Piano History

  • 1.  Cristofori Instruments

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-02-2018 21:00


    The wife and I were in Florence Italy recently and I took some photos in a museum there which contained several Cristofori instruments; a couple of harpsichords and a 'spinet' made by him, but not a piano exactly.  
    Lute tuning head
    Tuning head of a lute (not made by Cristofori)
    An unusual Lute with key operated string pluckerThe lute has key operated string pluckers.  Unusual

    A restored harpsichord made by Cristofori
    A giraffe instrument (I think it is a harpsichord rather than a piano)
    A modern-made action model demonstrating Cristofori's design
    A modern made action model illustrating Cristofori's design

    An early tuning hammer
    An early Tuning Hammer

    An original unrestored Cristofori instrument
    This iauthentic Cristofori nstrument was called a 'spinet'.  It was discovered recently and has only been cleaned.  It is unrestored.  It appears to be a type of clavichord.

    Unusual double keysThe spinet has a few unusual double keys, possibly to differentiate between F# and Gb in the days before equal temperament.

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    Walter Bagnall
    Chillicothe OH
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  • 2.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-02-2018 21:23
    Thanks for sharing that! The split keys seem to be in the low bass, and would probably be tuned as "short octave" notes, providing the D and C (or possibly other notes if needed) below the lowest note E.
    Regards,
    Fred Sturm
    "A mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled." Plutarch






  • 3.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Posted 07-02-2018 22:03
    That "spinet" is an experimental harpsichord. The strings alternate chromatically from one side to the other, i.e. symmetrical to the center line, so the keys and jacks must also alternate from near the keyboard to the opposite side.
    This took a virtuoso understanding of action geometry to make a playable instrument. A modern replica has been made.
    As I recall it was made to fit in an orchestra pit, and probably also to avoid the twisting common in rectangular instruments.

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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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  • 4.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Posted 07-03-2018 14:49
    Spinet is a specific terms for a harpsichord with strings running at an oblique angle to the keyboard. (Harpsichords with strings running parallel to the keyboard are known as virginals)

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    Jurgen Goering
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  • 5.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Posted 07-03-2018 16:57
    This unusual instrument, of which two survive. is called an oval spinet.
    See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oval_spinet

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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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  • 6.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Member
    Posted 05-24-2019 14:41
    Jurgen Goering is correct in pointing out that technically this instrument is a virginal.  The description of the instrument as an oval spinet is used by the Galleria del Academia and in my article because that is how the instrument was described by Cristofori in the bills he submitted to Ferdinando de Medici.  The instrument and its companion are also described as oval spinets in the inventory of the Medici instruments conducted in 1700,  There is a benefit in continuing to describe the instrument this way because a casual google search using "oval spinet" gets you immediately to articles about this instrument. But yes, it is a virginal.

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    Philip Allard
    Apex NC
    984-229-7200
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  • 7.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 07-03-2018 17:03



    Awesome!  here are some photos of the wall sign (the English one) with a drawing of the entire spinet and some history.

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    Walter Bagnall
    Chillicothe OH
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  • 8.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-23-2019 17:11
    I am just now reading the May, 2019 Journal and I am delighted to see an article about Cristofori's oval spinet on pp 18-20.  Very nice article by Philip Allard of the Washington D.C chapter.

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    Walter Bagnall
    [Better Music Piano Tuning]
    Chillicothe OH
    [www.bettermusicpianotuning.com]
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  • 9.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Registered Piano Technician
    Posted 05-24-2019 08:58

    Agreed on the Cristofori piece, and the entire issue. 

    Nicely done!  Congratulations to the staff and writers.

    Ruth

     

     

    Ruth Zeiner

     






  • 10.  RE: Cristofori Instruments

    Posted 05-24-2019 09:02
    This issue was Hannah Beckett's debut as producing editor for the full magazine!

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    Ed Sutton
    ed440@me.com
    (980) 254-7413
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