The tiorbino: an unrecognised instrument type built
by harpsichord makers with possible evidence for a surviving instrument
GRANT O’BRIEN and FRANCESCO NOCERINO
Part 1 - The archival evidence[1]
By Francesco Nocerino
Recent work both in the Neapolitan archives and elsewhere
has uncovered numerous documents which provide yet more new evidence to confirm
the role of Naples as an important centre for the production of musical
instruments during the period from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries.[2]
My research, especially that carried out in the archives of the Banco di
Napoli, has drawn my attention to a large number of documents dealing with an
instrument called a tiorbino (sometimes spelled either teorbino
or tiorbina). The majority of the archival documents indicates that this
instrument was especially common during the second half of the seventeenth
century but then quickly went into disuse.
Until now
the term tiorbino has generally been understood to mean a small octave tiorbo
or theorbo: in other words, a plucked instrument similar to the theorbo but
smaller and therefore at a higher pitch. As far as is known to the author the
collection of music in the Capricci a due stromenti cioe Tiorba e Tiorbino,
(Modena: 1622) by Bellerofonte Castaldi (1580-1649) is the only example of
printed music which mentions this instrument specifically (see Figure 1). As can be seen here this music is in lute tablature
and is therefore clearly intended for plucked strung instruments of the lute
family. It is not intended for a keyboard instrument but for instruments of the
lute family and, in this case, for the theorbo and the tiorbino ie. the theorbo
and a small theorbo.
Figure 1.
First page of the ‘Capriccio di battaglia a
due stromenti’ by Bellerofonte Castaldi, from his Capricci a due stromenti cioè Tiorba e tiorbino, (Modena: 1622).
A possible
second meaning is that the term tiorbino might refer to a harpsichord stop.
This use is documented in the Inventario di diverse sorti d’instrumenti
musicali in proprio del Serenissimo Sig. Principe Ferdinando di Toscana
compiled for Ferdinando in Florence in 1700.[3]
In this inventory a harpsichord by Girolamo Zenti is mentioned ‘a
tre registri, cioè due principali unisoni e tiorbino, […]’ – (with
three registers, that is two principal unison registers and a tiorbino).[4]
Here exactly what is meant by a register is ambiguous. Does the author of the
inventory really mean 3 rows of jacks each plucking its own set of strings or
does he simply mean that the instrument had the usual 2 rows of jacks and sets
of strings but with a buff stop operating on one set of strings? In the latter
case the tiorbino register would be the usual buff stop (called the lute stop
in German and Italian) consisting of a set of cloth or soft leather pads
touching the strings near the nut. Also mentioned in the same document is
another harpsichord by Giuseppe Mondini (who came originally from Imola in
Romagna) ‘a tre registri cioè due
principali e tiorbino unisoni […]’ – (with three registers, of which two
are principal registers plus a tiorbino all at unison [8'] pitch).[5]
Here again the meaning of three ‘registers’ is ambiguous and the possibility
that one of the registers might refer to a buff stop cannot be excluded.
But, among
the archives referring to the activity of Neapolitan harpsichord makers, and
especially in those of the seventeenth century, payments in favour of Gioseppe
de Simone have been found for a ‘tiorbino a levatora di cascia’ (a
tiorbino with an outer case), and another one in favour of the well-known
Onofrio Guarracino, for a ‘teorbino con tastiatura d’avolio’ (a tiorbino
with an ivory keyboard) and one more in favour of Antonio Sabbatino, for a
tiorbino ‘et duoi[sic] registri’
(with two stops).[6] In this case
it is clear and unambiguous that an instrument type known as a tiorbino is
referred to and that the reference is it is not simply to an extra buff or lute
stop (or, in this case, a tiorbino stop) on an otherwise normal metal-strung
harpsichord.
Among these
bills of payment there are also references to tiorbini made by the Neapolitan
harpsichord makers Salvatore Sanchez, Gaetano Carotenuto and, finally, in a
declaration signed by a notary and dated 1724, there is also a mention of a
tiorbino ‘ad ottava stesa con cassa di legname’ (with a chromatic bass
octave and with a wooden outer case) sold and delivered by Salvatore Sanges
[sic] and Gaetano Baldassarro, who may be a pupil of Sanges.[7]
A number of further new discoveries of heretofore unpublished documents also
testifies to the presence of tiorbini in the workshops of the Neapolitan
harpsichord builders Angelo Faenza, Gaspare Sabbatino, Francesco Andreassi e
Fabrizio Mucciardi.[8]
A survey of
the archival documents for the inventories of property which were compiled at
the time of death of the owners has proved particularly fruitful. For example,
among the archives of central and southern Italy there is mention of an
unfinished tiorbinetto in the shop of the Sicilian harpsichord maker
Carlo Grimaldi and a tiorbina[sic] in the workshop of the Roman Giovanni
Pietro Polizzino.[9]
In all of
these documents, the tiorbino is always mentioned in relation to the activities
of a harpsichord maker and is described with characteristics compatible with
those of a plucked keyboard instrument.
