Grimaldi2

 

Anne Fahy 

Harpsichord voicing
and maintenance

 

tools website 007

Construction of a "Mother and Child" double virginal

This instrument is constructed by Anne Fahy and Ian Tucker following the design of Ioannes Ruckers' double virginal of 1623, presently in the Wurtembergisches Landesmuseum, Stuttgart. The Mother virginal is of the muselaar type: the strings are plucked about one third along their length. The Child is an ottavino, concealed below the soundboard of the Mother. It may be pulled out like a drawer and played independantly, or be placed above the Mother, so as to couple both instruments and play the 8' and 4' together.