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1612 IR Groot ravelement van een dubbelmanualig klavecimbel. Het instrument bevindt zich in het museum van het conservatorium te Parijs.
1612 IR
Present compass: F1 to f3.
Case
dimensions: length now 2401mm, originally about
2201 mm;
width now 906mm; height 266mm with, 253mm without the baseboard; keywell
now 878mm, originally about 755mm.
General
description:
This may be the earliest harpsichord to use the Ioannes Ruckers
double-manual rose. The date is slightly uncertain, however, as it is
written on a non-original part of the soundboard added in the
eighteenth-century ravalement. The soundboard painting, with its use of
birds and very intricate and delicate arabesques, is more in the style
of the Ioannes soundboard paintings from 1616 to 1624. This, together
with the use of the IR double-manual rose, which is otherwise not found
until 1618, suggests to me that the date of this harpsichord is later
than 1612. Perhaps 1617 was mis-read and copied as 1612, and this has
been interpreted as 1612?
The ravalement was carried
out by widening the instrument on both the bass and treble sides. In the
process dovetailed pieces were added to the wrest plank, belly rail, and
toolbox liners. Most of the internal framing was either replaced or
supplemented with additional wood. The original strapwork decoration
(the only existing Ioannes strapwork case decoration) can be seen on the
spine side, and the extension to the spine near the tail is also
visible. The 4' hjtchpin rail was extended, new bridges and nuts were
made and the entire action was replaced. The date was probably
originally written on the w rest plank, and transferred to the
soundboard in the process of the grand ravalement. The painting of the
pieces added to the soundboard has been done very carefully in the
style of the
original.
Technically, and from a design point of view,
it is one
of the most beautiful and ingenious harpsichord ravalements that I
know.
The main
lid shows the contest between Apollo and Marsyas and was painted by Jan
Brueghel the Elder (The Velvet Brueghel) and Hendrik van Balen.
The
front flap
shows Orpheus taming the wild animals and is by Paul Bril.
Literature:
B. 31; Chouquet (1875), No.222; Chouquet (1884), No.327; Hjrt (195.5),
8-11; Thjbault-de Chambure (1971), 78-80; van der Meer (1971c), 127,
144; Dowd (1978), 109, 113; Rueger (1982/86), Plate 71, 94; Getreau
(1985), Plate p. 91, 90-2; O'Brien (1985), 84-8; Papineau-Couture
(1989).
Former
owners: It is supposed to have been given by Maria de Medici to
Elizabeth of France (wife of Philip IV of |