The will
and testament of the singer Don Giovanni Battista Merolla clarifies the
character of the instrument. Here we read of a tiorbino and a ‘minicordo’
(probably a small clavichord), ‘con li loro piedi’ (with their stands)
left to the students of the Conservatorio di S. Onofrio in Naples. Also we read
that the Governors of the Conservatory declare to have received these
instruments, and they are carefully specified: ‘uno spinetto e uno minicordo
remasti In casa di detto quondam Don Giovanni Battista cioe detto spinetto
collo piede e il minicordo senza piede’. (A spinet (or virginal) and a
clavichord left in the house of the said late Don Giovanni Battista, the said
spinet (or virginal) with its stand and the clavichord with no stand).[10]
Therefore
it seems that the term tiorbino was used interchangeably to describe an
instrument that could have a stand and that, at least as far as its dimensions
and structure are concerned, this instrument was very similar to a spinet or a
virginal. Furthermore in a letter dated 1624 and signed by Count Fabio
Carandini-Ferrari in the same archive, we are informed of the purchase in Rome
of a tiorbino ‘incassato[sic]’, an adjective that could be interpreted
to mean ‘con cassa levatora’
(with an outer case).[11] Indeed we have found a pictorial
representation published in Rome of a tiorbino which suggests a third meaning
of the term. This is found in an engraving of Michele Todini’s galleria
armonica,[12]
in Filippo Bonanni’s work[13] which illustrates a group of
mechanised instruments each separated from one another but connected together
invisibly using a complicated mechanism so that they can all be played by one
musician at a single central keyboard. The engraving shows, placed near the
wall with each on its own stand, a series of three instruments all of which are
unmistakably keyboard instruments.
Figure 2. Galleria Armonica in the Palazzo Verospi in Rome from Filippo Bonanni, Gabinetto armonico pieno d'istromenti sonori, (Roma: 1676), Plate XXXIII.
Todini
himself describes the picture thus: ‘Sono posti tre strumenti da penna; una
Spinettina all’ottava alta, un Spinettone, & un Tiorbino, nella facciata
dirimpetto à quello che suona’
(Three quilled instruments are placed therein; an octave spinet, a spinettone
and a tiorbino, facing towards the person who plays it).[14]
Another
illustration of the Michael Todini’s galleria armonica also exists in
the Phonurgia nova published by Attanasio Kircher.[15]
However, Todini himself considers that the illustration is not reliable because
‘chi n'hà fatto il disegno non ha veduto l'originale’ (the person who made the drawing
had never seen the original).[16]
Despite this unfavourable judgment however, the three keyboard instruments are
also recognizable in this engraving and each is on its own individual stand in
front of ‘quello che suona’ (he who is playing) (see Figure 3).
Figure 3.
The Galleria
Armonica of Todini from Athanasius Kircher, Phonurgia nova, (Kempten:
1673), p.168.
As a result
of the examination of the Todini’s description in his Dichiaratione della
galleria armonica, along with the image published there and the information
in the newly-discovered documents mentioned above, it seems possible to
identify the tiorbino as a keyboard instrument belonging to the harpsichord
family. But if it is assumed that the tiorbino was made by competent and
reputable harpsichord makers, then some questions follow, especially about the
stability and construction of such an instrument.[17]
The documents seen so far, mainly Neapolitan and Roman in origin, indicate that
there were problems with the tuning stability of the tiorbino. This
disadvantage required continuous attention on the part of the maker. The
following quotation wherein the buyer makes an agreement with the maker
illustrates this problem: ‘altrimente
non l'haverria comprato, di darli dieci carlini l'anno et lui lo tenerà sempre
accomodato et accordato facendoci tutto quello ci bisognerà ogni volta che lo
chiamerà ’
(otherwise [the buyer] will not buy it, by giving an
[additional] 10 carlini a year and he will maintain it regulated and tuned, and
doing whatever is necessary every time [the buyer] asks).[18]
In this case the buyer imposes as a
condition of the sale of the tiorbino its regulation and tuning on request, and
that this will cost 10 carlinos per year. This is equivalent to 1 ducat and
therefore to a tenth of the total cost of the instrument.
In another
example, the buyer even decides the price, but: ‘con patto che detto Teorbino in termine di giorni 20 da 13 corrente
fusse qualche motivo, non havesse o non tenesse l'accordio detto Salvatore sia
obligato accomodarlo a sue spese ove a caso non potesse riuscire ne debbia fare
un altro a sua sodisfazione’ (according to this agreement if, within a
period of 20 days of the 13th [of this month], the said tiorbino for whatever
reason, does not hold or maintain its tuning, then the said Salvatore [= the
harpsichord maker] is obliged at his own expense to make another [tiorbino] to
his [the buyer’s] satisfaction.[19]
This time the buyer imposes the condition
that if, for whatever reason within a period of 20 days from the consignment,
the tiorbino does not maintain its tuning, then the harpsichord builder must
repair it and, should he not succeed, then he must build a new tiorbino at his
own expense.
The
additional complexity of the work involved on the part of the harpsichord
builder is further revealed in another document which indicates the additional
cost (exactly double) involved in the tuning of a tiorbino compared to the
tuning of a harpsichord with 3 registers: ‘per accordo del tiorbino docati
4, e docati 2 per l’accordo del cembalo a tre registri’ (4 ducats for the
tuning of the tiorbino and 2 ducats for the tuning of the harpsicord with three
registers).[20]
The
difficulty implied by these documents of maintaining the tuning and regulation
of the tiorbino strongly suggests that it was an
instrument fitted with gut strings. The fact that the problem of instability
was common to many different makers all of whom were competent and reputable
suggests that the problem did not arise because of design-related problems so
that the stringing material is the only feature that could give rise to this
tuning instability. We already know of historical gut-strung keyboard
instruments such as the lute-harpsichord and the theorbo-harpsichord.[21]
Unfortunately, there are no recognised surviving gut-strung harpsichords and
indeed we know very little about the gut-strung harpsichord either in Italy or
north of the Alps.
An
interesting additional note is to be found in the will of the Bergamo painter
Evaristo Baschenis (1617-1677), who leaves a ‘spinetta tiorbata’ to the young
Dorotea Baschenis who is described as being ‘of little virtue’:
‘Di
più lascia alla detta Dorothea […] la spinetta tiorbata, li violini, il basso,
e tiorba, acciò se ne possa valere e ne ha libera patrona’.[22]
(I further leave to the said Dorothea the spinetta tiorbata, the violins, the
bass [viol?] and the theorbo, in order that she can use them freely as the
person with full title to them.)
