Italian Harpsichord

Is a Harpsichord built according to the Italian school at the beginning of the.  XVI century, in Naples, probably in the shop of the famous one "cembalaro" Alejandro Fabri.

This instrument surely belonged to some of the few and important families “napolitanas” that migrated from Naples toward Genoa in the XVI century because of the continuous wars at that time.  It should have remained during centuries without anyone playing it. Is very surprising the state of conservation, it has not been modified to adapt it to the subsequent musical needs as was done with almost all the primitive Harpsichord and it  still has the original music stand  and  key  to tune up. We believe, is the only case.  Some Harpsichord of that time can be found but they are so deteriorated.  One of them is in the collection of the Musical Museum of Instruments of the Castello Sforzesco at Milan where there is a Harpsichord done by the same builder that this, but less luxurious, without box and that has been impossible to restore. 

This was bought at the beginning of the  XX Century  by an Argentinean, Alejandro Bianchi in  Carcano in the "Stabilimento Musicale Master Enrico Kanz" of Santa  Marguerita Ligure, Italy. It has been in his house of Cordoba in decorative function till 1990 in which passes away and its heirs sell it me.  I’ve done the minimum repairs that requires and I put it available to the local needs for the interpretation of the Old Music as is called generic (Early Music).  It was used for the record of a CD of music for harpsichord of Domenico Zipoli, and used in two operas from Claudio Monterverdi in the Colon Theatre  of Buenos Aires and numerous concerts. 

1.  The investigation and organic classification was carried out for the curator of the August Bonza collection from Milan,. 

2.  These data are technicians

but necessary for the understood. 

Manual means Harpsichord board.  In that Harpichord epoch and organs had one only. 

Eight feet refers to the eighth one more lowers. 

To play unison means that each note has two cords, as in the mandolins. 

Registration is the mechanism that permits the interpreter to select the play of cords.  Eighth it cuts is a disposition of the eighth one more lowers by the one that less cords were put, using the Harpsichord board that would correspond to them maintained for the white. This it is really extraordinary and we believe that unique.

Besides it permits to determine the original tuning because in the epoch was used the Harpsichord to determine the gave striking it hanging of a thread. 

Spanish: Clave.  Italian: Clavicenbalo  English: Harpsichord  German: Cembalo: French: Clavecin.  Flamenco: Klavicimbel.