Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 40.djvu/494

476 piece of crow-quill was used attached to a "jack" and operated by a finger-key. The difference between these two instruments was only a slight matter of shape. The virginal was in some cases partially upright. Among the magnificent collection of instruments presented to the Museum of Art by W. A. and Mary E. Brown, of this city, several specimens may be seen. The virginal was a favorite instrument in England during Elizabeth's time. The most noteworthy example of this species in preservation is the Rossi spinet, in the South Kensington Museum collection, London. It has a compass of four octaves and an eighth from E, and is finished in a superb manner. A Player spinet is shown in Fig. 4.

Meanwhile musical art had been developing, the compass of keyed instruments was extending, and the harpsichord duly appeared in Italy, which was the home of musical art almost up to the end of the last century. Toward the end of the sixteenth century it had taken the place of the virginal and spinet in many parts of Europe. The harpsichord was an enlarged and improved form of the latter instruments. Among other original features it contained two strings to each note, which marks another important innovation,

Hans Ruckers, of Dresden—Handel's favorite maker—was the most noted of his time. One of his instruments is at present in the possession of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. having been presented by the late Mr. Drexel, of Philadelphia.

In Italy, Father Zanetti, a Venetian priest, became noted for some improvements in the harpsichord about 1702, Crotone and Farino—two famous Italian makers—later appeared. The latter substituted catgut for wire, going back to the harp principle, but it never won recognition. Meantime, one Rigoli, of Florence, made upright harpsichords as far back as 1631. Coming down toward the introduction of the piano-forte, the names of Silbermann. Stein, Peronnard, Marius, Cristofori, and Tschudi must be mentioned. These were all noted harpsichord-makers, representing Germany, France, Italy, and England, but nearly all of them became identified with the production of the piano.