Clavicytherium

Clavicytherium name masc. clavicytheriums plur. or clavicytheria (of Latin, therefore without accent). Instrument with sautereau X of the family of the harpsichords. For memory: virginal, Harpsichord, Virginal, Muselaar, Ottavino.

The clavicytherium is a right harpsichord whose trunk is vertical and the keyboard like usually harpsichord. At the 16th century the aspect is close to a portable organ. At the 18th century, the piece of furniture can take the aspect of a cupboard or a retable when the doors are open. The instrument is posed on a table or has its own mounting. The instrument is built exactly like a current harpsichord.

The advantage of clavicytherium is not only to take little place, but especially to offer a very close hearing for the Claveciniste.

Mechanism

It is guessed that the mechanism is with a reference between the keyboard and the sautereaux ones. This reference evolved/moved during these four centuries:

  • of a simple apparatus in hook among Italian, the tail of the key is in “U” to return towards oneself, the strip is inserted directly in this return.

  • then of a square independent of the keyboard, true a sautereau is attached and articulated in the square.
  • then the instrument growing with a unison, the sautereaux ones are coupled per pairs and the distance keyboard square is crossed by a pilot or small cane (Delin 1752)
  • the clavicytherium can be replaced in horizontal position or vertical (Rouaud 1990)
In these mechanisms the weight of the square has all its importance for the touch.

Old texts

The first known quotation goes back to 1460 by Paulus Paulinirus but the instrument was to exist quite front.

One knows a representation in a retable carved of Kefermarkt Austria end 15th century (angel musician).

One finds an engraving in the musica getutscht of Sebastian Virdung (1511). This clavicytherium has 38 keys fa/sol without F #. Virdung says to us that this vertical harpsichord is a recent perhaps invention and that it had cords in bowel. It is of Italian invoice end 15th, but the tradition goes up at least a front century. These first clavicytheriums resemble the positive organ of the time.

Praetorius in 1619 their finds a sonority of toothing-stone undoubtedly due to the cords in bowel.

Known instruments

  • the known oldest clavicytherium is preserved at the Royal College off Music in London

c.1480 Germany Hulm?.
  • fine Italian Clavicytherium 17th (Metropolitan New York museum)
  • Martin Kaiser builds a clavicytherium in 1675 for Léopold Ier (Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna).
  • anonymous 17th. (Deutschesmuseum Munich)
  • Italian Rûck collection 17--?
  • conservatory Paris??
  • 1895 inventory of Leopoldo Franciolini Florentin counterfeiter a clavicytherium Petrus de Paulus 1587. A clavicytherium forged with several harpsichords.
  • Albert active Delin of 1750 to 1770 in Tournai built several clavicytheriums with sautereaux coupled (MIM Brussels, Museum of Berlin and $the Hague).
Were active in 1763: Despinois and Obert.
  • Brelin 1741 invents a clavicytherium with 8 variations of plays and pedals.
  • the inventor of the first vertical pianoforte 1739 Domenico LED Mixed (conservatorio Luigi Cherubini Firenze).

Some facsimiles were carried out, in particular of that of the Royal College off Music in London, by Adlam Burnett and also Emile Jobin. Jean-Paul Rouaud builds clavicytheriums 18th with an improved mechanism, it carries out clavicytheriums which can be rocked and played as much the horizontal one. The majority of the Facteurs of harpsichords realize some, David Boinnard was made a speciality of instruments twisted in bowel.

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