It is
useful to note that in the Agliardi Triptych (see Figure 4), Baschenis carried out a self-portrait of himself in the act of
playing a virginal on the edge of which there is the signature ‘Evaristus/Baschenis/Bergomi/f ’.
However, for the moment at least, it is not possible to confirm the suggestive
hypothesis that this is the instrument mentioned in the Baschenis will.
A specific
reference to Italian keyboard instruments with gut strings can be found in the
work of Valdrighi who, in his note on Farini, stated to be an Italian builder
active in 1620, writes: ‘Le corde de’
cembali del FARINI erano di minugie’
[23]
(the strings of the harpsichords made by Farini were of gut).
However,
returning to the use of gut strings in the tiorbino, it does not seem a coincidence that in Naples and Rome, during
the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, there was in fact a significant
production of gut strings.[24]
Moreover Mersenne, in his Harmonie
Universelle, says that the strings ‘of gut are not as suitable as those of
brass because they change their pitch too easily in wet or dry weather and are not
as uniform or equal in every part as those of metal’.[25]
The use of gut strings on the tiorbino would have involved continuous
maintenance in tuning, quilling, voicing and re-stringing the instrument. All
these considerations justify and explain the buyers’ worries which are
repeatedly found in the Neapolitan documents.
As for the
shape, the tiorbino might have looked similar to a small virginal, or better
like a bentside spinet, as one can see in Bonanni’s drawings. Its dimensions
had to be rather small and it would have had a rather light structure in order
to qualify for the term ‘tiorbino’. (In the Italian language the suffix ‘-ino’
is frequently used as a diminutive). Even if the number of documents found up
to this point is insufficient to make a judgement about the characteristics of
a tiorbino on the basis of the valuations (or better the sale prices) made for
them, I feel that it is useful, at least as far as their dimensions are
concerned, to note that a new tiorbino would always cost much less than a
harpsichord made by the same maker and this suggests therefore that the
tiorbino was considerably smaller than a normal harpsichord.
Figure 4.
The Galleria
Armonica in the Palazzo Verospi in Rome (detail), from Filippo Bonanni,
Gabinetto armonico pieno d'istromenti sonori, (Roma: 1676), Plate XXXIII
As for the
sound of the tiorbino, the instrument most probably would have had a very sweet
and delicate sound. Being strung in gut, the overtone structure of the
instrument would be that forming a series of almost perfect harmonics because
of the flexible nature of the gut itself. Acoustical theory shows that a tense
flexible string forms a series of overtones which are a close approximation to
the natural harmoinic series. Such a series of accurate harmonics is perceived
by the ear as having a musically pleasing or sweet sound. The low mass of the gut would produce a
rather weak sound, however, compared to the sound of an instrument with much
heavier metal stringing. The sound
would have a strong attack with a rapid decay and little sustaining power. The
impression would be of a more powerful tone, however, because all of the energy
and sound would be concentrated in the intial attack so that the instrument
would be perfectly audible even though it had virtually no sustainging power.
The
etymology of the word ‘tiorbino’ used in the context of a keyboard instrument,
certainly draws its origins from the homonymous instrument identifiable as a
small theorbo.[26] It seems
very likely therefore that the name derives from its unusual stringing with
gut.
Finally,
the use of two registers on Antonio Sabbatino’s tiorbino[27]
seems to be perfectly compatible with the rarely-found references to the
gut-strung harpsichords, among which we mention the J.C. Fleischer lute- and
theorbo-harpsichords, with two and three stops respectively. Also
notwithstanding the extended period (from 1671 to 1733) during which archival
documents mentioning the tiorbino have been found and further in spite of the fact
that they were made by such capable harpsichord builders as Guarracino,
Sabbatino and Carotenuto, the tiorbino does not seem to have been a great
success, perhaps because of the necessity of such specialised, expensive,
frequent and complex maintenance. Probably already fallen into disuse by the
second half of the eighteenth century, the tiorbino was then quickly forgotten.
The only surviving traces are now found in the recently-discovered documents.
This therefore takes research into the field of historical harpsichord makers
into new frontiers.
In
concluding this study we hope that it may stimulate new interest in the
tiorbino and the discovery of further new documents which deal with it. This,
together with the re-examination of known documentary sources, could shed new
light on the knowledge about the tiorbino and generally increase our knowledge
of Italian harpsichord makers. It is clear even from the study carried out here
that the names of many new harpsichord builders have been discovered working
throughout Italy but especially in Naples. It seems certain that further study
will yield yet more names to add to this list.
Documentary appendices
Use has been made in the transcription of the following
documents of a few abbreviations in common useage. Notes or interpolations made
by me are placed between square brackets. Some of the printed documents have
been completely translated into English but, to avoid the translation of the
complex and tortuous legal and financial technical language of the original
unpublished documents, only an English resume of some of these has been given
here. I would like to express my thanks to Grant O’Brien for his translation of
the whole of Part 1 of this paper.
1.
‘Un Cimbalo di
Girolamo Zenti, non levatoro di cassa, a tre registri, cioè due principali
unisoni e tiorbino, con fondo di abeto e rosa nel mezzo traforata e dorata, con
fascie per di fuora tinte a imitazione di marmo rosso e bianco, con striscie
nere all’estremità e per di dentro tinto di nero, con il corniciame dorato, con
suo leggio simile, e sua tastatura di bossolo et ebano con cinque spezzati nei
neri di mezzo che comincia in gisolreut ottava stesa e finisce in cisolfaut con
n. cinquanta nove tasti tra bianchi neri e spezzati, e nella fascia davanti vi sta
scritto / a lettere d’oro con alcuni rabeschi: Hyeronimus de Zentis Romanus
faciebat in civitate Holmie, anno Domini 1653. lungo braccia quattro e
soldi nove, largo nel davanti braccia uno e soldi dieci, con sua contro cassa
di abeto pura, e sua coperta di cuoio rosso foderata di taffettà verde orlata
di nastrino d’oro’.
