David Jacques Way
Encyclopedia
David Jacques Way was an American harpsichord
maker.
in North Carolina in its earliest days, where he gained his lifelong interest in graphic design and typography. His first commercial venture was the establishment in 1938 of Grafix Press in nearby Lake Eden, with fellow Black Mountain College student Emil Willimetz. After leaving the College, he began his working life as a fine-arts printer and publisher. In 1953, he entered partnership with the graphic designer Bertram L. Clarke to form Clarke & Way, consolidating a collaboration which was began four years previously with work on the production of the twelve volume catalog of the Frick Collection
.
in the late 1960s, Way wrote the "Appendix—By a Harpsichord Kit Builder" for Zuckermann's book The Modern Harpsichord, which was published in 1969 by Way's own company October House Inc. When Zuckermann prepared to leave the United States soon afterwards, Way sensed a career change, purchased Zuckermann Harpsichords Inc and moved its premises from New York City to the historic seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut
.
Beginning his evolution of new harpsichord designs based on more historic principles of construction, Way visited European museums and engaged William Hyman—one of the highly regarded American harpsichord makers in Zuckermann's book—as consultant and teacher. The rapid development of the historic harpsichord in this decade was fuelled by the popularity of the harpsichord kit, produced by several companies including Zuckermann and the Boston-based Hubbard Harpsichords Inc.
During the 1970s, Way gradually abandoned the more usual modern materials of plywood, hard steel wire and zither tuning pins. At this time, Stonington was the prototype and custom instrument shop while the Zuckermann kits were mass-produced by a facility in Philadelphia. When William Hyman died unexpectedly in 1976, Way was charged with the posthumous completion of several outstanding orders with the assistance of Hyman's last apprentice John Bennett, who remained in Stonington to preside over a dozen workers as foreman through 1990.
Way developed a large network of domestic and international Agents who liaised with musicians and distributed the instruments and kits worldwide. In 1983, Stonington took over full-time production of smaller runs of the Zuckermann kits, while continuing to complete the custom-finished instruments signed D. Jacques Way. In the late 1980s he formalised his cross-Atlantic partnership with French harpsichord maker Marc Ducornet, after which many instruments were signed D. Jacques Way & Marc Ducornet.
He died of a heart attack in his workshop on February 4, 1994.
As a master instrument maker, he was always perfecting his craft and focused on the sound of his instruments:
(who has said of his instrument "it is modelled somewhat after Hemsch, but the sound is completely David Way"). Harpsichord makers who David Way mentored include Carey Beebe
, Marc Ducornet, Kevin Fryer, Edward Kottick, Gerald Self and Kevin Spindler. Several of Way's designs are still produced by Zuckermann Harpsichords International, which continues today under the direction of Richard Auber. Way's legacy is also his encouragement of the thousands of amateur musicians and people from all walks of life who discovered the harpsichord through building their own instrument from a Zuckermann kit.
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
maker.
Early life
Born in Elk Creek, Nebraska, Way was educated at Black Mountain CollegeBlack Mountain College
Black Mountain College, a school founded in 1933 in Black Mountain, North Carolina, was a new kind of college in the United States in which the study of art was seen to be central to a liberal arts education, and in which John Dewey's principles of education played a major role...
in North Carolina in its earliest days, where he gained his lifelong interest in graphic design and typography. His first commercial venture was the establishment in 1938 of Grafix Press in nearby Lake Eden, with fellow Black Mountain College student Emil Willimetz. After leaving the College, he began his working life as a fine-arts printer and publisher. In 1953, he entered partnership with the graphic designer Bertram L. Clarke to form Clarke & Way, consolidating a collaboration which was began four years previously with work on the production of the twelve volume catalog of the Frick Collection
Frick Collection
The Frick Collection is an art museum located in Manhattan, New York City, United States.- History :It is housed in the former Henry Clay Frick House, which was designed by Thomas Hastings and constructed in 1913-1914. John Russell Pope altered and enlarged the building in the early 1930s to adapt...
.
