John D. Shortridge

Name: Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries
Author: John D. Shortridge

Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

Summary

“Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries”, is a work by John D. Shortridge. It explores elements such as harpsichord, pitch and string.

Quotes from Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries (John D. Shortridge)

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ By using the term polygonal virginal we can distinguish, when necessary, the five-sided Italian model from the rectangular instruments usually produced in northern Europe. Some rectangular virginals were made in Italy; one Flemish polygonal virginal, made by the elder Hans Ruckers in 1591, survives. Long instruments, resembling the grand piano in shape, are called harpsichords. Of course it is understood that both types of virginals as well as the spinet and the harpsichord were keyed chordophones employing the plucking action of jacks and plectra. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ Since a uniform standard of pitch did not yet exist in the 16th and 17th centuries, we would expect the string lengths employed to be varied somewhat in order to accommodate the instruments to higher or lower tunings. Also, a preference for the sound of thinner, longer wires or shorter, thicker ones may have caused some builders to increase or decrease the string lengths on their instruments in proportion to the string diameters chosen. We have no precise evidence concerning the original wire gauges of the strings of Italian harpsichords and virginals. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ Since both of these types have basically the same arrangement of keyboard, wrest plank, hitch pins, strings and jacks, and since both types were known as virginals in 17th-century England, it is logical to reserve the term spinet for another kind of instrument, namely the one with the wrest plank and tuning pins in front over the keyboard, and with the strings stretched diagonally. Such instruments were popular in England in the late 17th and early 18th centuries and were known in English as spinets during the period of their popularity. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ PERHAPS the modern tendency to idealize progress has been responsible for the neglect of Italian harpsichords and virginals during the present day revival of interest in old musical instruments. Whatever laudable traits the Italian builders may have had, they cannot be considered to have been progressive. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ The apparent treble range of the lower keyboard was therefore extended to f ́ ́ ́, although the lower f ́ ́ ́ and upper c ́ ́ ́ keys worked on the same strings and produced the same pitch. Room was also made for five extra bass keys at the lower end of the upper manual. However, since short octave tuning was employed and it was desirable to be able to use the same fingering in the bass on both manuals, the tails of the C/E, D/F# and E/G# keys of the upper manual had to be bent to the left in order to work on the strings played by the F, G, and A keys respectively of the lower manual. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ Projecting from the back of each key is a small sliver of wood which rides in its proper saw cut and serves to guide the key. The natural keys are veneered with boxwood and have arcaded boxwood fronts. The sharps are small blocks of hardwood stained black.
The sides, soundboard, ribs, jacks, guide, jackrail, and mouldings are made of cypress, the wrest plank and bridges are of walnut, and the framework, bottom, keys, and key frame are of pine. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ The jack guides are built up of spacer blocks held together by thin strips along the sides. There is now no provision for moving the guides, although plugged-up holes visible in the right end of each guide suggest that they originally could be disengaged. ”

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Source: Gutenberg

John D. Shortridge, Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries

“ The keys do not drop far enough to touch the key frame, but instead are stopped by the jacks striking the jack rail.
Figure 4.—Cross section of polygonal virginal. a, side; b, bottom; c, knee; d, liner; e, soundboard; f, rib; g, bridge; h string; i, jack rail. Scale, 1:2.
The keyboard has an apparent compass of four octaves and one note from E to f ́ ́ ́. Short octave tuning would have extended the compass down a major third to C in the bass, with the E key sounding C, the F# key sounding D, the G# key sounding E, and the remaining keys sounding their proper pitches. ”

John D. Shortridge

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Quotes from Italian Harpsichord-Building in the 16th and 17th Centuries (John D. Shortridge)

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