(Florence: Archivio di Stato, Guardaroba mediceo, n.1117, anno 1700, c. 3).’[28]
‘A
harpsichord by Girolamo Zenti, not removable from its outer case, with three
registers, that is two principal unison registers and a tiorbino. The
soundboard is of fir[29] with an incised and gilt rosette in its
middle. The case sides are painted in imitation of red and white marble with
black stripes painted around the edges and on the inside. The mouldings are gilt
as is the music desk. The keyboard is in boxwood and ebony with 5 split keys in
the central part of the compass. It has a compass from G1 without a
short octave to c3 with 59 keys including the naturals and
accidentals with all of the split keys.[30]
Written in gold lettering with a few arabesques on the nameboard at the front
is: Hyeronimus de Zentis Romanus faciebat
in civitate Holmie, anno Domini 1653 [Hieronymus de Zentis the Roman made
(this harpsichord) in the city of Stockholm, AD 1653]. The length is 4 braccia and 9 soldi
[2453mm] and the width at the front is 1 braccio and 10 soldi [827mm].[31] It has an external carrying case of
fir with a lid of red leather and lined [on the inside] with taffeta trimmed
with a gold band.’
2.
‘Un Cimbalo del Prete Giuseppe Mondini, detto
il Prete da Imola, levatoro di cassa, a tre registri cioè due principali e
tiorbino unisoni, con fondo di abeto senza rosa, fascie e scorniciatura di
cipresso con filetto d’ebano, e traversa con filetto e striscia nel mezzo
d’ebano, con tastatura di bossolo et ebano che comincia in gisolfaut ottava
stesa e finisce in cisolfaut, senza spezzati, con n. cinquanta tre tasti tra
bianchi e neri, lungo braccia quattro e un terzo, largo nel davanti braccia uno
e nove soldi, con un'inscritione incavata nel sodo davanti che dice: Joseph
Mondini Imolensis MDCLXXXVIII con suo leggio di cipresso, e contro cassa di
abeto pura, toppa e chiavistelli laterali, e sua coperta di cuoio giallo
foderato di canavaccio e orlata di nastro filaticcio giallo’. (Florence:
Archivio di Stato, Guardaroba mediceo, n.1117, anno 1700, c. 34. Cfr. Gai 1969:
11).
‘A harpsichord by the priest Giuseppe
Mondini called the “Priest from Imola” with a separate outer case and 3
registers – that is with 2 principal registers and a tiorbino [all] at unison
pitch. It has a soundboard of fir[32]
without a rosette. The case sides and mouldings are of cypress with purfling in
an ebony strip, and a jackrail also purfled with ebony and with an ebony strip
down the middle. It has a keyboard of boxwood and ebony beginning at G1
and
finishing at c3 with no split keys so that there are altogether 53
keys with both the naturals and accidentals.[33]
It is 4⅓ braccia long (2369mm) and 1 braccio and 9 soldi (799mm) wide at the front[34].
There is an inscription on the nameboard at the front which reads: Joseph Mondini Imolensis MDCLXXXVIII. It has a music desk of cypress and an
outer case of fir, a lock and bolt and a lid [covered in] yellow leather and
lined with material and trimmed with a narrow strip of yellow.’
(Niccolò Graziano buys a
tiorbino for the price of 13½ ducats. It is by the harpsichord builder Giuseppe
de Simone, has a separate outer case and must be without any possible defect.)
(Giuseppe Cannicchio de
Roggiero buys a tiorbino with an ivory keyboard made by the master harpsichord
builder Onofrio Guarracino for 20 ducats.)
5.
‘A don Flaminio d’Angelo ducati dieci e
per lui ad Antonio Sabbatino Cimbalaro a complimento di docati trenta, atteso
gl'altri gliel'ha dati de contanti per haverli comprato dal medesimo Mastro
Antonio uno tiorbino et duoi registri opera sua et con questo pagamento sta
intieramente sodisfatto et hanno pattizzato, altrimente non l'haverria
comprato, di darli dieci carlini l’anno et lui lo tenerà sempre accomodato et
accordato facendoci tutto quello ci bisognerà ogni volta che lo chiamerà.’
(Naples: Archivio Storico del Banco di Napoli, Banco di Spirito Santo, giornale
matr. 573, 26 giugno 1676, fol. 1157).
(Flaminio d’Angelo buys a
tiorbino with two registers for 30 ducats from the harpsichord builder Antonio
Sabbatino, imposing as a condition of the purchase the maintenance and tuning
of the instrument at the price of 10 carlinos (= 1 ducat) per year.)
(Don Stefano Cavaliere buys a tiorbino for the
price of 8 ducats from the master harpsichord builder Salvatore Sanchez,
imposing as a condition of the sale that if, within a period of 20 days the
instrument was not in tune or did not maintain its tuning, then the harpischord
builder would be obliged to repair it or to re-make a new instrument at his own
expense.)
7.
“[....] Al Signor Nicola Cinname[sic] per
una annata di sua provisione maturata nell’ultimo di marzo 1725 docati 6 cioè
per accordo del tiorbino docati 4, e docati 2 per l’accordo del cembalo a tre
registri per il Natale, e per l’ultima Settimana Santa, restando con tal
pagamento sodisfatto per tutto il passato con polisa mia per il Popolo”
(Naples: Archivio di Stato, Monasteri Soppressi, San Paolo Maggiore, Libro
degli Esiti, 1725, esisto di aprile.
The harpsichord builder Nicola Cennamo receives 6 ducats (of which 4 were for
the tuning of the tiorbino and 2 for the tuning of the harpsichord with 3
registers) as his annual salary for the tuning of the instruments of San Paolo
Maggiore.
