Lunchtime Concert I: Léon Berben on the Replica of the Ruckers Hapsichord

Léon Berben, tutored on the harpsichord and organ in Amsterdam and The Hague by the greatest names in his field, such as Gustav Leonhardt and Ton Koopman, is no stranger to Halle. His great passion is the harpsichord, of which he has grown into a true master. His playing is technically flawless, brilliant, virtuoso, and excitingly fresh. He will be playing a replica of the Ruckers harpsichord, built by the workshop of Dietrich Hein of Oldenburg (2016-18). This two-manual harpsichord, built after the Antwerp harpsichord-building style, is an attempt to reproduce the sound of the original Ruckers instrument of 1599 in the “Historical Musical Instruments” exhibition in Handel House, which has not been playable for some time.