the instrument. In private ownership, Northern
Ireland.
HARPSICHORD No. 19, 1977
The same simplified Taskin
model, donated to Trinity College Dublin by the Russian cellist Mstislav
Rostropovich, who was conferred with an honorary degree in December, 1977. The
instrument remains in TCD.
HARPSICHORD No. 20, 1979 - 86
A painted soundboard was
installed after the case was made, but the instrument was not completed until
1986. In private ownership, Dublin.
HARPSICHORDS Nos. 21 - 24, 1979
- 1992
Up until now, Cathal had been
working on three simplified single-manual Taskin models and one full-size
double manual Taskin, which he never completed. He only made the cases, which
were stored on their sides. They were finally shipped to Mr Patrick Horsley of
Derbyshire, England, who finished them.
HARPSICHORD No. 21, 1986
In September, one of the three
single-manual Taskin models, completed by Patrick Horsley, was brought to
Dublin. In May, 1987 it was presented to Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth
along with an 1827 Clementi grand piano, which Cathal had restored. The
inauguration was marked with a recital by Malcolm Proud, who played both
instruments. The instrument remains in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
HARPSICHORD No. 22, 1986
A single-manual Taskin model with red and black case, completed by Patrick
Horsley, who kept the instrument for a year or two and then sold it. In private
ownership, UK.
HARPSICHORD No. 23, 1987
Double-manual Taskin model with blue and black case, with seven-sided legs and
seven-sided stars (the so-called ‘Seal of Solomon’) painted on the soundboard,
inscribed GANNON HORSLEY 1987. In private ownership, London.
HARPSICHORD No. 24, 1992
Single-manual Taskin model with red and black case, inscribed GANNON HORSLEY
1992. In private ownership, UK.
For
details of the antique pianos restored by Cathal Gannon, read Charles Gannon’s
biography of his father, ‘Cathal Gannon – The Life and Times of a Dublin
Craftsman 1910-1999’. For more details, click here.