[CAUT] Margaret Hood: Nov 18, 1937-June 7, 2008

[Scott E. Thile]

This is indeed very sad news. I regret I only new her through E-mail and her
books. She will be greatly missed, and has certainly left a legacy in the
great wealth of information and fine work. I'm very thankfully she gave so
much to the Worlds of music, art, and scholarship, and did it so willingly
and graciously.
 
Scott Thile

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jim
Busby
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 6:07 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fw: Margaret Hood: Nov 18, 1937-June 7, 2008



Oh No! She was truly one on the nicest, finest ladies I've ever met. I had
two opportunities to spend some time with her years ago. Never did I hear
her say an unkind word towards anyone. Her knowledge and experience were
vast and she was always willing to share this and help anyone who asked. Her
books on harpsichord and fortepiano are so easy to understand and follow.
"With her passing the world of music has suffered a loss of immense
proportions". Amen to that, and more. I will miss her.

 

Jim Busby

 


  _____  


From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Allen
Wright
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 4:31 PM
To: Ed Sutton; College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Fw: Margaret Hood: Nov 18, 1937-June 7, 2008

 

Ed,

 

This is sad indeed. 

 

Margaret was always extremely kind and generous to me in sharing her
knowledge via e-mails and phone calls when I was learning to take care of
the fortepiano collection at Oberlin. (Her book on fortepiano repair and
regulation is highly recommended, btw). Reading her obituary, it's clear
that she was a multi-faceted lady; I'm sorry that I didn't have the chance
to meet her in person, or learn about her other talents and interests.

 

Allen Wright

 

 

On Jun 12, 2008, at 11:05 PM, Ed Sutton wrote:





More sad news. ES

 

-------------- Forwarded Message: --------------

From: "C. E Hood" <hood at UWPLATT.EDU>

To: HPSCHD-L at listserv.albany.edu

Subject: Margaret Hood: Nov 18, 1937-June 7, 2008

Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:35:33 +0000

List Members,

  It is my unwelcome task to pass on the sad news that Margaret has died. An

obituary appears below.

  Ellsworth

 

MARGARET F. HOOD : Nov 19, 1937-June 7, 2008

 

 

-MARGARET F. HOOD, fortepiano and harpsichord designer and maker, died June
7,

2008. Margaret was born Nov. 19, 1937 in New York City and grew up in
Greenwich,

Connecticut.  She graduated from The Greenwich Academy in 1954 and continued
her

education at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, where she

pursued her interests in philosophy, religion and art.  Upon graduation from
Mt.

Holyoke in 1958, Margaret continued the pursuit of her intellectual and
academic

interests at the Pacific School of Religion (PSR) in Berkeley, California.
Along

with her academic work, Margaret did calligraphic and artifact restoration
work

for the Bade Archaeological Museum at PSR. At graduation in 1961, she was

awarded a Danforth Fellowship at Duke University for the following year.

    Margaret's youthful love of horses remained with her throughout her
life.

She developed her skills not only in riding but in training in the English

traditions of jumping, cross country and dressage. Boxes of ribbons attest
to

the level of her success in horsemanship.

    Margaret came from a family of painters and she continued the tradition
with

an extensive repertoire of styles and techniques.  She added to that
tradition

by applying her artistic talents and skills to the painting of

historically-appropriate paintings and decorations on the lids and
soundboards

of harpsichords.

    In the 1970s, Margaret began a career as a builder of
historically-correct

reproductions of early keyboard instruments: harpsichords, clavichords and

fortepianos. She was for a time an agent for Zuckerman Harpsichords and
then,

after extensive research in Europe and the US, she founded her own company,

Margaret Hood Fortepianos [http://fortepianos.pair.com]. She proceeded to
build

instruments of her own design, based on her research and analysis of
surviving

original instruments and the written records from the time in which the

instruments were built. Her instruments and her scholarship have earned her
a

national and international reputation as a builder of exceptionally fine

instruments, particularly reproductions of the pianos of Nannette Streicher,

whose instruments were highly praised by Beethoven and were his preferred
choice

to play in performance. Margaret also earned national and international

recognition among Beethoven scholars and early music performers for h!

 er research and publications with regard to Beethoven and the instruments
of

his time.  In addition, Margaret wrote and published two technical manuals,
one

on repair and maintenance of harpsichords, and one on repair and maintenance
of

fortepianos.

    In addition to her professional interests, Margaret enjoyed varied

activities, such as camping and canoeing with her family, gardening,
abundant

reading, debating politics, and socializing with the large circle of friends

drawn to her by her genuineness as a person, her energy, intelligence, quick

wit, and broad interests.

    Margaret was united in marriage with C. Ellsworth Hood in 1961.  She is

survived by her husband, Ellsworth, her daughter, Vivian Andrea, and her
son,

Thomas William. With her passing the world of music has suffered a loss of

immense proportions and her family a loss greater still.

    A private memorial celebration of Margaret and her life will be held by
the

family at a later date.

 

 

 



Allen Wright

London, UK

 

http://www.broadjam.com/akwright

 






 

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