8.
‘A
Francesco Avallone di Mario ducati quattro e per esso a Gaetano Carotenuto a
compimento di ducati 5, atteso l'altri Carlini dieci l’ha ricevuti contanti et
sono per prezzo d’uno Teorbino ad esso venduto et consignato, così d'accordo.
Et per esso a Giovanni Battista Viva per altritanti’. (Naples: Archivio
Storico del Banco di Napoli, Banco di San Giacomo, giornale matr. 462, 20
dicembre 1688, fol. 814).
(Francesco Avallone buys a
tiorbino for the price of 5 ducats from the harpsichord maker Gaetano
Carotenuto.)
9.
‘[…] Item due organi ad ala usati. / Item
ciambali diversi numero cinque non finiti di tutto punto d’ottava stesa. / Item
un tiorbinetto non finito. / Item due urpicordi picciotti non finiti. / Item
uno vecchio. / Item un ciambalo vecchio a due tastature. […]’ (Messina:
Archivio di Stato, Notai, n. 632. cc.347r-351v., 24.4.1717[35]).
([there are:] 2 organs ‘ad
ala’,[36] 2 used
organs ‘ad ala’, 5 harpsichords with a full bass octave [down to C] not
all of which are finished, an incomplete tiorbinetto, 2 small unfinished
virginals, another old [virginal], an old harpsichord with two keyboards.)
10. ‘Un
cimbalo a tre registri attaccato alla cassa et una cassa di cimbali / Doi
cimbali attaccati alla cassa [a] doi
registri, non finiti / Un appicordone a doi registri / Doi spinette et un
appicordo / Doi casse di spinetta / Et una tiorbina[sic].’ (Rome:
Archivio di Stato, 30 Notai Capitolini, uff.18, Notaio Franciscus Pacichellus,
Testamenti, 30.10.1657[37]).
([there are:] a harpsichord
with an integral case and 3 registers, a case for a harpsichord, two incomplete
harpsichords with integral cases and 3 registers, a large spinet, two spinets
and a virginal, two spinet cases and a tiorbina.)
11. ‘Il quondam Don Giovan Battista Merolla figliolo
che fu del nostro Conservatorio nel suo testamento delli 2 agosto 1692 [sic]
chiuso, et aperto a 30 agosto 1699 per mano de notar Antonio ferraiolo lasciò a
detto Conservatorio le infrascritte robbe ut infra un quadro grande di s.
Felippo neri pintato con veste sacerdotale con cornice d’ora lo stipo grande di
radica de noce alla Genovese una con la
chiave vicino lo stipo di Cervinara seu pioppo due portieri de teletta de porta
nova di color torchino
lo stipo
grande di pioppo pintato il Tiorbino et Minicordo per uso de studiare li
figlioli dette robbe se sono ricevuti in conservatorio et se li scritto
ricevuta come qui aclusa.’ (Naples: Archivio del Conservatorio di Sant'Onofrio, Libro maggiore di
terze, fol.77, anno 1699)
Attached:
[Folio 1 recto] ‘Legato fatto per il quondam Don Giovanni Battista merolla nel suo
Testamento alli 2 agosto 1696 chiuso et aperto a 30 agosto 1699 per notar
Antonio Ferraiolo de napoli.
Item
lascio al Conservatorio delli figlioli de Santo Nofrio a Capuana di questa
città Il quadro grande di S. Felippo neri pintato con veste sacerdotale con
cornice d'oro quale si debbia porre dentro la sacrestia, lo stipo grande di
radica di noce alla genovese un con le chiavi ma vacuo di dentro da ponersi
parimente nella sacrestia per conservare i paramenti d’essa, uno stipo di
Cervenara seu pioppo per servizio anco della sacrestia ma vacuo di dentro, due
portieri i migliori di Teletta di portanova di color Torchino per uso delle due
porte che sono alli versi del Altare maggiore della chiesa di detto
Conservatorio, Uno stipo grande di pioppo pintato per uso di detto
Conservatorio, Uno stipo grande di pioppo pintato per uso di detto
Conservatorio, il Tiorbino, et il mio minicordo una [= unitamente, assieme] con li lloro piedi per uso di studiare li
figlioli assignandone uno per dormitorio, quali mobili voglio siano di detto
Conservatorio e Io ce li lascio per atto di gratitudine per ricompensa del
molto che devo a detto Conservatorio per esser stato io uno delli alunni di
detto Conservatorio et in quello Imparato quella virtù con la quale mi ho
procacciato di beni’.
(Naples: Archivio del
Conservatorio di Sant’Onofrio, Libro maggiore III, allegato, fol.1r, anno 1699.
See Di Giacomo (footnote 10) 1924: 52-54).
(Notes and
relevant attached documentation in the papers of the Conservatory of Music of
Sant’Onofrio a Capuana in Naples of the property left by the deceased Giovanni
Battista Merolla, among which are a tiorbino and a clavichord with their stands
used by the pupils [figlioli] of the Conservatory for their studies.)
[Folio 1 verso][omissis: Grazia Merolla,
the sister of G. B. Merolla, was heir to the rest of his property]
‘Noi
Tutti Governatori del Real Conservatorio di Santo Honofrio de figlioli orfani
congregati dechiaramo che In esecuzione della disposizione del quondam
Reverendo Don Giovanni Battista merolla fatta nel suo Testamento havemo
ricevuto Tre stipi uno di noce alla Genovese un altro de Pioppo grande e un
altro de pioppo di Cervinara con le loro chiave di più uno spinetto e uno
minicordo remasti In casa di detto quondam Don Giovanni Battista cioe detto
spinetto collo piede e il minicordo senza piede, due portieri di Teletta di
portunova color torchino colli loro ferri, uno quadro grande di Santo Felippo
neri vestito da sacerdote, onde per cautela de chi spetta ne facemo la presente
ricevuta napoli 26 settembre 1699.
