#historical instruments

[leggeteconme]

Y’all I cannot stress this enough:

If you are visiting a museum and you have questions or want to know more about something, ASK US.

1. This is literally what we’re here for.

2. You will very likely make our day.

If we can’t answer your questions, we’ll put you in touch with someone who can. But please, please please please, ASK.

I’ve been here for a little over an hour today and I’m already having the time of my life because a woman came up to the desk and asked why harpsichords sound so different from pianos. I practically sprinted into our keyboard gallery to show her a harpsichord jack and how it works, and she was really enthusiastic and kept asking more questions, and half an hour later she left with an understanding of:

• how harpsichords and pianos work,

• what materials quills and hammers have been historically made with,

• why harpsichords sound different from modern pianos and why early pianos sound somewhere in the middle,

• why the circle of fifths is a lie and an Ab is different from a G#,

• how this impacts different tuning systems and why different instruments were tuned differently during different time periods and according to different musical ideals and goals,

• what is gained and lost with equal temperament,

• how you technically could have a keyboard with all the different “enharmonic” notes but why it’s impractical,

• how split keys do exist for purposes of having a few common “enharmonic” notes both available or for instances of broken octaves,

• what a broken octave is,

• what a short octave is,

• why a short octave exists and why it was used on harpsichords as well as organs, and

• how the notes available on a natural trumpet are those of the harmonic overtone series and are therefore more limited than, and sound different to, those available on a modern trumpet.

Made my whole week. I can’t stop grinning. So much fun 🤩

Tl;dr: ASK MUSEUM STAFF QUESTIONS. WE WILL LOVE YOU.

[cardassiangoodreads]

Why is there only one YouTube video that fits the parameters of "the song 'Hurdy Gurdy Man' played on an actual hurdy-gurdy"?

(It's pretty great though! Just surprised that more people have not come up with this idea)

[merverb]

"Royal George" Cello (1782)

William Forster British

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 684

This instrument was made for the avid cellist George Frederick, Prince of Wales, who was crowned King George IV in 1820 and is one of several cellos known to have been owned by George IV. The instruments of Jacob Stainer and the Amati family influenced Forster’s work, as can be seen in the outline, arching and delicate scroll of this ‘cello. The belly of the instrument is emblazoned with the royal coat of arms of Great Britain on the upper bout and the Prince of Wales' feathers on the lower bout. The ribs have been painted with the legend "Liberty and Loyalty" in heraldic lettering, repeated on each side. The instrument is with a fitted wooden coffin case, with brass fittings and a plaque engraved with the Prince of Wales' feathers. The case is similar to that of the Stradivari ‘Batta-Piatigorsky’ cello (L.2013.71a-g) and was probably made by Hill. Forster II was the most celebrated member of a family dynasty of violin and cello makers and is often referred to as "Royal Forster" because of his clientele. George IV ordered at least two cellos, and his violin-playing younger brother Prince Ernest, the Duke of Cumberland, was also a customer.

[leggeteconme]

My supervisor at my museum job, going over fire alarm protocol with me: so obviously people take precedence over instruments

Me: … 🤨

Supervisor: but look once everyone’s safe if you want to risk your life for an instrument you’re more than welcome to -

Me: the octave virginal

Supervisor: *deep sigh*

Me: it’s RIGHT THERE (just inside the door of the nearest gallery, all of 20 feet from the front desk) and I could carry it under one arm, I’m not leaving it

Supervisor: …fine. Anyway, back to the protocol please…

My beloved 🥰 She’s from around 1530, is so much more beautiful than this picture shows, and will be on display through December 2024. Come see her while you can!!

(And if you happen to swing by while I’m working at the front desk, if I’m not too busy and the museum isn’t too crowded, I’ll happily give you a little mini-tour of the special keyboard exhibit where she’s currently living. I’m not an expert, but this is what I’m studying so I’ll have a few fun facts and bits of more technical information for anyone interested 😉)

[leggeteconme]

Me in my normal classes:

Sitting quietly in the back

Taking copious notes

Doodling if can't focus

Occasional clarifying questions

Me in my history of musical instruments class with my program director and only one other student, who happens to be one of my friends:

Snide comments about equal temperament, modern pianos, English harpsichords, etc.

Gleefully clapping hands and jumping up and down whenever we get to look at a Neapolitan harpsichord or Viennese piano

Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the museum watching my friend answer questions that I've been forbidden from answering because our prof knows I know the answers already

Cannot listen while looking at prof - has nose two inches from the soundboard of the harpsichord he's talking about to look for evidence of alterations

"I don't think anyone has as much fun in this class as you do."

-Professor

[leggeteconme]

Happy October First, my dears!! It finally felt like fall here today, and that was just too perfect for me to pass up an opportunity for a celebratory outfit 🖤

I had classes for most of the day, but in between I snuck in about four hours at the fortepiano (between that and the corset, I didn’t eat or go to the bathroom for over 8 hours, but my god was it worth it) ^^

Wishing you all the spookiest of spooky seasons, and sending extra love to all you angels in Appalachia during this terrible time 🖤🖤🖤

[leggeteconme]

Times my program director has nearly given me a heart attack:

Exhibit A:

Me: *climbs down from display after dusting guitars in preparation for museum reopening*

Program director: looks good. I figured I’d wait until you were done to tell you that one’s worth a quarter of a million dollars.

I’d been there a week 😭

Exhibit B:

Me: how do I measure the baseboard on this virginal (1530s, very rare, incredible craftsmanship, also the first instrument I ever measured)?

Program director, barely looking up from his computer: just flip it over

CAREFULLY and with all necessary precautions taken obviously, but holy fuck 😭

Exhibit C:

Program director: *reglues a soundboard bar on a very rare 17th-century French harpsichord*

Program director: okay now you do the next one

Me: oh no

Program director: oh yes

Me: you trust me to do that??

Program director: no, but that’s okay

Screaming, crying, throwing up 😭

DISCLAIMER because we’re talking about very serious matters despite the fact that this post is just for fun: my program director never asks me to do something that he doesn’t know I can handle, and when it’s something new or I’m particularly nervous he always helps me to make sure the instrument is safe and I’m not panicking. I’m pretty sure this man would push me in front of a bus to save the Neapolitan harpsichord (I’d do the same tbh), so the instruments are ALWAYS safe. Don’t try any of this at home.

[leggeteconme]

A really lovely day (last Friday), part I <3

Lots of rain, cozy clothes, pumpkin spice lattes, Barbie as the Princess and the Pauper, and tuning a spinet (1689!) and two harpsichords (date I can’t remember and ~1530!!) and beginning to measure and study a beautiful virginal that I’m completely in love with (also ~1530!!!). I’m really stressed, but I do absolutely love what I’m doing, especially on days like this ^^