Harpsichord maker
Way came to harpsichord making relatively late in his life. After having built a harpsichord kit by Wolfgang ZuckermannWolfgang Zuckermann
Wolfgang Joachim Zuckermann is a harpsichord maker, author and environmental and social activist. He was born in Berlin, became an American citizen in 1938 and has lived in France since 1995....
in the late 1960s, Way wrote the "Appendix—By a Harpsichord Kit Builder" for Zuckermann's book The Modern Harpsichord, which was published in 1969 by Way's own company October House Inc. When Zuckermann prepared to leave the United States soon afterwards, Way sensed a career change, purchased Zuckermann Harpsichords Inc and moved its premises from New York City to the historic seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut
Stonington, Connecticut
The Town of Stonington is located in New London County, Connecticut, in the state's southeastern corner. It includes the borough of Stonington, the villages of Pawcatuck, Lords Point, Wequetequock, the eastern halves of the villages of Mystic and Old Mystic...
.
Beginning his evolution of new harpsichord designs based on more historic principles of construction, Way visited European museums and engaged William Hyman—one of the highly regarded American harpsichord makers in Zuckermann's book—as consultant and teacher. The rapid development of the historic harpsichord in this decade was fuelled by the popularity of the harpsichord kit, produced by several companies including Zuckermann and the Boston-based Hubbard Harpsichords Inc.
During the 1970s, Way gradually abandoned the more usual modern materials of plywood, hard steel wire and zither tuning pins. At this time, Stonington was the prototype and custom instrument shop while the Zuckermann kits were mass-produced by a facility in Philadelphia. When William Hyman died unexpectedly in 1976, Way was charged with the posthumous completion of several outstanding orders with the assistance of Hyman's last apprentice John Bennett, who remained in Stonington to preside over a dozen workers as foreman through 1990.
Way developed a large network of domestic and international Agents who liaised with musicians and distributed the instruments and kits worldwide. In 1983, Stonington took over full-time production of smaller runs of the Zuckermann kits, while continuing to complete the custom-finished instruments signed D. Jacques Way. In the late 1980s he formalised his cross-Atlantic partnership with French harpsichord maker Marc Ducornet, after which many instruments were signed D. Jacques Way & Marc Ducornet.
He died of a heart attack in his workshop on February 4, 1994.
Philosophy
Way did not try to make exact copies of old instruments but rather learn from historical makers:As a master instrument maker, he was always perfecting his craft and focused on the sound of his instruments:
Legacy
Harpsichords by David Way remain in regular use in many educational institutions and by orchestras worldwide, and are played by many leading harpsichordists including Trevor PinnockTrevor Pinnock
Trevor David Pinnock CBE is an English conductor, harpsichordist, and occasional organist and pianist.He is best known for his association with the period-performance orchestra The English Concert which he helped found and directed from the keyboard for over 30 years in baroque and early classical...
(who has said of his instrument "it is modelled somewhat after Hemsch, but the sound is completely David Way"). Harpsichord makers who David Way mentored include Carey Beebe
Carey Beebe
Carey Beebe, born in Melbourne in 1960, is an Australian harpsichord maker and technician.-Early training and work:After studies at the Sydney Conservatorium where his teachers included Gordon Watson and Robert Goode, Beebe graduated with a music degree as a harpsichord major and three performance...
, Marc Ducornet, Kevin Fryer, Edward Kottick, Gerald Self and Kevin Spindler. Several of Way's designs are still produced by Zuckermann Harpsichords International, which continues today under the direction of Richard Auber. Way's legacy is also his encouragement of the thousands of amateur musicians and people from all walks of life who discovered the harpsichord through building their own instrument from a Zuckermann kit.
External links
- http://zhi.net/technical/index.shtml David Jacques Way on harpsichord building and related matters — at the Zuckermann Harpsichords International website
- http://www.hpschd.nu/plain-talk.html Plain Talk About Funny Harpsichords — 1982 essay by David Jacques Way
- http://www.ateliermarcducornet.com/ewlc.html Homage to David Way by Marc Ducornet