harpsichords and spinets in late baroque rome

Early Music, Vol. xl, No. 1 © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.doi:10.1093/em/cas023, available online at www.em.oxfordjournals.orgAdvance Access published on February 29, 2012

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With the decline of harpsichord-making in Naples towards the middle of the 17th cen-

tury, Rome took its place as the major centre on the Italian peninsula.1 This article provides new tech-nical and historical information from the mid-17th to the mid-18th centuries, focusing especially on the late Baroque: a period when Bernardo Pasquini, the most skilled Italian keyboard virtuoso of the time, was active in Rome (c.1650–1710). The new archival material—concerning harpsichords, spin-ets, spinettini, spinettoni, arpicordi, cembali piega-tori and sordini—is drawn from the inventories of harpsichord-makers and of private houses, mainly palaces of the Roman nobility, in which could be found splendid instruments like those in illus.12 and 2.3 However, harpsichords were also present in unexpected places like barbers’ shops, where they seem to have been used to entertain clients (d.1673, 1676a, 1678a–b).4 The original docu-ments, discussed and partly translated in the text, are listed chronologically in the Appendix.5

Ramerini’s ‘three-register piano-and-forte harpsichord’

The principal instrument used by the Accademie per Musica in the Palazzo Borghese, and played by Bernardo Pasquini, was the so-called ‘cimbalo piano e forte a tre registri’, which was regularly maintained by Giacomo Ramerini during the years 1666–72.6 Arnaldo Morelli—to whom we are indebted for the information about this harpsichord—excludes any possibility of this being a Geigenwerk (which, in a Medicean inventory dated 1693, was also classi-fied as an instrument that ‘plays il piano e il forte’),7 as Ramerini’s instrument has jacks and quills, ra-ther than wheels acting as a bow. Since ‘mechanisms and pedals’ (ordegni e pedali) are also mentioned, Morelli suggests that these devices were used for

inserting and withdrawing the registers, and would allow the performer to change rapidly from soft to loud on a single keyboard. He concludes that we are dealing with one of the first pieces of evidence of a pedal mechanism for activating the registers, as Thomas Mace, writing in 1676, attributed this ‘recent invention’ to the English harpsichord-maker John Hasard.8 In fact Mersenne mentioned such an instrument in 1647, and attributed its invention to Ramerini, ‘whose recently invented harpsichords I saw at his workshop in Rome, which, at will, emit loud or soft tones’.9 Mersenne refers to his trip to Italy, which took place in 1644–5, and included Rome. With this earlier date in mind, it is likely that Ramerini’s instrument was the first to use a pedal mechanism for activating the registers.

We can only hypothesize as to the ways in which these dynamic contrasts were obtained. Firstly, merely passing from one to three similar registers would have increased the intensity level by only 4.8 decibels, and thus not enough to change from ‘soft’ to ‘loud’. It is also known that the inventory of the assets of the famous castrato Carlo Broschi, known as Farinelli (1783), includes a quilled harpsichord of his invention, which ‘plays li piani e forti’ using reg-isters that had three different types of string: copper, iron and gut.10 We cannot exclude the possibility of this having been previously adopted by Ramerini, since the latter also made Geigenwerks, i.e. keyboard instruments with gut strings;11 and Giambattista Doni, in a letter from Rome to Mersenne in Paris in 1640, refers to ‘your gut-stringed harpsichord (the first model of which was made here, although you perfected it there)’.12

The use of such a harpsichord was, moreover, fully in line with the taste for piano e forte then popular in Rome, at least according to Scipione Maffei, who wrote in 1711:

Patrizio Barbieri

Harpsichords and spinets in late Baroque Rome

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1 Sebastiano Ceccarini, Allegoria dei 5 sensi / Allegory of five senses (1745), 174 × 123 cm (Private collection, Altomani & Sons,

Pesaro and Milan)

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uno de’ principali fonti, da’ quali traggano i periti di quest’arte il segreto di singolarmente dilettar chi ascolta, è il piano, e’l forte; o sia nelle proposte, e risposte, o sia quando con artifiziosa degradazione lasciandosi a poco a poco mancar la voce, si ripiglia poi ad un tratto strepitosamente: il quale artifizio è usato frequentemente, ed a meraviglia ne’ gran concerti di Roma con diletto incredibile di chi gusta la perfezione dell’arte.13

one of the main resources used by specialists of this art to draw the secret of particularly delighting the listener is the piano e forte; [it is used] either in proposta and risposta, or else when, with artistic nuance, allowing the sound to vanish little by little, it then revives with sudden thunder; this marvellous effect is frequently used at all the major concerts in Rome, to the incredible delight of those who enjoy the perfection of the art.

Further evidence of this vogue is provided by the organ which Giulio Cesare Burzi built in 1642 for the church of S. Lorenzo in Damaso in Rome,

sponsored by Cardinal Francesco Barberini: it had two keyboards, ‘per fare il piano e il forte’ (the one for the ‘piano’ had only one stop, a chimney flute 8).14 Roman church-organs using the Tiratutti, a device that pulled out all the stops of the ‘forte’ (Ripieno) at once, only begin to be mentioned in 1646.15

Standard three-register harpsichords

Three-register harpsichords were not particu-larly rare in Rome. Indeed, counting only those mentioned in the Appendix below, there were more than 40, beginning with one made in 1621 by Giovanni Battista Boni da Cortona and listed in the inventory of the Princess Olimpia Giustiniani Barberini (d.1730), the earliest-known three-register harpsichord of Roman provenance to date. Of par-ticular interest are the following: the harpsichord

2 Harpsichord by Mattia di Gand ([Rome], 1685) (Bologna, Collezione Tagliavini; photo by Mario Berardi)

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of Queen Cristina of Sweden made by her favourite maker, Girolamo Zenti, which was richly carved (d.1689a); one in the palace Pamphilj, by Giuseppe Mondini (d.1709b); and one belonging to Cardinal Acquaviva, valued at 120 scudi, an exceptional esti-mate (d.1747). Additionally, three-register instru-ments are recorded in each of the newly discovered inventories of the following harpsichord-makers:

• Following the death of Valerio Piccini (1664), his widow sold his remaining instruments to Giuseppe Boni Cortona and Giacomo Garzini, both fellow Roman makers. The three-register instrument was of the levatore di cassa (inner-outer) design. Others included a tiorbino levatore di cassa and three single-register harpsichords described as attaccati alla cassa.16 That the ‘false inner-outer’ type was already in fashion in Rome by the middle of the 17th century is confirmed not only by these instruments, but also by d.1656 and the three-register harpsichord attaccato alla cassa inventoried in the workshop of Giovanni Pietro Polizzino (1658).17

• FilippoFabri(d.1691c).

• GiacomoRidolfi(d.1700b).

Current evidence suggests several possible dispo-sitions for three registers:

3 × 818

2 × 8 + 1 × 4 (see illus.3)19

1 × 16 + 2 × 820

2 × 8 tiorbino (identity of the latter register is uncertain)21

Three-register instruments were likely preferred for performances requiring a louder sound: Francesco Garbi, maestro di cappella at S. Girolamo della Carità in Rome, received payment in 1687 for acquiring a three-register harpsichord to replace a two-register one, for performances of oratorios.22

A 16 three-register harpsichord—an instrument all’ottava bassa—was almost certainly owned by Prince Giulio Savelli: it was 14 Roman palmi long (about 313–49 cm) and was supported by five legs, rather than the customary three; the other three harpsichords listed in the same inventory are only 7–8½ palmi long (d.1712a).23 Monsignor Giustino Ciampini (d.1698a), the founder of the Accademia

Fisico-Matematica of Rome, probably also had one, which was about 12 palmi long (c.268–99 cm).

Unusual harpsichords: those with more than three registers, or one keyboard

In the inventory of goods belonging to Francesco Maria Ginetti, a notary and collector of paint-ings, there is a valuation for an instrument with two keyboards and four registers. The inventory states it is by ‘Cortona’, the name used in Rome for both Giovanni Battista Boni (d.1641) and his son Giuseppe (1629/30–1702):24 ‘A large harpsichord in sesta [C/E short bottom octave] with two keyboards and four registers, with an inner-case, and an outer-case white wood, and its legs of turned wood and gilded, leather-coated, said to be by Cortona, worth 30.00 scudi’ (d.1725b). The 1649 inventory of Cardinal Francesco Barberini may also be referring to an instrument of this sort, by Giovanni Battista Boni of Cortona, when it describes: ‘Two harpsichords together, that is one above the other, the one on top with three registers; that below with one register, [both] made by Gio. Batta Cortonese’.25 In add-ition to the ‘polyharmonic’ instruments of Doni and Della Valle, made by Polizzino, attention is drawn to another two-manual harpsichord, a hitherto not fully understood three-register instrument ‘with the variation of tones’ (con la variazione de tuoni); it belonged to Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni and, in 1739, was restored by Giovanni Antonio Alari.26 As well as these harpsichords, three two-manual spinets are also mentioned in the Roman archives (see below).

There are only two surviving two-manual harp-sichords that are definitely Italian, and both of these are of uncertain attribution. One has 2 × 8 on the lower manual and 1 × 4 on the upper manual with no coupler or dogleg jacks. The other has the same three sets of strings but, according to Denzil Wraight, ‘it seems that the arrangement was intended simply to give 1 × 8, 1 × 4 on both keyboards’.27

As well as the above-mentioned harpsichords by Boni of Cortona, there is another which is listed as having two keyboards and four registers. Recorded as being by ‘Bucres di Germania’ (meaning ‘Ruckers’, according to Arnaldo Morelli), this instrument was kept by Prince Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna at his theatre. Giacomo Ridolfi, who restored it in 1682,

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3 Harpsichord by Giovanni Battista Giusti (Ferrara, 1679) (Bologna, Collezione Tagliavini; photo by Mario Berardi)

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confirms that he requilled four rows of jacks;28 the only unspecified detail is whether it was equipped with two or four sets of strings.29 The instrument was undoubtedly played by Pasquini, since four of his operas were performed at the theatre between 1677 and 1688 (he must thus also have known Ridolfi, who at that time is recorded as the repairer and tuner of the instrument).30

A second four-register harpsichord, again by ‘Cortona’, is recorded in the palace of Duke Antonio Maria Salviati (d.1704a): ‘A four-register harpsichord by Cortona with carved pyramidal legs, wholly gilded with similar casing, lumeggiato [painted highlights], with its music-stand’. A third, by (Giovanni Maria) Mambriani, is detailed in the inventory of the Marquis Giovanni Giorgio Costaguti (d.1703b): ‘One four-register harpsichord with wooden case, said to be by Manbriani, held as security for scudi 20.00’.

