N E W 5 - O C T A V E H A R P S I C H O R D S
I N T H E N E A P O L I T A N S T Y L E
General Background Information
Sir William Hamilton entertains his friend the Earl of Seaforth
Detail of a painting by Pietro Fabris c. 1770 (Scottish National Portrait Gallery)
According to http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/music/violin.html#c2 "The body of the violin is a hollow box which measures about 35.5 cm in length".
V
= 35.5cm
H
= 35.5cm/cos 27º = 39.8cm
(L + M)/H = 4.49 – by simple measurement
L + M = 4.49x39.8
= 178.8cm
Perspective must be account for about 4/3.
Length of harpsichord is therefore 4/3x178.8
= 238.4cm or about 2.4m
112 Neapolitan once = 2.446m. It was therefore decided on
this basis to make the design length of the new ‘Mozart’
harpsichords 112 Neapolitan once or 9 piedi and 4 once.
The harpsichord in the background being played by Leopold Mozart is the primary inspiration for the construction of these instruments discussed elsewhere in this section.
Return to the main 'Mozart' harpsichord design section
