"Double-manual harpsichord"

Double-manual harpsichord | Ioannes Ruckers | 1638

Double-manual harpsichord. Photo by Digital Imaging Unit Photograph © The University of Edinburgh

Ioannes Ruckers didn’t make a mistake when he failed to align the two keyboards on this harpsichord. At the time the two sets of keys were never expected to be played together. When fashion and music tastes changed, owners upgraded their instruments so they could play two keyboards at the same time. This is the only known example of a 17th-century double-keyboard harpsichord that has survived with its original, unaligned keyboards.This is a very important instrument in that it is the only surviving example of an unaltered transposing double-manual harpsichord which retains its keyboards,and therefore is important for the study of the history of keyboard instruments. It originally had four sets of jacks and two sets of strings, with the lower manual a fourth lower in pitch than the upper. Because the instrument retains many original features which would be lost in restoration, it will be conserved in its present state. The outer decoration is not original, nor is the rose which appears to be an Italian replacement. (Raymond Russell Collection).

Harpsichord

Instrument Data

Instrument Information

Title

Double-manual harpsichord

Accession Number

4306

Collection

MIMEd; Raymond Russell Collection

Date Information

Date Made

1638

Period

17th century; 1630s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Binks Gallery

Case

Copies and Counterfeits

Maker Information

Maker Name

Ioannes Ruckers

Maker Biography

Ioannes Ruckers was born in 1578. He was the eldest of Hans Ruckers children and took over his father’s workshop when he died in c.1598. He initially carried on the business with his younger brother. The brothers separated in c.1605 and Ioannes retained his father’s workshop for building keyboard instruments. Ioannes married Maria Walrant in 1604 and had three daughters but no male heirs. When his wife died in 1613 he took on his nephew Ioannes Couchet to continue the instrument building business. In addition to keyboard instrument building he tuned several church organs in Antwerp including the Cathedral organ.

Made In

City

Antwerp

Country

Belgium

Description

Technical Description

Technical description: Double-manual transposing Flemish harpsichord. Compass: upper manual 45 notes C₁/E₁ - C₆ [CC/EE - c'''] at standard Ruckers pitch; lower manual 50 notes C₁/E₁ - F₆ (CC/EE - f''') aligned so that F₁-F₆ play the same strings as the upper manual keys C₁-C₆. Two sets of strings (now removed) 1 × 8-ft, 1 × 4-ft, played from both manuals, 4 registers. Signature/Marks: Inscribed on name batten "IOANNES RUCKERS FECIT ANTVERPIAE". Decoration: Fine lid painting of a landscape with figures. The printed papers above the keys, around the soundboard and across the jackrail are original. The original rose is lost and its replacement appears to be Italian. The original keyboards have survived: natural keyplates bone, accidental keyplates bog oak. Repair History: Neither the outer case decoration nor the stand are original. Technichal drawing available from the Friends of St Cecilia's Hall. Please see http://www.stceciliasfriends.org.uk/

Provenance

Bought by Raymond Russell before 1956 from Mrs Lotta van Buren Bizallion (who lent it to Yale University); sold by Sir Bernhard Samuelson in 1915; owned by E.|Spence, Florence, before 1896.; Gift of Mrs Gilbert Russell, 1964.

Classification