A ‘cembalo grande’ of the same type—with a single keyboard, but also without any reference to the pitch of the strings of the four registers—was the prop-erty of Prince Camillo Pamphilj (d.1743): ‘One large harpsichord with gilded wooden casing and leather coating, [contained] in the same case; the said harp-sichord has four registers with ivory keyboard, inner-case, its legs gilded and carved in old-fashioned style, 80.00 scudi’. Despite the late date of the inventory, the legs carved ‘all’antica’ reveal that it was made much earlier (in the inventories of the time, expres-sions of this kind mean that the piece was really ‘old’, see, for example, d.1738). Thus, this instrument can probably be identified as the ‘four-register harp-sichord all’ottava bassa’ of the Pamphilj family, a 16 instrument maintained in 1680 by Francesco Acciari.31 Two further four-register instruments are mentioned in two other inventories (d.1689b, 1708a). Finally, in 1740, Celestino Testa received 100 Roman scudi from Marquis Colonna of Naples to make a four-register clavicytherium (‘a standing [vertical] harpsichord’), but this was never completed (d.1754).

The archives indicate that instruments with more than four registers were also to be found in Rome in the period under consideration here. The 1633 inventory of the goods of Cardinal Girolamo Colonna mentions that his audience chamber housed ‘a five-register harpsichord made by the hand of the Flemish Gio. Lucres, with its cover of

red leather printed in gold’ (d.1633). As with the two-manual harpsichord by ‘Bucres’ which belonged the Colonna family, the maker of this instrument may be identified as Ruckers and, more precisely, as Gio.[vanni], i.e. Ioannes Ruckers (1578–1642).32 The pres-ence of foreign instruments in the Colonna palace can be explained by the political activity of Girolamo and his brother Marc’Antonio, who held important dip-lomatic assignments in connection with the crowns of Spain (which controlled the Spanish Netherlands, including Antwerp) and Austria.33

A six-register harpsichord is listed among the many stringed keyboard instruments of the above-mentioned Marquis Giovanni Giorgio Costaguti (d.1703b). Both Pasquini and Handel certainly also played a seven-register harpsichord that Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici sent as a gift in 1703 to the Marchioness Isabella Ruspoli in Rome.34 It is likely that a number of these registers were only ‘special effects’, like the sordina (also called liuto) and the arpeggiamento (probably similar to the arpichordum) present in some of the instruments made by Father Fabio da Bologna (1677 and 1686).35

Prince Pompeo Colonna, in 1649, owned a ‘large harpsichord, table shaped, which can be played on two sides’ (d.1649).36 This could be the earliest men-tion of a vis-à-vis instrument, or—as Grant O’Brien suggests—a combination harpsichord like those made by the Ruckers family, in which the virginals at the rear always played at octave pitch to the harp-sichord. Another instrument of this kind belonged to Cardinal Viginio Orsini (d.1676c): ‘A small harp-sichord with a spinet attached, with case’. Prince Chigi’s inventory of 1666 lists a ‘harpsichord . . . for playing in three persons’;37 it was probably very similar to the instrument at the Florentine court in 1665–6, which was ‘made up by two harpsichords and one spinet, which has three keyboards’ and could ‘be played on three sides’.38 Both these last instruments were possibly of the vis-à-vis kind, with the addition of a third independent manual, like those of the piano-harpsichords made in the late 18th century by Johann Andreas Stein.39

Harpsichords with fewer than three registers, and other instruments

The standard Roman harpsichord had only two registers and is described thus in the majority of

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the many inventories consulted. Its construction was simpler, as three registers required that one set of strings be at a different level at both ends, or angled relative to one another if only one set of the strings was at a different level. The two harpsichords belonging to Pasquini were equipped with only two registers. Indeed, as Andrea Pozzo’s famous pic-ture shows, Pasquini had his portrait painted while playing a very modest instrument with a single keyboard, rather than, for example, the above- mentioned one by Ruckers.40 The two registers were very probably 2 × 8, since the 4 was so rare during this period that in one inventory (d.1730) the disposition is given as ‘two registers with the octave arpetta’, that is, with the smaller curved bridge for the octave. The three harpsichords inventoried fol-lowing the death of Pasquini’s pupil Bernardo Gaffi (1744) were also equipped with only two registers. Their owner could have afforded more expensive instruments, as shown by the high valuation of some of his other instruments: one by Domenico da Pesaro (30 scudi), the second by Giuseppe Mondini (70 scudi), and the third by an unknown maker, but with the exceptional value of 110 scudi.41 We also find that the harpsichords of the maestri di cappella Orazio Benevoli (d.1672b) and Pompeo Cannicciari (d.1691d, made by Giacomo Ridolfi) had only two registers.

As far as the ranges of the keyboards of this period are concerned, some of those in the Appendix are described as all’ottava stesa, a term which—according to the Roman Giampiero Pinaroli (1718–32)—corresponds to a compass of 55 keys (i.e. GG–c).42 The inventories do not mention instru-ments with ‘split keys’, although such instruments were still in use during Pasquini’s time; the only exception is a large instrument with ‘three orders of keys’ (d.1695b), probably a cembalo cromatico of the type still made in Rome by Francesco Marchion in the second half of the 17th century.43

Besides the more usual instruments, the inven-tory of Prince Camillo Pamphilj (d.1743) mentions a cembalo in piedi (a clavicytherium): it was prob-ably made by Giuseppe Mondini, who had been at the service of the Pamphilj and to whom Giampiero Pinaroli (wrongly) attributes the invention of the instrument.44 Claviorgans, although almost gen-erally not called thus, also survived into this period

(d.1652, 1676c, 1690c, 1697, 1703a, 1704a). Finally, d.1702 records a ‘cembalo called sordino’, an instru-ment which recent research has identified as an early Italian tangent piano.45

Spinetta, spinettino and spinettone

In addition to a pair of two-register harpsichords, the inventory of Pasquini’s goods lists a spinetta a un registro, a spinettina and a spinettone.

Spinetta. The most common type of spinet had a single register. One such instrument, for example, is by ‘Albani’, mentioned in d.1710b. In Rome, however, these instruments were some-times also made with two registers, like the one by Giuseppe Mondini mentioned in the Medicean inventory of 1716,46 and those belonging to the music bookseller Federico Franzini (d.1686b) and to Marquis Pietro Gabrielli (d.1734). In 1693 another spinet is mentioned—a rare specimen—with two keyboards and richly decorated: ‘One spinet with its case, with two keyboards, painted with flowers with gold leaf, and inside painted with seascapes. This spinet has, on its two ivory keyboards, a surround of various types of foliage and gilded putti’ (d.1693). It belonged to Paolo Catucci, a wealthy ama-teur musician, a pharmacist by profession and the owner of a shop in whose inventory is listed a jar ‘containing oil of the human cranium’!47 Another two-keyboard spinet is recorded in March 1717 at Prince Francesco Maria Ruspoli’s household, when it was restored by Mattia di Gand; it was probably used by Antonio Caldara, who—until the year before, when he departed for the Court of Vienna—had been the prince’s maestro di cappella.48 A third two-manual spinet, an old one, is mentioned in d.1719b. They were possibly similar to those made with great success by Girolamo Zenti (at the end of his life) and by his pupil Giovanni Battista Giusti (in 1679–80, for Ippolito Bentivoglio); both con-tained a 4 upper keyboard and a lower one which could provide both 8 + 4 and—if pushed forward, by means of two knobs at the two sides of the keyboard—the 8 only.49

All these spinets could be made in ‘inner-outer’ or ‘false inner-outer’ fashion, with or without legs—in which case they were also called ‘da tavolino’ (d.1722).

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Concerning the shape of these simple instru-ments, the 1658 inventory of the belongings left by the harpsichord-maker Pietro Polizzino mentions ‘two spinette and one appicordo’.50 The arpicordo, having a polygonal or a rectangular case like that of the vir-ginal, suggests that for the spinetta they meant a trap-ezoidal shape or one similar to that of Zenti’s spinetta traversa (‘bentside’). Polizzino’s inventory of 1658 is the last Roman document I know of to mention the word arpicordo. The rectangular case, like that of the ‘Neapolitan virginal’ in the following decades, must have become unusual, at least in Rome, so much so that it was explicitly noted, as in the 1719 inventory of a second-hand dealer’s shop: ‘One box-shaped spin-etta, all broken, with two wooden legs’ (d.1719c). The rectangular shape must have survived in particular cases, as in the instrument made by Maberiani in 1676 to be inserted like a drawer into a magnificently decorated studiolo.51 In the Appendix, two similar studioli containing ‘spinette’ are mentioned, belong-ing to Cardinal Egidio Colonna (d.1687a) and Prince Giovanni Battista Pamphilj (d.1709b), respectively.

Spinettina. Pasquini’s spinettina was probably at 4 pitch or higher, like the ones that Kircher men-tions in 1650 as a ‘new Roman invention’, stating that they were around 1½ palmi long (c.34–7 cm).52 One of these was made by Silvestro Albana (d.1628), (illus.4).53 Another one was made by Orazio Albana (d.1648), Silvestro’s brother: only 1¼ palmi long (c.34–7 cm), this instrument had a painting in the lid representing St Francis’s ecstasy and was richly deco-rated with lace and crimson damask (d.1716b). It was therefore even smaller than the 1637 octave spinet by Zenti now in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was once—like Albana’s—lined with crimson damask.54 Since these instruments were not cumbersome, they could be hung round the neck on a strap: for instance, the ‘spinetta to be hung from the neck painted in green’ from the Medici court (1660);55 and also, this time in Rome, the ‘spinettina . . . which could be hung from the neck like a guitar’, belonging to Giovanni Battista Borghese, repaired in 1675 by Francesco Marchionni, an esteemed apprentice of Zenti.56

In Rome, up to the end of the 17th century, various spinets are reported as being strung with gold strings, which greatly reduced their size in the

bass and, in addition, produced a less ‘inharmonic’ sound (see, for example, d.1649, 1679a).57

Spinettone. Lastly, as far as the spinettone is concerned, Pasquini’s Tuscan origins may lead one to think immediately of the spinettone da orchestra or da teatro listed in the Medicean inventories dated 1700 and 1716 respectively (probably by Bartolomeo Cristofori, to whom two such extant instruments are attributed). They were a sort of large spinetta traversa provided with two registers (1 × 8 + 1 × 4).58 According to Giuliana Montanari, in Florence these instruments were also used at a professional level, while the old spinetta, on the other hand, was often consigned to domestic use.59 Some spinetta were even equipped with curious domestic accessories, such as the game of draughts, as revealed by one described in d.1726b, ‘One spinet with a draughts board and its pieces, with a deep-blue damask cushion on top’, where the board was probably inlaid or painted on the instrument’s lid. Another, in d.1696, is described as ‘A spinet adapted to be used as a cushion’. It is clear from the inventories listed in the Appendix that there were many keyboard stringed instruments covered with damask, brocade or velvet.