Ignatio
Terra Governatore
Antonio Civitate Governatore
Gennaro
Scala Governatore
Domenico
Antonio Santi Governatore’
(Naples: Archivio del
Conservatorio di Sant’Onofrio, Libro maggiore III, allegato, fol.1t, anno
1699).
(Receipt signed by the
Governors of the Conservatory in which it is specified that the spinet [now
called a spinet rather than a teorbino] has its stand, but that the stand of
the clavichord is lacking.).
12.
‘Ho inviato or ora al Duca = il tiorbino
incassato, et ben accomodato in tutte le sue parti = e quantunque questi musici
avisano essersi introdotto a’ questi, et simili instromenti, et anco alle arpe
farvi porre le corde di oro che dicono dar maggiore dolcezza al suono =
tuttavia, esso Carandini non ve l'ha fatte porre di d.° prezioso metallo, = per
haver l’ordine preciso di farlo fare come l’altro, et alli med.i
mastri. / Roma 10 genn. 1624.’
(Modena: Archivio di Stato, Dispacci di Fabio Carandini-Ferrari).[38]
(A letter from Count Fabio
Carandini-Ferrari in which one reads of a tiorbino in its outer case which was
not equipped with gold strings even though the use of such metal had been
introduced [to Rome] in other instruments and even in the harp in order to give
it a sweeter [or softer] sound.)
13. ‘Sono
posti tre strumenti da penna; una Spinettina all’ottava alta, un Spinettone,
& un Tiorbino, nella facciata dirimpetto à quello, che suona, situati con
tale disinvoltura, che pare impossibile habbino communicatione con le machine
intrinseche, non conoscendosi, né come siano le operationi, né come possino
essere così stabili, facendo il suo effetto, quasi invisibilmente. Stanno detti
strumenti separati l'un dall'altro, più d’un palmo, sopra suoi tavolini, col
suo piede per ciascheduno, né toccano il muro, né altra cosa, che apparisca
stabile’. (Michele Todini, Dichiarazione
della Galleria Armonica, (Rome: 1676) 10-11.
(Three quilled instruments are placed
therein; an octave spinet, a spinettone and a tiorbino, facing towards the
person who plays them and situated in
such a casual way that it would seem impossible that they might have any
connection to the necessary machinery [used to operate them]. Without knowing that
[this machinery] exists and how the instruments function the effect is created
in a way that is almost invisible. The instruments stand separated from one
another by more than a palmo[39] on their tables and each on its own stand.
They don’t come into contact with the walls, nor anything else, and the whole
thing appears [not to contain anything] movable.)
14. ‘A
Giovanni Francesco d’Andrea ducati cinquanta e per lui al Signor Gasparro
Sabbatino Mastro Cembalaro per intiero prezzo e final pagamento di due Teorbine,
e proprio denaro della Duchessa di Carvizzano [sic], con dichiarazione, che detto Sabbatino resta per tal causa
Intieramente soddisfatto con tal pagamento. Et per esso contanti’. (Naples:
Archivio Storico del Banco di Napoli, Banco dello
Spirito Santo, giornale matr. 1270, 18 agosto 1733, fol. 2).
(On behalf of the Duchess of
Calvizzano, Giovanni Francesco d’Andrea buys 2 tiorbinos made by the Master
harpsichord builder Gaspare Sabbatino for the price of 50 ducats.)
15. ‘Declaratio pro D. Francesco de Angelis.
Die
duodecimo mensis ianuarij 2.de indictionis 1724 Neapoli, constituti nella
nostra presenza Gaetano Baldassarro e Salvatore Sanges di Napoli cimbalari et
accordatori di cembali, e spontaneamente avanti di noi hanno dichiarato, e
confessato aver ricevuto et avuto dal dottor signor Don Francesco de Angelis
similmente di Napoli assente docati sette e mezzo per lo Banco dello Spirito
Santo di questa Città con polisa notata fede in testa di esso signor don
Francesco della data de oggi predetto giorno renunciandono con giuramento
avanti di noi all'eccezzione della non numerata pecunia.
E
sono detti ducati sette e mezzo per lo prezzo d’un Tiorbino ad ottava stesa con
cassa di legname, da detti Salvatore, e Gaetano, venduto, e consignato al detto
Signor Don Francesco nel passato mese di dicembre [fol. 6 r] del caduto anno
1723, e quantunque si fusse preso detto Tiorbino dal detto signor Don Francesco
nulla di meno dichiarano detti Gaetano, e Salvatore, che ha servito per Angelo
Pisani figliolo del Conservatorio de Poveri di Giesù Cristo di questa città,
con che resta sempre tenuto detto Pisani à pagare detto prezzo di detto
tiorbino à detto Don Francesco avendo fatto esso Don Francesco detto pagamento
di suo proprio denaro per ordine dell’illustre signor marchese di Amoroso
regente della Gran Corte della Vicaria avanti di chi comparvero li detti
Gaetano, e Salvatore presso lo scrivano Riccetti. Stante il qual pagamento de
sudetti ducati sette e mezzo essi predetti Gaetano, e Salvatore dichiarano, che
restano sodisfatti da detto signor Don Francesco per detta causa, et il detto
Tiorbino è stato per uso di detto Pisano, e non altrimente; E perciò
spontaneamente hanno obligato se stessi loro eredi, successori, e beni tutti
presenti e futuri al detto signor Don Francesco assente, et à me per esso
presente sub pena dupli, medietate cum potestate capiendi consecutione precarij
renuntiaverunt et iuraverunt.
