Double Manual Harpsichord by Robert Goble, 1952 (Previously Owned by Millicent Silver)
Worldwide Shipping
We ship our entire catalogue all over the world, fully tracked and insured, and in time for Christmas!
PO Ref. PO1477S
Double Manual Harpsichord by Robert Goble, 1952 (Previously Owned by Millicent Silver). Fully restored by Peter Barnes in 2024.
This fine double-manual concert harpsichord by the Oxford maker Robert Goble was the property of the renowned harpsichordist and pianist Millicent Silver. It was built in 1952 to Millicent Silver’s requirements and represents an important stage in the post-war revival in Britain of interest in the harpsichord and its repertoire. Foot pedals control the various registers of the instrument but otherwise it is constructed entirely of wood. It is not to be confused with the massive iron-framed harpsichords built by Thomas Goff which were widely used by some leading British players in the 1950s and 1960s.
By the late 1940s it had become obvious that Millicent’s busy schedule required an instrument that would stand up better to the rigours of touring. She persuaded Robert Goble to build for her the magnificent double-manual harpsichord which she received in 1952 and used for the rest of her life. This instrument was the prototype of a model loosely known as “Goble Eight”, of which Goble subsequently sold dozens to institutions and players in Britain and abroad. It acquired its nickname because Millicent Silver had persuaded Goble that extending the seven-foot instruments which he was then making by an extra foot would greatly improve resonance, particularly in the bass register.