virginal A. Gheerdinck

Description

Audio Sample:

This NEUPERT-virginal is a replica after an instrument made by Artus Gheerdinck (1564 - 1624), Amsterdam 1605 (now Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg, NEUPERT-collection).

It is the master’s only surviving instrument and an especially fine model of a type of instrument, which was very popular in the Netherlands at this period.

Gheerdinck’s workshop was close to the Amsterdam “Oude Kerk”, where Gheerdinck’s contemporary Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was an organist at this time. So we may suppose, that there was an extensive contact between musician and instrument maker.

The virginal A. Gheerdinck belongs to the type of instruments that has its keyboard on the left side of the instruments front. Its case is covered with sea-horse wallpaper, a decoration which was very popular in the Netherlands at that time.

Technical details:

• keyboard compass: C - d³ (4 1/4 octaves)
• disposition: 1 x 8'
• pitch: 415 Hz or 440 Hz after request
• naturals: bone, sharps: ebony
• measurements: width 166 cm, depth 50 cm
• net weight 28 kg

Additional equipment:

• painted sound board
• motto on the inside of the lid
• cover matching the instrument