Presentibus
Iudice Antonio Pistone de neapoli regio ad contractus
Magnifico utriusque doctoris Hijacintho Scalese et
Magnifico Francisco Canfora
de neapoli.’ (Naples:
Archivio di Stato, Notai del XVII secolo, notaio Pietro Francesco Nicola
Giordano, scheda 1313, prot. 44, foll. 5v-6v, 12 Gennaio 1724.)
(On behalf of the Marquis di
Amoroso, Don Francesco de Angelis buys a tiorbino with a chromatic bass octave
at a price of 7½ ducats from the harpsichord builders and ‘harpsichord tuners’
Gaetano Baldassarre and Salvatore Sanges. This instrument would be purchased
for the exclusive use of Angelo Pisani a student at the Conservatorio dei
Poveri di Gesù Cristo in Naples.)
16. ‘Ad
Isidoro Faenza ducati ventisette 4.18½ et per esso a Francesco Andreasso per
altrittanti e per esso a Fabritio Mucciardi a compimento de ducati ventotto
3.18½, atteso li restanti carlini otto per detto compimento l’ave da esso
ricevuti in contanti, e detti ducati 28.3.18½ sono per il prezzo della mettà
della robba vendutali dal suddetto Fabritio per la suddetta summa esistente
detta robba nella bottega di cimbalaro, che si esercitava in communi tanto da
esso Francesco quanto dal suddetto Fabritio, site e poste nell’imbrecciata di
Santa Maria de Sette Dolori, consistente dette robbe in Cimbali e Teorbini,
principiati, ed altri lavori principiati, legnami di diverse sorte per uso di
Cimbalaro, accomodazioni fatti, ferri, stiglio ed ogni altro annesso e connesso
a detta Arte di Cimbalaro quale suddette robbe sono state apprezzate d’ordine
della Gran Corte della Vicaria da due esperti detti da loro Francesco e
Fabritio, cioè il magnifico Isidoro Faienza [sic] per parte di esso suddetto Francesco ed il magnifico Gasparro Sabbatino
per parte di esso suddetto Fabritio e sono state apprezzate per la somma de
ducati 57.2.17½ dichiarando col presente pagamento restar il medesimo [Fabrizio] da esso intieramente soddisfatto per causa
di detta mettà di robba vendutali come sopra non avendo altro da esso che
pretendere per la causa suddetta. Et per esso a Tomaso Palma per altritanti.’
(Naples, Archivio Storico del Banco di Napoli, Banco del Popolo, giornale matr.
1033, 24 aprile 1732, foll. 586-587).
(The harpsichord builder Francesco Andreassi collects
28.31.18½ ducats from the harpsichord builder Fabrizio Mucciardi for his
workshop which they will share. The workshop contains harpsichords and tiorbini
and other items already begun, diverse types of wood used in harpsichord
building, tools, shelves and all of those articles necessary to the art of the
harpsichord builder. The workshop is located near the church of S. Maria dei Sette Dolori in Naples, and the valuation
of the materials was carried out by order of the Gran Corte della Vicaria by
the experts Gaspare Sabbatino and Isidoro Faenza.
17. ‘A
Giacom’Antonio Cipullo ducati otto e per lui a Nicola Sardella per prezzo di un
Teorbino, opra fatta dal quondam Mastro Angelo Faenza, ad esso venduto e con
detto pagamento resta sodisfatto. Notata fede al 21 gennaro [sic] 1603.’ (Naples: Archivio Storico del
Banco di Napoli, Banco della Pietà, giornale matr. 968, 6 febbraio 1693, fol.
9).
(Giacom’Antonio Cipullo buys a tiorbino
for the price of 8 ducats from Nicola Sardella. The instrument is a work by the
late master harpsichord builder Angelo Faenza.)
Part 2 - A possible surviving tiorbino: an
anonymous Neapolitan spinet[40]
in the Museo Teatrale alla Scala, Milan
By Grant O’Brien
Introduction and general description of the instrument
The Museo
Teatrale alla Scala in Milan has in its collection of musical instruments a
small anonymous spinet dated 1707, Catalogue Nº MTS-TP/04.[41]
As will be shown below it was made in Naples and is probably to be identified
as a tiorbino. It is unusual among Italian spinets in having two sets of
jacks and two sets of strings for each note even though it is much smaller than
is normal for Italian spinets. The small size (and short string lengths) means
that space constraints for 4 strings between the doubled pairs of jacks all
plucking into the same space are unusually severe. The instrument is clearly
intended to sound at a high pitch and, as will also be shown below, was
probably designed to be strung with gut strings and tuned to a pitch of
R + 11, an octave and a fourth above the ‘normal’ pitch R. (For the definition of R, see Note 62.)
The general characteristics of the
instrument are those of a typical small Italian spinet at high pitch. The case
sides overlap the baseboard which is of poplar. The case sides, keywell
scrolls, soundboard mouldings, and bridges are all of cypress. The soundboard
is of a softwood which, judged from the width and colour gradation of the
annular rings, is probably fir and not spruce. The grain of the soundboard wood
runs parallel to the wrestplank and boxslide, and not to the strings and
diagonal longside. The soundboard is very thin. Where it has come unglued from
the back of the boxslide its thickness can be measured and is found to be only
2.1mm thick at this point. There are two soundbars running diagonally back from
the rear of the boxslide to the spine in positions on either side of the
rosette. There is a cypress soundboard moulding running around the inside edge
of the case but there is no corresponding moulding on the wrestplank.
The
wrestplank, boxslide, balance rail and keyboard rack are all of walnut. The
naturals are of bone and the sharps are of ebony-capped black-stained
fruitwood. The key arcades (which, because of their plainness which does not
match the sophistication of the rest of the instrument, may not be original)
are also of bone. The keyframe is of poplar and the keylevers are of beech and
are guided by brass pins in the rack. The jackrail is of black-stained plum
with a rectangular bone inlay. The jackrail supports are of a black-stained
fruitwood. The outer case and lid are of poplar and the stand is now missing.
