Italian Harpsichords
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 My Italian harpsichords are of the classically constructed type, also known as 'true case'. They are very lightly constructed and weigh only 30 pounds or so. Consequently they are quite easy to transport. The cypress case is never painted. All the woodworking shows, including the scrollwork and delicate moldings as can be seen in the photos. All the moldings are hand planed and the rose is cut directly into the soundboard just like a lute. At one time the Baroques would have buried all this woodwork in a painted outer case. Sometimes they even built a Northern style instrument in the shape of an Italian harpsichord; veneered with cypress on the inside, slathered with paint on the outside, pretending to look kind'a like a classical Italian harpsichord in its outer case. But fortunately we no longer live in the 17th century, and in contrast to the historical approach, I like to expose the woodwork after going through all the trouble of creating it. The instrument's only decoration is inherrent in the shape of the object itself and the working of its fine woods. The standard keyboards are those you see in the photo; boxwood with ebony sharps and trefoil arcaded keyfronts of boxwood. |
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