In Rome, as in Florence, the term spinettone could not, however, have been limited to the large spinette traverse, but rather included any large-sized spinetta or arpicordo, as can be deduced from the two follow-ing documents:

• 1658 inventory of the workshop of Giovanni Pietro Polizzino, harpsichord-maker: ‘a arpi-cordo’ and ‘a two-register appicordone [= arpicordone]’.60

• 1691 inventory of the Medici court of Florence: ‘a spinettone which can be played on three parts with cypress keyboards’.61

To these must be added those described in d.c.1645–50, 1667, 1679b, 1692a, 1694, and 1695a, which, however, could also refer to large bentside spinets.

Folding harpsichords

Pasquini probably also knew this kind of instru-ment. There is one listed in the inventory among Duke Domenico Grillo’s assets: ‘A folding harp-sichord for the country in its case or box, of about

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four palmi [c.90 cm]’ (d.1713a) (for an example, see illus.5a/b).62

This new document is the first evidence for the folding harpsichord in Italy, occurring just before the entry in the Medicean inventory of 1716, relating to an instrument ‘made in France’.63 The one men-tioned in 1713 also had a case, like one of the two listed in the will of Farinelli (1782).64 The Roman Giampiero Pinaroli (1718–32) attributed the in-vention of cimbali piegatori to Giuseppe Mondini (Imola 1658 – Rome 1718), but the authorship of this invention—previously attributed to Jean Marius (1700)—is now a matter of serious debate.65 The newly discovered document does nothing to advance this debate, though the nonchalance with which the Roman second-hand dealer inventoried the cimbalo

da campagna piegatore leads one to suspect that it cannot have been any great novelty.

The makers

Second-hand dealers rarely report the names of makers in their inventories. The following have been encountered in the course of assembling the Appendix; I have taken the opportunity to add some new biographical information about some of these makers.66

Working in Rome:Acciari, family (d.1698c, 1737).Albani (Albana), Orazio (d.1716b).Albani, family (d.1682, 1710b).Boni Cortona, Giovanni Battista (d.1691a, 1730). He was already working in Rome as early as 1606.67

Boni Cortona, Giuseppe (d.1 664).

4 Octave spinet by Silvestro Albana (son of Andrea Albana) (Rome, 1617) (Bologna, Collezione Tagliavini; photo by Liuwe

Tamminga)

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Boni Cortona, family (d.11678b, 1690a, 1699, 1704a, 1705a, 1710a, 1725b).Fabri, Filippo (d.1691c).Garzini, Giacomo (d.1664). d.1698.68

Mambriani, Giovanni Maria (d.1703b). d. between 1702 and 1708, though most probably in 1708.69

Mondini, Giuseppe (d.1709b).Piccini, Valerio (d.1664, [1692b]).70

Ramerini, Giacomo (d.1714).Ridolfi, Giacomo (d.1691d, 1700b, 1725b). Born c.1636, d.17 September 1700.71

Zenti, Girolamo (d.1680, 1689a, 1714).

Active elsewhere:Celestini, Giovanni (d.1704a).Domenico Bolognese (d.1669).Domenico da Pesaro (d.1676b).[Ruckers, Ioannes] (d.1633).Trasuntino (d.1717b, 1718 twice, 1719a, 1738).

It is not specified whether the last is Vito (fl.1522–1606) or Alessandro (c.1485–c.1545) Trasuntino. The latter is more likely, because the most famous harp-sichord-makers of the 16th century listed by Pinaroli (Rome, 1718–32) include only the following: ‘Domenico da Pesaro, Alessandro Trasontino, Gio. Celestini’.72

The harpsichord mentioned in d.1717b was later painted by Domenico Sebastiano De Marchis, known as ‘il Tempestino’ (d.1713 in Rome).73 In the inventory, the second-hand dealer states that this instrument ‘is appraised at only twenty scudi, although it is worth as much as its owner wants’.

To the above-mentioned must be added a certain ‘Veneri’, a hitherto unknown maker (d.1715).

Appendix

d.1633. Subiaco, Monastero di S. Scolastica, Archivio Colonna, III.BB.LXX, no.5 (cartaceo), ‘Inventario di robbe di Sua Eminenza Sig. Cardinale [Girolamo] Colonna, che restano nel suo appartamento del Palazzo in Roma . . .’: ‘Nel camerone di S. Audienza . . . Un cimbalo a cinque registri fatto per mano di Gio. Lucres [Lueres?] fiamengo con la coperta di corame rosso stampato d’horo . . . Adì 15 di maggio 1633’.d.1643. ��, 30 n.�., uff.36, vol.71, f.79, 7 January 1643, inv. furniture sold by ‘Ill.ma Ortensia Borghese’: ‘Un cimbalo a tre registri con tastatura di avolio con cassa tutta dipinta con copertina di corame d’oro, e verde con piedi indorati’.d.c1645–50. ��, Archivio Santacroce, B.704 (‘Inventario della Guardarobba dell’Em.mo Sig. Card. Gasparo Mattei’), Section ‘Robbe diverse’: ‘[no.277] Un spinet-tone con la sua cassa dipinta di color rosso con arma di Sua Eminenza sopra, con suoi piedi di noce torniti; [no.283] Una spinettina picciola con sua cassa biancha guasta’.d.1648. ��, 30 n.�., uff.16, vol.101, f.572v, 13 June 1648, inv. Felice de Totis: ‘Un cimbalo a tre registri con tastatura d’avolio’.d.1649. ��, 30 n.�., uff.13, vol.316 (year 1649–II), f.43, 7 May 1649, inv. Prince Pompeo Colonna: ‘[f.74r] Un cimbalo grande à tavolo che sona da dui bande. Una spinetta coperta di velluto rosso cremesino con passaman[o] d’oro, et corde d’oro’.d.1652. ��, 30 n.�., uff.2, vol.185, f.802, 14 May 1652, inv. Dukes Girolamo and Dorotea Mattei: ‘[f.809] Un cimbalo, et organo assieme coperto di cordovano turchesco rosso con filetti d’oro con un piede . . . coperto’.d.1656. ��, 30 n.�., uff.25, vol.281, f.69, 6 May 1656, inv. qm Francesco Brugiaferri: ‘Un cimbalo attaccato alla cassa con la coperta di corame’.

5a, 5b Folding harpsichord, Anonymous (Italy, first half of the 18th century) (Bologna, Collezione Tagliavini; photo by

Liuwe Tamminga)

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d.1664. ��, 30 n.�., uff.19, vol.295, f.238, 26 October 1664, inv. of the workshop of the late harpsichord-maker Valerio Piccini, instruments sold by his widow to the harpsichord-makers Giuseppe Boni [Cortona] and Giacomo Garzini: ‘Un cimbalo a un rigistro attachato alla cassa, scudi 7.–; Dui cimbali attaccati alla cassa ad un rigistro l’uno non finiti, scudi 7.–; Un cimbalo a tre registri non finito levatore di cassa, scudi 14.–; [cancelled:] Un tiorbino levatore di cassa senza cassa, scudi [blank]; Dui cimbali levatori di cassa alla ottava stesa cominciati, scudi 8.–’.d.1667. ��, Not. �.�., vol.4773, f.355, 2 July 1667, inv. Margherita Bertelli: ‘[f.364v] Un cimbalo, ò spinettone con li suoi tre piedi, coperto di corame rosso usato, scudi 3.–’.d.1669. ��, 30 n.�., uff.32, vol.226, f.598, 6 May 1669, inv. Abbot Ioannes Carolus Vallonus (palace in Frascati): ‘[f.602v] Una spinetta di Domenico Bolognese con sua cassa, serratura, e chiave, e chiavetta da accordarla, scudi 1.–’.d.1672a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.5, vol.93bis, f.632, 30 January 1672, inv. qm Vincenzo Baccelli: ‘[f.638v] Un cimbalo à 3 registri, scudi 40.–’.d.1672b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.8, vol.186, f.415, 17 June 1672, inv. qm Maestro di cappella Orazio Benevoli: ‘[f.415v] Un cimbalo ordinario a doi registri con suoi piedi usato’.d.1673. ��, 30 n.�., uff.15, vol.265, f.189, 17 January 1673, inv. barber shop of the late Ottavio Marubio: ‘[f.189v] Un ci[m]bolo con li suoi piedi, scudi 7.50’.d.1676a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.15, vol.275, f.633, 22 July 1676, inv. barber shop of Giovanni Cipriani: ‘[f.633v] Un cimbalo a coda dui registri con sua coperta di corame vecchio’.d.1676b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.888, f.418, 9 December 1676, inv. qm Timoteo Zimenes: ‘[f.419v] Un cimbalo di Domenico da Pesaro’.d.1676c. Rome, Archivio Capitolino, Archivio Orsini, serie I, vol.413, int.2, 27 August 1676, inv. Cardinal Virginio Orsini, Rome, Monte Giordano’s palace: ‘[f.3r] Un graviorgano con suo cembalo grande à tre piedi dorati, e cassa di cembalo filettata d’oro’; [f.8v] Un cembaletto con spinetta attaccato con cassa foderato d’ormesino verde, e passamano’.d.1678a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.15, vol.281, f.870, 25 August 1678, inv. barber shop of the late Michele Chinelli: ‘[f.870v] Un cimbalo con suoi piedi color di noce, con fregio d’oro, scudi 5.–’.d.1678b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.15, vol.282, f.186, 23 September 1678, inv. barber shop of Giovanni Paolo Pasquini: ‘[f.187r] E più un cimbalo del Cortona’.d.1679a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.29, vol.252, f.379, 31 July 1679, inv. Duke Filippo Giuliano Mancini: ‘[f.381r] Una spinetta depinta à fiori dentro, già detta delle corde d’oro’.d.1679b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.894, f.421, 4 October 1679, inv. Filippo and Cristoforo de Scornis: ‘[f.457v] Un spinettone, scudi 5.–’.d.1680. ��, Not. �.�., vol.6589, f.133, 27 January 1680, inv. qm Marchioness Anna Maria Costaguti Vidman: ‘[f.134v]