A general
view of the instrument can be seen in Figure 5 and a plan view can be seen in Figure 8.
Figure 5 - General view with the lid open.
Tiorbino, Naples, 1707
Museo Teatrale alla Scala, Milan, Catalogue Nº MTS-TP/04
This instrument is of the classic inner
instrument in an outer carrying case type of construction. The inner instrument
itself is finely-made and of an ingenious design but, as is often the
situation, is enclosed in a somewhat crude outer carrying case. The inner
instrument is of small proportions and is of typical Neapolitan construction[42] each characteristic of which will be
discussed individually below. The strings are short and the layout is
ingeniously designed to give a geometry with a spatial layout in which both of
the strings for each note have almost the same scaling.
The two case sides have scrolls cut in them at the ends of the keywell in the usual Italian fashion (see Figure 6). The cheek scrolls are made of three layers of wood (the outer layer is the case-side) separated by two thin (1.2mm) layers of bone. There are two ebonised keyblocks beside the keywell scrolls which are attached to the lower side of the scrolls and to the baseboard. These keyblocks are made with a slot on their inside surface immediately above the baseboard. The keyframe which is slightly wider than the keys above it is made to slide into these slots which trap the keyframe vertically but allow it to move in and out of the instrument horizontally. The ability of the keyboard to slide in and out of the keywell like a drawer is among the many Neapolitan characteristics of this instrument.[43]
Figure 6. Drawing of
the cheek scrolls and case mouldings.
On the left is the bass cheek view, and on the right the front view
without the (non-original) nameboard showing the wrestplank (shaded),
wrestplank support and the grey keyblock with the recessed slot in which the
keyframe slides in and out. For reasons
of clarity the bass jackrail support has not been drawn in.
Tiorbino,
Naples, 1707,
Museo Teatrale alla Scala,
Milan, Catalogue Nº MTS-TP/04.
The outside of the case behind the
keywell scrolls is framed by a moulding which is the same as that used at the
top and the bottom of the case (see Figure
6). Unusually for an Italian instrument, the back
corners of the case have this same moulding placed vertically at the edges of
the surface and mitred to the horizontal case mouldings at the top and bottom.
At the top of the case the inside and the outside have the same moulding, and
this is topped by the usual Italian cap moulding. This cap moulding, as is
normal with instruments built in the Neapolitan tradition,[44]
is flush at its edges with the top part of the case mouldings immediately below
it. Below and in front of the keys is a black ebonised moulded batten which
runs across the front of the instrument.
Two heavy cypress blocks glued both
to the case sides and baseboard support the wrestplank at either end in
recesses in the wrestplank (see Figure 7). The wrestplank and wrestplank
support blocks are also nailed to the case sides and, from below, to the
baseboard. The boxslide register is glued to the back of the wrestplank. The
soundboard is supported from underneath by a walnut liner glued to the back of
the boxslide and by poplar liners running around the rest of the inside of the
case. Using a mirror and a torch, relatively little of the interior structure
can be seen. However, there appears to be no internal framing other than the
tall lower belly-rail of poplar attached to the baseboard just behind the
keyboard.
The jackrail is made of a fruitwood,
possibly plum. The shape of the mouldings on the top edge of the jackrail is
the same as that on the soundboard mouldings running around the inside of the
case and the same as that on the batten below the keyboard at the case front.
This suggests therefore that the jackrail is original. There is an 8mm wide
band of bone and black-stained wood inlay in the middle of the jackrail. The
rest of the jackrail is all stained black (ebonised). The jackrail fits into
supports at either end (also of plum?) which are also ebonised and consists of
two forked pieces forming a slot for the ends of the jackrail (see Figure 12). The scrolls on the jackrail supports are upside
down compared with the normal orientation found on many other Italian
instruments. The original nameboard is now missing and is replaced with a
modern strip of wood painted black.
There is a
small, simple parchment rosette in the soundboard (see Figure 7 and 9) consisting of a
total of 4 layers of parchment. Like most other rosettes in Neapolitan
instruments (see footnote 42) there is an outer part glued to the top of the
soundboard and an inner part glued to the lower surface of the soundboard. The
outer part of the rosette glued to the top of the soundboard consists of only
two layers and is of a typical Neapolitan design. However, the central part of
the rosette (also with two layers) seems too simple in its design and rather
crude in execution in comparison with the outer ring. It also seems to me to be
by a different hand. This central portion is probably therefore not original.
The diameter of the rosette is 77mm measured roughly in the direction of the
strings.
Figure 7 - Soundboard rosette. Scale 1:1
Tiorbino, Naples, 1707
Museo Teatrale alla Scala, Milan, Catalogue Nº MTS-TP/04
As is usual in an octave spinet-type
of keyboard instrument the nut is straight, but the bridge, instead of being
curved, is composed of three mitred straight sections which approximate the
theoretical curved shape of a bridge which produces Pythagorean scalings (see Figure 8). The mitres in the bridge
occur near the notes f/f♯ and b1/c2. Both the bridge and the
nut sections are constant along their length without any tapering.
The outer case is simply constructed
and simply decorated. It is made entirely of poplar of thickness about 12mm.
The direction of the grain of the baseboard wood runs parallel to the front
edge of the case. The sloping keyboard cover is attached to the main part of
the lid with wrought iron hinges which have been let into the surface of the
wood. The lid is attached to the spine with the typical Italian lid hinge
system which enables the lid to be removed. There is a wrought-iron lock
attached to the keyboard cover, but on the case only the nail holes for the
lock’s hasp remain.
There was originally a system of pedal pull-downs for the bass short-octave of notes. The bottom keys from C/E to B including B♭ (8 notes) have looped brass wires fixed to thei