tunings.

19. Boni virginal: Full view.

Boni virginal: 20. Plan view.

21. Boni virginal: View of key board. Photo: Robert Lautman.

English Harpsichords

In the 18th century, London became a center of harpsichord making. The two most important makers, Jacob Kirckman and Burkat Shudi, were Swiss immigrants who first apprenticed with Hermann Tabel, a Flemish harpsichord maker who had also emigrated to England. In America, where English culture was highly regarded, Thomas Jefferson owned a Kirckman harpsichord, Francis Hopkinson a Shudi and Broadwood.

The heavy cases of the typical English instruments were veneered in walnut, mahogany, and later satinwood, and rested on trestle stands. The usual range was five octaves: FF-f³ for harpsichords; GG-g³ for spinets (and organs). In general, the sound produced on an English harpsichord is more thick and lush than the sound of instruments from other European centers.

Spinet, about 1710; made by Thomas Hitchcock, London One manual; Range GG-g³; 1×8′

The spinet, a member of the harpsichord family, was a popular domestic keyboard instrument in England and America during the 18th century and was mentioned in many American diaries and inventories of that time. The spinet often served as the keyboard instrument for the household that could not afford or did not have room for the harpsichord or organ.

The Hitchcock family supplied many spinets for early 18th-century gentility. Note in Figure 24 the handsome brass hinges, one of many examples of the beautiful hardware used by English builders. This instrument is quilled with crow quill, the most common material used for plectra at that time. A detail of the jacks and stringing is shown in Figure 1.

22. Hitchcock spinet: Full view and nameboard.

23. Hitchcock spinet: Plan view.

24. Hitchcock spinet: Top view. Photo: Robert Lautman.

Harpsichord, about 1743; made by Burkat Shudi, London Two manuals; Range FF-f³ (no FF^♯; 2×8′, 1×4′, lute, buff

Most of the stops on early harpsichords were changed by hand. From left to right, the stop knobs shown in Figure 25