Un cimbalo a due registri opera di Girolamo Zenti Viterbese con sua cassa di legno tinto color di noce, e filettata d’oro con suoi piedi compagni’.d.1682. ��, Not. �.�., vol.2684, 4 April 1682, old inv. Cardinal degl’Albizzi: ‘[f.35 of the inventory] Una spinetta dipinta dell’Albano ricoperta di raso cremesino con merletto, oro, et argento attorno’.d.1683. ��, Not. �.�., vol.901, f.222, 29 January 1683, inv. qm Carlo Antonio Magnini: ‘[f.256v, repeated at f.537v] Un cimbalo à tre registri’.d.1686a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.15, vol.304, f.309, 18 February 1686, inv. qm Rev. Father Marco Antonio Boncompagni (of the princely family): ‘[f.312v] Un cimbalo a tre registri usato, e vecchio, coperto di corame con suoi piedi’.d.1686b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.6448, f.404, 16 July 1686, inv. Federico Franzini: ‘[f.410v] Una spinetta a due registri con la cassa tinta rossa con li suoi piedi di legno’.d.1687a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.909, f.479, f.1023, 3 April 1687, inv. Cardinal Egidio Colonna (unnumbered folios): ‘Un studiolo d’ebano intersiato con pietre, figure, e paesini. Con orologgio sopra, e sotto spinetta, e specchij di quà, e di là, et in mezzo un cavallo con la figura sopra di Costantino con sei statuette, balaustro, e sei colonnelle, e capitelli, et con il suo piede il tutto di rame indorato, scudi 200.–; . . . Nella stanza dove si mangia . . . Un cimbolo a 3 registri lavorato in’oro, li piedi con angeletti indorati, scudi 30.–’.d.1687b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5581, f.426, 8 June 1687, inv. Dukes Orsini (palace at Bracciano): ‘[f.463v] Un cimbalo grande longo palmi 12 in circa con la sua cassa di legno tinta rossa’.d.1689a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.917, 25 April 1689, inv. qm Queen Cristina of Sweden: ‘[ff.537–8] Un cembalo à tre registri di cipresso con sue corde, tastature, e saltarelli con sua cassa di legno, foderata di corame rossa, e tutta rabescata d’oro, e longo palmi nove, e mezzo, e largo palmi tre, et un quarto, e detto cimbalo si dice che sia di Girolamo con il suo piede di legno tutto intagliato à palme, e festoni con sette puttini, che fanno diversi atti, e tre leoni parimente indorati, et intagliate con quattro maniglie à piede di detto piede stallo, longo palmi dieci, et alto palmi tre’.d.1689b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5590, f.359, 15 September 1689, inv. Dukes Francesco and Carlo de Bonellis: ‘[f.365r] Un cimbalo grande a quattro registri con cassa foderata di maiorchino [= marocchino] cremesi messa in oro’.d.1690a. ��, Not. R.C.A., vol.827, f.358, 13 March 1690, inv. qm Rev. Dominicus de Zaulis: ‘[f.360v] Cimbalo del Cortona con suoi piedi di legno dipinti a noce con fili d’oro’.d.1690b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5593, f.352, 29 May 1690, inv. qm Margherita Micoli Rambotti: ‘[f.353v] Un cimbalo color di noce di fuori, e dipinto dentro à tre registri’.d.1690c. ��, Not. �.�., vol.919, f.109, 15 July 1690, inv. qm Ecc.mo Domenico Colonna: ‘[f.112r] Un cembalo a 3 regis-tri con sua cassa di legno dorata con suo piede sotto intag-liato dorato, scudi 100.–; [f.141r–v] Una spinetta dà organo

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con tastatura d’avorio dentro sua cassa, scudi 20.–; Un altra spinetta dipinta all’Indiana con tastatura d’avorio, scudi 10.–; Altra spinetta con cassa d’ebano, e tastatura d’avorio, scudi 10.–; Altra spinetta piccola ordinaria, scudi 3.–; [f.141v] Un cimbalo à coda levator di cassa a 3 registri con tastatura d’avorio con sua cassa coperta di broccato torchina guarnita con [bronetta] d’argento, e seta, con coperta di corame sopra, scudi 50.–’.d.1690d. ��, Not. �.�., vol.4280, f.353, 30 July 1690, inv. qm Iannozzius Serena: ‘Un cimbolo à un registro con suoi piedi coperto di corame con diversi libri d’ariette’.d.1691a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5904, f.191, 28 February 1691, inv. qm Abbot Giovanni Vincenzo Arate: ‘[f.201r] Un cimbalo à coda di dui registri levator’ di cassa con tastatura d’avorio di Gio. Batta di Cortona con sua cassa coperta di cordovano cremise d’orata con sue piedi di noce intagliati’.d.1691b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.62, f.475, 6 May 1691, inv. Marquis Filippo Nerli: ‘[f.499r] Un cimbalo à coda à due registri, levator di cassa con sua cassa di legno di fuori tinta color di noce filettata d’oro, e di dentro dipintoci un paese con suoi piedi intagliati dipinti color di noce et oro con arme della Casa’.d.1691c. ��, Not. �.�., vol.1873, f.519, 22 May 1691, inv. workshop of the late harpsichord-maker Filippo Fabri: ‘[f.519v] Un cimbolo grande à tre registri à ottava stesa senza piedi con la tastatura d’ebano, e d’avorio’. Also listed four two-register harpsichords and two spinets.d.1691d. ��, Not. �.�., vol.1874, f.268, 27 October 1691, inv. Maestro di cappella Pompeo Cannicciari: ‘[f.269r] Un cimbolo di Giacomo Ridolfi a dui registri’.d.1692a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.7, vol.242, f.307, 18 March 1692, inv. qm Antonio Farina: ‘[f.313r] Un spinettone con piede tinto di noce filettato d’oro’.d.1692b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5601, f.220, 8 May 1692, inv. qm Angelo de Blanchis: ‘[f.220v] Un cimbalo ad un registro di Valerio cimbalaro’.d.1693. ��, Not. �.�., vol.2598, f.675, 11 December 1693, inv. qm Paolo Catucci: ‘[f.713r] Una spinetta con la sua cassa a due tastature dipinta di fuora con fogliami d’oro, e dentro dipinta a marine, la detta spinetta ha sudette due tastature d’avolio circondata da diversi fogliami e putti indorati; Un cembalo grande à tre registri con tastatura d’avolio con la sua cassa fiorata verde’.d.1694. ��, 30 n.�., uff.15, vol.329, f.391, 8 July 1694, inv. qm Antonio Vecchi: ‘[f.396r] Un spinettone vecchio con suoi piedi’.d.1695a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5652, f.1054, 4 April 1695, inv. Duke Federico Cesi (in the palace at Aquasparta): ‘[f.1064r] Un spinettone con sua chiave d’ottone, organo con suoi mantici, e tastatura fatta con scala tutta intagliata con arme di Sua Eccellenza’.d.1695b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.29, vol.270, last folios of the volume (inside the binding), 7 May 1695, inv. qm Abbot Paulus Rainerius: ‘Un cimbalo di longhezza dodeci palmi in circa con suo piede intagliato, e tutto dorato, e detto cimbalo hà tre ordini di tasti intagliato, e dorato’.

d.1696. ��, 30 n.�., uff.27, vol.226, f.158, inv. Agata Dorotea Margarita Gherardini: ‘[f.161r] n°. 1 spinetta usata ad uso di cuscino, scudi 1.–’.d.1697. ��, Not. �.�., vol.2612, f.1047, 12 December 1697, inv. qm Cardinal Dominicus Maria Cursi: ‘Un cimbalo ad uso d’organo con canne di legno inverniciato con rabeschi d’oro’.d.1698a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.1, vol.849, f.27, 1 July 1698, inv. qm Giustino Ciampini: ‘[f.129r] Un cembalo à tre registri levatore di cassa, con tastatura d’avorio longo palmi dodici in circa tinto rosso con filetti d’oro e suoi piedi torniti filettati d’oro’.d.1698b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.940, f.541, 14 July 1698, inv. qm Cardinal Palutius Altieri: ‘[f.562r] Un cimbalo à tre registri con sopracoperta di corame verde et oro con piedi torniti rossi et oro’.d.1698c. ��, Not. �.�., vol.3226, f.469, 4 December 1698, dowry of the Ill.ma Leonora Elisabetta Cimarra: ‘[f.472v] Un cimbalo dell’Acciaro con suoi tritoni dorati con copertina di corame dorato sopra, scudi 150.–’.d.1699. ��, 30 n.�., uff.7, vol.256, f.381, 26 February 1699, dowry of Innocenza Maria Boni: ‘[f.386r] Un cimbalo all’ottava stesa con tastatura d’ebano e avorio opera del Cortona stimato scudi 25.–’.d.1700a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.7, vol.258, f.708, 23 May 1700, inv. qm Rev.mo Pompeo Fioravante: ‘[f.709v] Un cimbolo senza corde a tre registri, e con sua cassa d’albuccio tinta verde e rabescata tutta però ordinaria’.d.1700b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.9, vol.542, f.107, 13 October 1700, inv. qm Giacomo Ridolfi (retired harpsichord-maker): ‘[f.108v] Un cimbalo nuovo bianco à due registri con suoi piedi vecchi rotti; [f.110r] Due spinette eguali guaste di poco valore; Un cimbolo grande à trè registri vecchio con suoi piedi torniti parimente vecchi; [f.130v] Un cimbalo à due registri in sesto . . .’.d.1702. ��, 30 n.�., uff.7, vol.262, f.295, 26 February 1702, inv. qm Stefano Petit: ‘[f.336v] Un cimbolo chiamato sordino, con sui piedi lisci, e fodera tinta di rosso’.d.1703a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.954, f.9, 5 January 1703, inv. qm Marquis Ottavio Maria Lancellotti: ‘[ff.19v–20r] Due cimbali compagni con suoi piedi intagliati, e dorati con le sue coperte di corame indorato; Un altro cimbalo col suo organetto con soprafodera intagliata, e dorata all’antica, e coperto parimente di corame dorato’.d.1703b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.954, f.379, 15 March 1703, inv. qm Marquis Giovanni Giorgio Costaguti: ‘[f.387v] Un cimbalo à quattro registri con cassa di legno bianco, che si dice essere del Manbriani ritenuto in pegno per scudi venti; [f.388r] Un cimbalo à trè registri con cassa rossa, e suo piede; [f.419r] Una spinetta con cascata di damasco giallo, e rosso con sua frangia e trina simile; [f.422r] Un cimbalo à 3 registri con cassa dipinta, e suo leggivo dorato; [f.429r] Un cimbalo a sei registri, che stava in detta stanza [of the palace at Piazza Mattei] con copertina di corame; [f.443r] Un cimbalo con sua coperta di corame con l’arme dell’Illustrissima Casa, e suoi piedi color di noce’.

