The very first harpsichord was probably built back in the 1300s (and may have looked similar to the one pictured above) as a variation to an ancient instrument called the psaltery, which was actually a harp with steel strings.
Within 200 years and by the 1500s/Baroque era, the harpsichord had become an extremely popular instrument in Europe, and thus, spread to multiple countries. With its spread and popularity came several schools of harpsichord building – each with their own woodworking techniques and styles.
In this post, we’ll give you a general overview of each of these early schools of harpsichord building.
German Harpsichords
Harpsichord building actually differed in Germany, depending on whether you were from the Northern or Southern part of the country. The northern builders often modeled their harpsichords with two or three keyboards and multiple handstops – much like the French and Flemish styles.
Most of the northern German harpsichords also included choirs which stretched from 2′ to 16′ in length.
As for the southern style, most builders patterned their harpsichords after the Italian model – that is, one keyboard and shorter strings made of brass. Whereas the northern versions were built for power, these Southern German harpsichords were known for their gentle and sweet tones.
French Harpsichords
Many French-built harpsichords were designed similarly to Flemish harpsichords. Their characteristics included multiple keyboards that included anywhere from four octaves to a fully chromatic range.
French harpsichords also had three choirs that could be combined through the means of a knee-lever. Lastly, all French harpsichords were created out of oak or poplar wood, with the soundboard usually being made from pine.
Flemish Harpsichords
Flemish harpsichords were an entirely separate breed of their own. The most famous harpsichord builders, the Ruckers family, were in fact Flemish and came from the city of Flanders.
The Flems were the first to add a second keyboard to their harpsichords. Also, Flemish harpsichords integrated tighter strings than were 4 inches longer than those found on their Italian counterparts.
Not only that, but the Flems where able to design their models so that the string was plucked further from the nut, which in turn reduced the friction of string against nut, allowing for the Flemish strings to last much longer than the strings found on other versions of the harpsichord.
Most Flemish harpsichords were small, but also very compact and solid.
Italian Harpsichord
Many believe that the Italians were the first to design, create, and use the harpsichord…making their models the oldest. That said, the Italian versions were also the simplest of the various families – with little change seen over the years as well.
Most Italian models included just one keyboard that contained four octaves. Along with this feature, Italian harpsichords were all “unichord,” meaning that each note on the instrument was tied to one string. Speaking of the Italian strings, most were made of brass and strung very loosely and close to the nut.
In terms of weight and material, most Italian harpsichords were light, but large and made of cedar or cypress wood.
Lastly, most Italian harpsichords were mainly used for background accompaniment in plays and productions, and as solo instruments on occasion.
Conclusion
As you can tell, the harpsichord has a rich history. Originating in Italy, its beauty both visually and musically helped it to spread throughout most of Western Europe. With that spread came variations that has only added to the elegance of this instrument.