Harpsichords, clavichords, spinets and virginals ... closely based on the best extant antiques from the
sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
The members of the Ruckers family of Antwerp dominated harpsichord making North of the Alps for the first 50 years of the 17th century.
They produced virginals in a variety of forms and sizes, but their single and double-manual harpsichords were the most prized. By the
end of the 17th century their singles, with only a 1x8', 1x4' disposition and a 45-note (four-octave) short- octave keyboard, seemed
hopelessly inadequate. But the instruments were far too valuable to discard, so in a process called ravalement, they were rebuilt to
give them the more flexible disposition of 2x8', or 2x8', 1x4', and the compass was enlarged.
The Ruckers' double-manual harpsichords were originally made with their keyboards unaligned — the lower manual was a fourth lower than the upper.
Later, they underwent ravalement as well, and in the process their keyboards were lined up. Our Flemish instruments have been "enlarged" to four and a half octaves
with chromatic bass, giving a compass useful for most of the music written in the baroque. Since these single- and double-manual harpsichords were redecorated
in current local fashion after the rebuilding process, a variety of decorative options is available, ranging from the Ruckers marbling to the
French gold bands and moldings. [Continued] ... [Details]
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The members of the Ruckers family of Antwerp dominated harpsichord making North of the Alps for the first 50 years of the 17th century.
They produced virginals in a variety of forms and sizes, but their single and double-manual harpsichords were the most prized. By the
end of the 17th century their singles, with only a 1x8', 1x4' disposition and a 45-note (four-octave) short- octave keyboard, seemed
hopelessly inadequate. But the instruments were far too valuable to discard, so in a process called ravalement, they were rebuilt to
give them the more flexible disposition of 2x8', or 2x8', 1x4', and the compass was enlarged.
The Ruckers' double-manual harpsichords were originally made with their keyboards unaligned — the lower manual was a fourth lower than the upper.
Later, they underwent ravalement as well, and in the process their keyboards were lined up. Our Flemish instruments have been "enlarged" to four and a half octaves
with chromatic bass, giving a compass useful for most of the music written in the baroque. Since these single- and double-manual harpsichords were redecorated
in current local fashion after the rebuilding process, a variety of decorative options is available, ranging from the Ruckers marbling to the
French gold bands and moldings. [