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d.1704a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.2637, f.727, 13 January 1704, inv. qm Duke Antonio Maria Salviati: ‘[f.755r] Un cimbalo a quattro riggistri del Cortona con piede intagliato à pira-mide, e tutto dorato con cassa simile lumeggiata con il suo legivo; [f.783v] Un cembalo à due registri longo palmi undeci con cassa, e piedi color di marmo bianco, e li detti piedi à piramide con filetti intagliati e dorati; [f.795r] Un cembalo del Celestini à due registri con coperta di corame rosso, e piedi torniti; [f.806v] Un organetto con spinetta ad uso di studiolo con diversi tiratori, e coperta di corame rosso’.d.1704b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.957, f.568, 1 April 1704, inv. qm Cardinal Giovanni Battista Costaguti (palace at Piazza Mattei): ‘[f.595v] Un cimbalo à trè registri à coda con sua cassa, e piedi rabescati dorati, e la facciata di dentro della cassa dipinta con una battaglia; Altro cimbalo più piccolo à due registri con cassa, anzi levator di cassa, e detta cassa dipinta di paesi con suoi piedi sotto torniti dorati’.d.1705a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5652, f.774, 16 April 1705, inv. qm Marquis Francesco Ruspoli: ‘[f.836r] Un cimbalo del Cortona con il suo coperchio dipinto, e piedi di legno intagliati a fogliami e dorati, con copertina di corame rosso’.d.1705b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.35, vol.64, f.246, 16 April 1705, inv. qm Giovanni Battista Lucini: ‘[f.255v] Un cimbalo attacato alla cassa a un registro, con piedi, e copertina di corame’.d.1707. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5115, f.577, 18 December 1707, inv. Marquis Luigi Costaguti (‘in palatio villa ad Portam Piam’): ‘[f.586v] Un cimbalo à tre registri con sua cassa dipinta’.d.1708a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.1, vol.368, f.333, 28 June 1708, inv. qm Stefano Borlendes: ‘[f.339r] Un cembalo a 4 registri con suo piede, e sua coperta di corame’.d.1708b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.4, vol.324, f.269, 3 December 1708, inv. qm Andrea Casanova: ‘[f.311v] Un cimbalo à ottava stesa à due registri levatore di cassa, tastatura e guarnizione di avorio con cassa coperta di cataluffo verde, e sopracop-erta di corame con suo piede, che lo regge con 3 aquile con acqua finta sotto, con sopra un delfino, et un putto dorati, et altri colori, scudi 40.–’.d.1709a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.21, vol.339, f.466, 17 March 1709, inv. qm Princess Flaminia Pamphilj Pallavicini: ‘[f.482v–483r] Un cimbalo à tre registri tastatura di busso con sua cassa foderata di fuori di corame rosso con merletti indo-rati in giro nel corame e suoi piedi torniti lisci di legno; [f.553r–v] Un cimbalo à due registri con tastatura d’avorio, e sua sopracassa di legno dipinta dentro con Apollo, che sona la lira dentro il mare à cavallo sopra un delfino, e vi sono da una parte diverse serene, che lo stanno à sentire, e nel pezzo che si alza di detto coperchio vi è dipinto l’istesso Appollo che salta nel mare sopra d’un vascello, dove stanno diverse figure, et intorno à detta cassa vi sono diversi putti, che ballano, con sua coperta di corame rabbescata d’oro usata, con il piede attaccato insieme col telaio intagliato a fogliami grandi tutto dorato’.d.1709b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.2661, unnumbered folios, 18 November 1709, inv. qm Prince Giovanni Battista Pamphilj: ‘Un cimbalo à tre registri con tastatura d’avorio,

et ebbano con suo legivo di legno bianco con sua cassa d’abbeto tinta di rosso, e piedi grossi fatti à colonna torniti, e filettati d’oro, tanto detta cassa, quanto detti piedi, longo detto cimbalo palmi nove meno oncie due, e largo da capo palmi tre, e mezzo incirca; . . . Due studioli d’ebbano con sue maniglie alle bande di rame dorato intersiato di tartaruca con venti tiratorini trà veri, e finti fatti in mezzo à prospettiva con quattro colonne parte di tartaruca, e parte di rame traforato con suoi capitelli di rame dorato con una statuetta in mezo di una donna con cornucopia, e sotto di esso un cavallo à ginocchio tutta di rame dorato, longo ciascheduno palmi sei, et un quarto incirca, et alto palmi trè quarti incirca, in uno de’ quali dentro vi è una spinetta, posano sopra i suoi fusti di legno tinto di nero con quattro colonne tornite ritorte, alti palmi quattro incirca; . . . Un cimbalo grande à tre registri opera del Mondini con cassa tutta dorata con suoi piedi intagliati dorati, e sua coperta di corame dorato’.d.1710a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.21, vol.341, f.372, 16 March 1710, inv. qm Antonio Francesco De Rubeis: ‘Un ciambalo à due registri del Cortona levatore longo palmi undici dipento con fiori con suoi piedi torniti tenti di cremisi filettati d’oro . . .’.d.1710b. ��, Not. R.C.A., vol.1955, f.180, 21 July 1710, inv. qm Francesco Maria Vignati (paintings collector): ‘[f.183r] Un cimbalo à due registri . . .; Una spinetta dell’Albani usata senza piedi d’un registro solamente’.d.1712a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.476, f.429, 21 April 1712, inv. qm Prince Giulio Savelli: ‘[f.449v] Un cimbalo longo palmi otto con cassa coperta di corame, ha per piedi avanti due leoni, e per terzo un puttino di legno dorato; [f.458v] Un cembalo grande scordato à tre registri con sua cassa dipinta à rabeschi e dorata in qualche luogo con suo pied-estallo à quattro colonne di legno e altra colonna dà piedi per l’appoggio longo palmi quattordici largo palmi quatro dove si sona; Altro cembalo più picolo à due registri simil-mente scordato con cassa coperta di punto francese di varij colori guarnita con trina con suoi piedi a colonna lungo palmi sette largo palmi tre e mezzo; [f.469v] Un cembalo coperto di vacchetta rossa con bollette, formano i piedi avanti due leoni con mazzi di pere et il piede di dietro altro leone simile intaglio di legno dorato longo palmi otto e mezzo’.d.1712b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.17, vol.292, f.156, 31 July 1712, inv. qm Duchess Maria Cristina Lante: ‘[f.156v] Un cimbaletto à tre registri levatore di cassa la sopracassa venata ad uso di pietra filettata d’oro con suoi piedi compagni, quali piedi et adornamento detto Signore Don Vincenzo [Lante della Rovere, son of Cristina] disse haverlo fatto à sue spese, e senza detti piedi, et adornamento stimato scudi 8.–. E come stà di presente stimato scudi 15.–; [f.157r] Un cimbolo d’ottava stesa à due registri con sua cassa levatora dorata, e dipinta di varij fiori con piedi di legno tinto turchino et oro con sua copertina di corame, scudi 30.–’.d.1713a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.8, vol.259, f.459, 26 November 1713, inv. Duke Domenico Grillo, palace Riario at via della Lungara: ‘[f.465] Un cimbalo da campagna piegatora da

