Original: ? Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC USA
? Yale University School of Music, New Haven CT, USA
Copy by Wolfgang Zuckermann, New York, NY; assembled by Early Music Shop, London UK c 1980
Description
Keyboard: single protruding, non-reversed manual
Keyboard materials: stained boxwood naturals, ebony sharps
Compass: 4-1/3 octaves C-e3, with low GG
Pitch: A 415 Hz nongransposing
Tuning: equal tempered
Bridge: single
Strings: unichord copper (lowest two notes) and brass
Jacks and plectra: delrin
Stops: 8′ only
Soundboard rose: none
Frame: timber
Case: “False inner-outer”oblong timber construction, painted dark olive with light olive banding
Lid: external as for case, internal light olive with dark olive banding
Music Desk: detachable unpainted ; also serves to support lid when open
Stand: detatchable dark olive painted double footed leg at each end joined by single stretcher
Dimensions(mm): 1630w x 440d x 195h ex lid and stand
Repertoire: A and G Gabrieli,Frescobaldi, Merula, Picchi, Trabaci, M. Rossi, Froberger and for continuo
Provenance: purchased from assembler
Condition category: I
Rectification required: none
Concert dates:
Commentary:
A “spiritto” type of virginals, contemporaneous with No.1 above, showing the single case with moulding placed at the top to give the impression of the double case previously used, which allowed the thin resonant inner case to be removed for playing from the more robust non-resonant outer case used for carrying and storage.
Hubbard describes, identifies and illustrates an oblong virginal inscribed “Johannes Batt, Boni da Cortona facit anno 1617” in the Yale University School of Music which, as oblong in shape, cannot be similarly inscribed pentagonal instrument listed by Boolch as in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC.
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