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
Painting by Pietro Fabris c. 1770 (Scottish National Portrait Gallery) with the title “Sir William Hamilton entertains his friend the Earl of Seaforth”.
This painting shows Mozart at the far left playing an octave spinet, Mozart's father Leopold playing a large (presumably) Neapolitan harpsichord, the Duke of Hamilton playing the violin, the Early of Seaforth with his back to us, in front of him an unknown musician probably playing the oboe and, at the far right, Gaetano Pugnani playing the violin.
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.