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campagna [sic] dentro sua cassa, ò urna di quattro palmi in circa’.d.1713b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5134, f.1, 29 November 1713, inv. Prince Livio Odescalchi: ‘[f.11r] Un cimbalo a due reggistri longo palmi undici, et un quarto di passetto romano com-presa la cassa, la quale è tutta dorata con suo piede d’intaglio nobile, pure tutto dorato; [f.91v] Un cimbalo d’ottava stesa à tre reggistri con cassa dorata longa palmi dieci, e tre quarti col suo piede intagliato dorato con un putto, e mascarone in mezzo’.d.1714. ��, 30 n.�., uff.8, vol.262, f.263, 26 October 1714, inv. qm Marquis Pietro Minutelli Caffarelli: ‘[f.267] Un cimbalo ad un registro del Ramerino con cassa verniciata, e filettata d’oro con sua coperta di corame con piedi, e colonnette dorate interziati con intagli, et arme di Casa Minutelli Caffarelli; [unnumbered f.] Un cimbolo grande a due registri con sua coperta di corame del Girolimo, scudi 150.–’.d.1715. Rome, Archivio Capitolino, Inventario generale urbano, sez.19, vol.80, unnumbered folios, 17 April 1715, inv. qm Gabriele Liberi: ‘Un cimbalo à doi registri del Veneri con cassa d’albuccio dipinta, e piedi simili, scudi 15.–’.d.1716a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.28, vol.415, f.188, 6 March 1716, inv. qm Antonio Maria Lanciani: ‘Un cimbalo grande à tre registri di bona mano . . . con sua cassa à rabbeschi, e filetti indorati e con suoi piedi parimente à rabbeschi’.d.1716b. ��, Not. �.�., vol.2684, f.151, 4 June 1716, inv. qm Princess Violante Facchinetti Pamphilj: ‘[f.193r–v] Una spinetta con tastatura d’avorio con coperchio di dentro vi è dipinto S. Francesco, ed un angelo, che suona il violino con paese, e nel rivolto che serra vi è la fodera di damasco cremisi con merletto d’oro a pizzi intorno, lavoro di Orazio Albana di sopra e coperta di punto francese con sua serratura, e chiave longa un palmo, et un quarto dentro sua cassa d’albuccio’.d.1716c. ��, Not. �.�., vol.2684, f.340r, 10 June 1716, inv. Ill.mo Giovanni Antonio Pallavicini: ‘[f.340v] Un cimbalo à tre registri usato tinto rosso con filetti torniti [. . .’.d.1717a. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5790, f.538, 20 April 1717, inv. qm Marquis Morieno Savelli Palombara: ‘[f.543v] Un cimbalo grande à tre registri con sopracassa dipinta à oro con piedi torniti color di noce, e oro’.d.1717b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.36, vol.189, f.125, 23 April 1717, inv. qm Nicola de Egitiis: ‘[f.130v] Un cimbalo di due registri con suoi piedi intagliati e dorati in parte, e parte tinti a lacca con cassa parimente dorata al di fuori dipinta a fogliami, e dentro a paesi del Tempestini, con coperta di corame, opera come si disse del Trasontini si stima solamente scudi venti benchè vaglia quanto il padrone vuole, scudi 20.–’.d.1717c. ��, 30 n.�., uff.29, vol.323, f.71, 9 January 1717, inv. qm Marquis Gregorio Buratti: ‘[f.76v] Un cimbalo grande ottava stesa à trè registri con tastatura d’avorio sua tavoletta alla detta tastatura dipinta con cornice dorata, sua cassa di legno ordinaria colorita di noce, e imbronita scorniciata e rabescata d’oro, con suoi piedi simili con copertina di corame, scudi 40.–’.

d.1718. ��, Not. �.�., vol.5153, f.418, [March 1718], inv. Family d’Aste (‘Palazzo di S. Marco’, at Albano): ‘[f.424r] Un cimbalo à due registri del Traspontino con suo piede grande intagliato di fogliami, e dorato con la sua copertina di corame dorata; [f.430v] Un cimbalo à due registri del Traspontino con la cassa foderata di vacchetta rossa, e suoi piedi torniti’.d.1719a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.31, vol.395, f.399, 10 February 1719, inv. qm Abbot Antonio Valli: ‘[f.401r] Un cimbalo a due registri cassa levatora, con cassa . . . filettata d’oro . . . si dice essere del Trasentino’.d.1719b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.1, vol.401, f.136, 22 May 1719, inv. qm Marquis Ugo Ottaviano Accoramboni: ‘[f.161v] Una spinetta guasta a due tastatura, coperta di montone nero vecchia’.d.1719c. ��, 30 n.�., uff.30, vol.395, f.185, 21 October 1719, inv. Giuseppe Malzano: ‘[f.185v] Una spinetta fatta a cassa tutta rotta con due piedi di legno’.d.1719d. ��, 30 n.�., uff.30, vol.395, f.612, 7 December 1719, inv. qm Vincenzo Cicciaporci: ‘[f.613v] Un cimbalo grande à ottava stesa, à tre registri dipinto, e lavorato à fiori, e con fiori di diversi colori’.d.1720. ��, 30 n.�., uff.2, vol.454, f.206, 24 January 1720, inv. qm Marquis Giovanni Battista Strozzi: ‘[f.211v] Un cimbalo con suoi piedi filettato d’oro, e dipinto à 3 registri, scudi 60.–; [f.278r] Un cimbalo à tre registri con tastature di avorio con sua cassa staccata, e piedi à colonne di legno, scudi 15.–’.d.1722. AS, Not. �.�., vol.7023, 28 August 1722, inv. qm Duke Giovanni Battista Rospigliosi: ‘[f.30] Una spinetta da tavolino con cassa levatora dipinta color di noce rabes-cata d’oro con tutti li suoi tasti, ma senza corde’.d.1725a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.2. vol.476, f.203, 9 August 1725, inv. [Cardinal] Leone Strozzi: ‘[f.290v] Un cembalo à tre regis-tri con tastatura d’avorio con sua [cassa] staccata, e piedi a colonna di legno, scudi 14.–’.d.1725b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.4, vol.368, f.139, 18 September 1725, inv. qm Notary Francesco Maria Ginnetti: ‘[f.146v] Un cimbalo grande in sesta a due tastature, e quattro registri con cassa levatora, e sopracassa di legno bianco, e suoi piedi di legno torniti, e dorati e copertina di corame, dicesi del Cortona, di valore scudi 30.–; [f.148r] Un cimbalo ad ottava stesa à due registri con tastatura d’avorio, cassa levatora, e sopracassa di legno bianco, copertina di corame, e suoi piedi di legno torniti, dicesi fatto da Giacomo Ridolfi, di valore scudi 28.–’.d.1726a. ��, 30 n.�., uff.9, vol.637, f.256, 5 February 1726, inv. qm Agnese Giustina Giovannini de Bichis: ‘Un cembalo a due registri con cassa levatora con tastatura di fico d’India et avolio con suo piede tornito, e copertina di corame, scudi 15.–’.d.1726b. ��, 30 n.�., uff.4, vol.371, f.687, 2 November 1726, inv. qm Abbot Federico Barlocci: ‘[f.704v] Una spinetta con dama, e sue petine, e cuscino s.[opr]a di damasco torchino con suo gallone d’oro attorno, scudi 4.–; [f.736r] Un martellino da cimbalo di acciaro lavorato, scudi 0.10; [f.756r] Una spinetta ad un registro con sua cassa inverni-ciata di color di tartaruca, sc. 1.50’.

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d.1730. Not. �.�., vol.7038, f.45, 11 January 1730, inv. qm Princess Olimpia Giustiniani Barberini: ‘[f.55r] Un cem-balo con sua cassa color di noce filettata d’oro, piedi intag-liati, e dorati à tre registri sopra de quali è la tavola dorata dove resta scritto ‘Ioannes Baptista de Bonis Cortonensis Romae fecit anno 1621’, stimato scudi 15.–; [f.138v] Un cembalo dipinto di fuori, e di dentro à due registri coll’arpetta ottava in sesta con piedi intagliati coloriti . . . stimato scudi 25.–’.d.1734. ��, Not. �.�., vol.1817, f.649, 11 November 1734, inv. qm Marquis Pietro Gabrielli: ‘[f.658r] Un cembalo à ottava stesa à tre registri con cassa levatora con una sopracassa al di fuori tutta dorata con piedi di legno intagliati e dorati, con sua coperta di corame di valore in tutto scudi 80.–; [f.695v] Una spinetta à due registri coperta di velluto cremesi guarnita con galloncino d’oro con copertina di corame stimata scudi 6.–’.d.1737. ��, 30 n.�., uff.10, vol.436, f.292, 12 February 1737, inv. qm ‘Senator Urbis’ Mario Frangipane: ‘[f.333v] Un cimbaro a due registri a cassa levatora con incassatura d’ebbano, et avolio con suoi piedi intagliati all’antica, e cassa bianca con sua copertina di corame con scrittione opus Acciati [sic] usato, scudi 15.–’.d.1738. ��, 30 n.�., uff.10, vol.442, f.83, 28 April 1738, inv. qm Count Antonio Francesco Soderini: ‘[ff.90v–91r] Un cimbaro corto a due registri con tastature d’osso, e granatiglia del Trasentino, guarnita la cassa di damasco antico con passamano d’oro e bottoncini d’ottone con piede intagliato all’antica dorato, e tinto rosso con coper-tina di corame lacera, scudi 50.–; [f.99v] Un cimbalo a tre registri cassa levatora con tastatura negra con cassa liscia bianca, e piede intagliato di legno ordinaria e copertina di corame, scudi 50.–’.

d.1740. 30 n.�., uff.10, vol.447, f.465, 5 July 1740, inv. qm Giovanni Andrea Pilatoni: ‘[f.501r] Un spinettone di long-hezza palmi sette, e larghezza palmi due, e mezzo tutto guasto con suoi piedi, scudi 1.20’.d.1743. ��, Not. �.�., vol.3800, unnumbered folios, 29 November 1743, inv. qm Prince Camillo Pamphilj: ‘Un cimbalo in piedi à due registri tastatura di avorio, e d’ebano con cassa d’albuccio bianco con suoi piedi ordi-nari, scudi 20.–; . . . Un cembalo grande con sua cassa d’orata di legno e copertina di corame entro la medesima [cassa], detto cembalo à quattro registri con sua tastatura d’avorio con cassa levatora con suoi piedi d’oro e intagliati all’antica, scudi 80.–’.d.1747. ��, 30 n.�., uff.10, vol.471, f.1, 3 March 1747, inv. qm Cardinal Troiano Acquaviva: ‘[f.90v] Un cimbalo d’ottava stesa a tre registri con cassa levatora con sopra cassa dipinta con figurine, e filettata d’oro con suoi banchetti torniti tinti torchini e filettati dorati, scudi 120.–’.d.1747. ��, 30 n.�., uff.10, vol.471, f.90v, 23 March 1747, inv. qm Cardinal Troiano Acquaviva: ‘Un cimbalo d’ottava stesa a tre registri con cassa dipinta con figurine e filettata d’oro con suoi banchetti . . ., scudi 120.–’.d.1750. ��, 30 n.�., uff.10, vol.480, f.609, 16 March 1750, inv. qm Giovanni Giorgio Manart Pescatori: ‘[f.613r] Un cimbalo ottava stesa a tre registri, con cassa levatora inges-sato et imbrunito con piedi a colonnette all’antica’.d.1754. ��, Not. �.�., vol.4139, f.193, 20 November 1754: Celestino Testa has to give back to Marquis Giovanni Antonio Colonna of Naples, ‘scudi cento moneta romana, l’istessi che furono per detto Ecc.mo Sig.r Marchese pagati al detto don Celestino sin dal anno 1740, per li quali si obligò detto don Celestino di fare à sue spese un’ cembalo impiedi, ò sia verticale, di quattro registri . . .’.

