Edmund Handy - clavichord restorer

“I’m delighted with my Silbermann clavichord, which Edmund made for me in 2010 while I was preparing for a recording project. It’s reliable, responsive and rich-toned – an ideal practice instrument, though I’ve used it to great effect as a recital instrument, too.”

Professor John Irving (Trinity College of Music)

Edmund builds hand-made clavichords based closely on historical designs. His instruments draw on his experience both as an instrument maker and as a player, a balance that is especially critical for the clavichord.

At a casual glance the clavichord is an unsophisticated instrument, but in fact its subtle musical qualities rely on incredible attention to detail, accurate craftsmanship and an awareness of the relationship between instrument and player.

Clavichords

He likes to build instruments based on originals that he has inspected personally – for example his fretted late-18th century clavichord is based on an instrument attributed to Samuel Maetz that he restored on-site in the medieval Saxon town of Sighisoara in Romania.

Edmund was a founder committee member of the British Clavichord Society, and he was its chairman from 1998 to 2001.