Instruments of Roman Sukac & Michael Scheer

VIRGINALS

The Italian virginal polygonal according to Giovanni da Pertici, Firenze 1672 (cembalo da chiesa)

 

Raffly three types of harpsichords were built in Italy during the early baroque period: "cembali da chiesa", "cembali da theatro" and "cembali da camera". The virginals and polygonals belonged to the type of cembali da chiesa. With their strong and warm sound they are adapted to the acustic situation in large churches.

This virginal rebuilding is based on an Italiam 8’ polygonal of Giovanni da Pertici, Firenze 1672, with compass C/E-c'''. The original instrument is hosted in the Smithsonian Collection in the USA.

Giovanni da Pertici is mentioned in the time between 1665 and 1690. He was citizen in Florence and has learned the craft of the virginal and harpsichord making form his father Piero da Pertici. Although there are only a few documents about the workshop of Pertici, it must be a traditional instrument-maker-family. Also the grandfather Bartolomeo is mentioned as "Buonaccordaio" in 1665. Quite a few instruments of this family survived. 

The compass was extended to the full octave to C and d'''. The instrument is provided with a triple transposing keyboard so that the tuning level of 415 Hz can be varied up and down about a semitone.

The Cembalo d«Amore according to Gottfried Silbermann, Freiberg approx. 1720

 

J. J. Adlung describes this instrument in his "MUSICA MECHANICA ORGANOEDI" as " an invention from the Silbermann workshop, a Cimbal d'Amour", which touches the strings in the middle with the tangents. Adlung uses the term tangent for the tangents of the clavichord as well as for the jacks of the harpsichord - so it seems not totally clear which instrument he ment. There are some points speaking for the interpretation as harpsichord mechanic, as in this case the plectra which is touching the middle of the string really gives a quint dominated sound, like a bassett, which honours the melancholy of the d'Amore instruments.

The one manual instrument is built according to a drawing of Adlung with thin walls and in Italian style. The strings are from brass, the disposition 8’, C-d''', pitch and transposition 392/415/440 Hz.