A graduate in electronic engineering from the University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Patrizio Barbieri first worked and taught in that sector, including in the United States. Later he devoted himself to historical matters pertaining to acoustics, organology, temperament, harmonic theory and music printing. He has published two books and more than 100 articles, and was awarded the 2008 Frances Densmore Prize by the American Musical Instrument Society for the best article in English on musical instruments published in 2006–7. He has taught at the University of Lecce, the Gregorian University of Rome and at Rome’s ‘Tor Vergata’ University. He also lectured at the Laboratorio di acustica musicale e architettonica of the Fondazione Scuola di San Giorgio—CNR in Venice. www.patriziobarbieri.it

1 J. Koster, ‘Towards an optimal instrument: Domenico Scarlatti and the new wave of Iberian harpsichord making’, Early Music, xxxv/4 (2007), pp.575–604, at p.579.

2 According to C. Giardini (Sebastiano Ceccarini: portrait of the young princes Marescotti of Parrano / Ritratto dei Principini Marescotti di Parrano (Pesaro, 2010), p.14), the harpsichord ‘may be the musical

instrument built especially for Georg Friedrich Händel, which he found in the Marescotti-Ruspoli home in Vignanello during his Roman sojourn between 1706 and 1709 . . . later acquired by the Marescotti of Parrano’. Ceccarini was a representative of the Roman School.

3 60-note compass FF, GG–f , and 2 × 8 registers. The beautiful paintings covering the outer case, inside and out,

are attributed to Jan Frans van Bloemen, who was born in Antwerp in 1662 and died in Rome in 1749. Both van Bloemen and Mattia moved to Rome from Flanders.

4 Abbreviations: AS =Rome, Archivio di Stato; AV = Rome, Archivio Storico del Vicariato; D = reference to the document in the Appendix, followed by the year; inv. = inventory of the goods of; inv. qm = ‘inventory of the goods of the late . . .’,

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5 I wish to thank Grant O’Brien for the many constructive comments and new information received after the early draft of the present article had been completed. My thanks also go to Olaf Kisch, Laurence Libin, Furio Luccichenti, Federica Papi, Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini, Liuwe Tamminga and Denzil Wraight for information provided.

6 A. Morelli, ‘Storia della cembalaria e tipologia della documentazione. Alcuni esempi’, in Fiori musicologici. Studi in onore di Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini nella ricorrenza del suo LXX compleanno, ed. F. Seidoux et al. (Bologna, 2001), pp.379–96, at p.389.

7 The inventory is discussed in P. Ferrari, ‘Ancora sulla collezione medicea di strumenti musicali: gli inventari inediti del 1670 e 1691’, in Studi in onore di Giulio Cattin, ed. F. Luisi (Rome, 1990), pp.227–65, at p.253 (‘Uno strumento di tasti detto le viole, che suona per via di ruote, e fa il piano, e il forte’).

8 Morelli, ‘Storia della cembalaria’, p.389.

9 Marin Mersenne, Novarum observationum physico-mahematicarum . . . Tomus III (Paris, 1647), p.166: ‘praestantissimus faber (qualis est Nicolaus Ramerinus, cuius cymbala recens inventa Romae apud eum vidi, quos sonos vehementiores, aut remissiores edunt, pro libito)’. Mersenne, like Kircher in 1650, mistakenly gives Ramerini’s first name as ‘Nicola’, which cannot be linked to any maker operating in Rome during this period.

10 S. Cappelletto, La voce perduta. Vita di Farinelli evirato cantore (Turin, 1995), p.209: ‘Un cembalo . . . di invenzione del Sig:r testatore, suona li piani e forti a penna . . . fù eseguito in Madrid da D:n Diego Fernandez’.

11 P. Barbieri, ‘Violicembalos and other Italian sostenente pianos 1780–1900’, Galpin Society Journal, lxxii (2009), pp.117–39, at pp.119–20.

12 Marin Mersenne, Correspondance . . ., ed. C. de Waard, ix (Paris, 1965), p.487: Doni to Mersenne, 22 July 1640: ‘Pour ce qui est de vostre clavecin à chordes de boyau (dont la premiere invention est sortie d’icy, quoyque vous l’ayez perfectionnée de delà)’.

13 [Scipione Maffei], ‘Nova invenzione d’un gravecembalo col piano, e forte; aggiunte alcune considerazioni sopra gli strumenti musicali’, Giornale de’ letterati d’Italia, v (1711), pp.144–59, at p.144.

14 P. Barbieri, ‘I doi bellissimi organi di S. Lorenzo in Damaso, Roma’, Amici dell’organo di Roma, iii (1984), pp.46–53, at p.47. Also online at www.patriziobarbieri.it.

15 On the subject of the Tiratutti, see P. P. Donati, ‘L’organo Testa del 1701’, in Esperienze e ricerche nel restauro dell’organo Altemps in Santa Maria in Trastevere a Roma, ed. G. Basile (Rome, 1998), pp.25–38, at p.33. On the use of a similar device in Roman positive organs used in polychoral music, see P. P. Donati, ‘Le caratteristiche degli organi in uso nella musica policorale del primo Seicento’, Informazione organistica, xiv (August 2002), pp.109–31, at pp.121–2.

16 d.1664, a document brought to the author’s attention by Furio Luccichenti. Further instruments by Piccini are listed in P. Barbieri, ‘Cembalaro, organaro, chitarraro e fabbricatore di corde armoniche nella Polyanthea technica di Pinaroli (1718–32)’, Recercare, i (1989), pp.123–209, at p.134 (online at www.patriziobarbieri.it/pdf/pirrotta.pdf). On the tiorbino, see G. O’Brien and F. Nocerino, ‘The tiorbino: an unrecognized instrument type built by harpsichord makers with possible evidence for a surviving instrument’, Galpin Society Journal, lviii (2005), pp.184–208.

17 P. Barbieri, ‘Gli strumenti poliarmonici di G. B. Doni e il ripristino dell’antica musica greca (c.1630–1650)’, Analecta Musicologica, xxx (1998), pp.79–114, at p.89.

18 Among those thought to belong to the Roman school, two 3 × 8-register harpsichords, both unsigned, can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; according to Denzil Wraight they can be attributed to Orazio Albana and Giovanni Battista Boni respectively: D. Wraight, ‘The stringing of Italian keyboard instruments c.1500–c.1650’, Ph.D. diss. (Queen’s University Belfast, 1997), Part 2, pp.19–20 and 80–2.

19 See, for example, the harpsichord by Giovanni Battista Giusti (Ferrara, 1679). The registers are 2 × 8 + 1 × 4 for the entire compass, GG, AA–c. The interior lid paintings are attributed to Giuseppe Zola (1672–1743). Giusti had been an apprentice of Girolamo Zenti in Rome: J. H. van der Meer, ‘Panorama storico dell’arte cembalaria in Italia’, in Clavicembali e spinette dal XVI al XIX secolo. Collezione Luigi Ferdinando Tagliavini, ed. L. F. Tagliavini and J. H. van der Meer (Bologna, 1986), pp.25–57, at p.51; A concise English catalogue of the Tagliavini Collection of musical instruments, compiled from the Italian by M. Latcham (vol.iii of the Collezione Tagliavini. Catalogo degli strumenti musicali) (Bologna, 2009), pp.26–7.

20 Van der Meer, ‘Panorama storico dell’arte cembalaria in Italia’, p.52; V. Gai, Gli strumenti musicali della corte medicea e il Museo del Conservatorio ‘Luigi Cherubini’ di Firenze. Cenni storici e catalogo descrittivo (Florence, 1969), pp.6–7 (Girolamo Zenti, 1658). At the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg, there is a (Roman) harpsichord signed ‘io��ph �ondini i�ol�n. 1701’ (no.2000.517); the string lengths of its three registers do not differ greatly, and problems about stringing and pitch are still not entirely resolved; it could be a 3 × 8 instrument, although it is now tuned at a = 440 Hz, and strung as 2 × 16 (copper, red brass with 15 per cent zinc, respectively) + 1 × 8 (information from Olaf Kisch).

21 O’Brien and Nocerino, ‘The tiorbino’, pp.185–6 (harpsichords a tre registri, cioè due principali unisoni e tiorbino, by Zenti and Mondini).

22 B. M. Antolini and E. S. Bonini, ‘L’attività musicale in S. Girolamo della Carità’, in E. S. Bonini, Il fondo musicale dell’Arciconfraternita di S. Girolamo della Carità (Rome, 1992), pp.23–35, at pp.27–8 (‘per aver introdotto un cembalo a tre registri anziché a due, come avevano fatto i maestri precedenti’); Morelli, ‘Storia della cembalaria’, p.393.

23 The most commonly used lengths of palmo in Rome were the palmo architettonico (22.34 cm) and the palmo

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mercantile (24.90 cm): Tavole di ragguaglio fra misure e pesi dello Stato Pontificio colle misure e pesi del sistema metrico, i (Rome, 1857), pp.11–12. Unfortunately, the second-hand dealers rarely specified which one of the two they were using (see, for example, d.1713b); besides, the sizes reported in the inventories—mainly roughly estimated—only refer to the whole case. According to Grant O’Brien, Roman harpsichord-makers used the palmo mercantile, see http://www.claviantica.com/Geometry_files/Italian_geometry_table_12.htm.

24 That both the said makers were known as ‘il Cortona’ is confirmed by the following documents: with regard to Giovanni Battista, besides d.1691a, a small harpsichord by him is recorded in an inventory dated 1627: ‘Un ciambaletto . . . di mano del Cortona’ (C. L. Frommel, ‘Caravaggio, Frühwerk und der Kardinal Francesco Maria Del Monte’, Storia dell’arte, ix–x (1971), pp.5–52, at p.43); in 1689 ‘Giuseppe Boni cimbalaro detto il Cortona’ in turn is recorded in Rome, Archivio Storico del Vicariato, Parrocchia di S. Maria in Via Lata, Status animarum 1689, f.45.

25 F. Hammond, ‘Girolamo Frescobaldi and a decade of music in Casa Barberini: 1634–1643’, Analecta Musicologica, xix (1979), pp.94–124, at pp.103–4 (‘Due Cimbali insieme, cioè uno sopra l’altro, quello di sopra con tre registri; quello di sotto d’un registro fatti da Gio. Batta Cortonese’). See also D. Wraight, ‘Italian two-manual harpsichords: some notes following Comm. 537’, FOMRHI Quarterly, xxxvi (1984), pp.19–22, at p.20 (Comm.538).

26 F. Piperno, ‘Un cembalo a tre registri del cardinale Pietro Ottoboni ed una spinetta a due tastiere del principe Francesco Maria Ruspoli’, Il flauto dolce, x–xi (Jan.–June 1984), pp.39–40.

27 Van der Meer, ‘Panorama storico dell’arte cembalaria in Italia’, p.52; Wraight, ‘Italian two-manual harpsichords’, p.19.

28 E. Tamburini, Due teatri per il principe. Studi sulla committenza teatrale di Lorenzo Onofrio Colonna (1659–1689) (Rome, 1997), p.382;

Morelli, ‘Storia della cembalaria’, pp.385–6.

29 On the registers used in these instruments, see G. O’Brien, Ruckers: a harpsichord and virginal building tradition (Cambridge, 1990), pp.110–15.

30 Tamburini, Due teatri, pp.66, 71, 74, 76, 153, 157, 162. The four works, performed during Carnival, were: Trespolo tutore (1677), Tessalonica (1683), Arianna (1684, 1685) and Giochi Troiani (1688).

31 Barbieri, ‘Cembalaro’, p.147.

32 Grant O’Brien informs me he knows of no five-register Ruckers harpsichord, providing one does not consider the combined double-manual harpsichord-and-virginal rectangular instruments. He notes that the Ruckers instrument preserved in Rome, Museo Nazionale degli strumenti musicali, is a normal four-register double-manual harpsichord with the two keyboards a 4th apart.

33 Filadelfo Mugnos, Historia della augustissima famiglia Colonna . . . (Venice, 1658), p.181.


35 L. F. Tagliavini, ‘Fabio da Bologna, virtuoso costruttore di cembali’, Recercare, xxi (2009), pp.149–75, at p.162.

36 Also Giulio de Medici, in Florence, owned an instrument ‘which can be played on two sides’ (1670): ‘Uno strumento d’ancipresso, doppio, che si suona da due bande, con due spinettine, dentro, che si accomodano sopra i salterelli del primo strumento con tastature d’ancipresso, ed ebano’. See G. Montanari, ‘Strumenti a corde a tastiera della guardaroba medicea nel XVII secolo, III: 1666–1675’, Informazione organistica, xxi/3 (2009), pp.319–54, at p.322.

37 I Chigi a Formello. Il feudo, la storia e l’arte, ed. I. van Kampen (Formello, 2009), p.147: ‘Un cimbalo con sua cassa tinta a colori di noce profilata di oro, con suoi piedi torniti da sonare in tre persone’.

38 G. Montanari, ‘Strumenti a corde a tastiera della guardaroba medicea nel XVII secolo, I: 1600–1649’, Informazione organistica, xxi/1 (2009), pp.63–142, at p.85.

39 On Stein’s vis-à-vis instruments, see J. H. van der Meer and R. Weber, Catalogo degli strumenti musicali dell’Accademia Filarmonica di Verona (Verona, 1982), pp.92–106; J. A. Rice, ‘Stein’s “Favorite Instrument”: a vis-à-vis piano-harpsichord in Naples’, Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society, xxi (1995), pp.30–64.

40 P. Barbieri, ‘Ravenscroft and Pasquini: the art collections and instruments of two musicians in late-Baroque Rome’, Music in Art, xxxvi (2011), pp.257–74, at pp.263–4.



43 P. Barbieri, ‘An assessment of musicians and instrument-makers in Rome during Handel’s stay: the 1708 Grand Taxation’, Early Music, xxxvii/4 (2009), pp.597–619, at p.609.


45 P. Barbieri, ‘The Sordino: the unsuspected early Italian tangent piano 1577–1722’, Galpin Society Journal, lxii (2010), pp.49–60.

46 Leto Puliti, ‘Della vita del Ser.mo Ferdinando dei Medici Granprincipe di Toscana e della origine del pianoforte . . .’, Atti dell’Accademia del R. Istituto musicale in Firenze, xii (1874), pp.92–240, at p.192.

47 ‘Un altra carafina simile con dentro olio di cranio humano’ (f.700r). Also listed are ‘a large Spanish guitar with its case’ (f.713v) and several books and sheet music (f.726r).

48 Piperno, ‘Un cembalo a tre registri’, p.40.

49 S. Monaldini, L’orto delle Esperidi. Musici, attori e artisti nel patrocinio della famiglia Bentivoglio (1646–1685) (Lucca, 2000), pp.393, 408, 434.

50 Barbieri, ‘Gli strumenti poliarmonici di G. B. Doni’, p.89 (‘Doi spinette et un appicordo’).

51 Recently the subject of a report by G. O’Brien, see www.claviantica.com/Publications_files/Maberiani_report.htm.

52 Athanasius Kircher, Musurgia universalis . . ., i (Rome, 1650), p.454.

53 The instrument is single strung, C/E–c, sounding c/e–c.

54 On Zenti’s spinet, see E. M. Ripin, ‘The surviving oeuvre of Girolamo

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Zenti’, Metropolitan Museum Journal, vii (1973), pp.71–87, at pp.85–7.

55 F. Hammond, ‘Musical instruments at the Medici court in the mid-seventeenth century’, Analecta Musicologica, xv (1975), pp.202–19, at p.211 (‘Una spinetta da portare al collo tinta in verde’).


57 P. Barbieri, ‘Gold- and silver-stringed musical instruments: modern physics vs Aristotelianism in the Scientific Revolution’, The Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society, xxxvi (2010), pp.118–54.

58 Van der Meer, ‘Panorama storico dell’arte cembalaria in Italia’, p.29. A 1720 cembalo traverso by Cristofori is now in Leipzig: H. Henkel, Kiel-Instrumente. Musikinstrumenten-Museum der Karl-Marx-Universität Leipzig—Katalog—Band 2 (Leipzig, 1979), p.91.

59 G. Montanari, ‘The oval spinets and Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici’s collection of quilled instruments’, in Bartolomeo Cristofori. La spinetta ovale del 1690 / The 1690 oval spinet, ed. G. Rossi-Rognoni (Livorno, 2002), pp.32–41, at p.39.

60 Barbieri, ‘Gli strumenti poliarmonici’, p.89 (‘un appicordone a doi registri’).

61 Ferrari, ‘Ancora sulla collezione medicea di strumenti musicali’, p.252: ‘uno spinettone che suona da tre parti con tastature di cipresso’.

62 There are two sets of strings, C/E–c, at 8 pitch. ‘The folding construction is essentially the same as that of the other three Italian folding harpsichords known and of those known from north of the Alps. The body is divided into three sections. At the tail, the top section is hinged to the second section and may be folded 180° back in the horizontal plane after extracting the keyboard. The combined lengths of the top and middle sections are then the same as that of the lower section. The middle section is attached along the soundboard join to the lower section by hinges with their axles high above the soundboard surfaces. After folding back the top section, the combined top and middle sections may together be folded up and over

the lower section, making a compact box ready for easy transport’ (Collezione Tagliavini, iii (Bologna, 2009), p.43).

63 Puliti, ‘Della vita del Ser.mo Ferdinando dei Medici’, p.193 (‘un cimbalo da ripiegare, lavoro fatto in Francia’).

64 L. Libin, ‘Folding harpsichords’, Early Music, xv/2 (1987), pp.378–83, at p.379.

65 Libin, ‘Folding harpsichords’ (an article in which other instruments of the kind are examined, of Italian manufacture); Barbieri, ‘Cembalaro’, pp.139–43; R. Meucci, ‘Gli strumenti della musica colta in Italia meridionale nei secoli XVI–XIX’, Fonti musicali italiane, iii (1998), pp.233–64, at pp.249–50.

66 Biographical information is listed in: D. H. Boalch, Makers of the harpsichord and clavichord 1440–1840, ed. C. Mould (Oxford, 1995); Barbieri, ‘Cembalaro’.

67 AS, 30 n.�., uff.27, vol.45, f.407, 13 October 1606: ‘D. Io. Baptista q. Silvestri de Bonis de Cortona’ undertakes to make a harpsichord (not described) for 22 scudi.

68 AV, S. Tommaso in Parione (parrocchia), Liber defunctorum: ‘Jacobus Garzinus cymbalorum constructor’ buried on 3 April 1698.

69 AV, S. Marco (parrocchia), Status animarum, years 1701–02: the cimbalaro Giovanni Maria Mambriani is registered with his family and two lavoranti: Giovanni Battista Branzini and Giuseppe Checacci. ��, Not. �.�., vol. 2656, f.112, 22 October 1708: Giovanni Maria is dead, his wife and son inherit 111.14 scudi. The first name of this maker was wrongly cited as ‘Giovanni Battista’ in Barbieri, ‘Cembalaro’, p.152 (where it is also reported that in some documents his surname is also spelled as ‘Maberiani’). As far as I know, no harpsichord-maker called ‘Giovanni Battista’ Mambriani is recorded.

70 It is less probable that the maker of the d.1692b instrument was ‘Valerius Perius Romanus’, whose 1631 harpsichord is now in Leipzig Museum: Henkel, Kiel-Instrumente, pp.16–17.

71 AV, S. Stefano del Cacco (parrocchia), Liber mortuorum

1694–1748, f.27r, 17 September 1700: ‘Iacobus Ridolfi Romanus anno suae aetatis septuagesimo circiter quinto . . . in Communione Sanctae Matris Ecclesiae animam expiravit . . .’. Buried in the church of S. Andrea della Valle. According to the Status animarum of S. Stefano he was in fact born around 1636, so in the previous deed the phrase ‘septuagesimo circiter quinto’ should more probably be read ‘sexagesimo circiter quinto’.


73 The inventory of goods of this painter can be found in ��, 30 n.�., uff.8, vol.259, f.515, 27 November 1713 (nothing relates to musical instruments).

Early MusicForthcoming in

May 2012

Musical Otherness in the Iberian world, 1500–1800

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Villar, Juan Pablo Fernández-Cortés and María

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harpsichords and spinets in late baroque rome

Documents

ramerinis instrument

il piano e il forte

inventories of harpsichord

quilled harpsichord

decline of harpsichord

similar registers

bernardo pasquini

invented harpsichords