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Copyright Quest'opera è di pubblico dominio. hans the elder ruckers è morto nel 1598; il copyright scade 70 anni dopo la morte dell'artista, pertanto è terminato nel 1668.
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Double Virginal — hans the elder ruckers
Shaded: la vita di hans the elder ruckers (1540–1598) ▲ quest'opera, 1581
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Double Virginal — hans the elder ruckers
This double virginal is the earliest known instrument by Hans Ruckers, who founded a dynasty that dominated Flemish harpsichord building for a hundred years.Double virginals consist of a large instrument (called "the mother"), with its keyboard placed off-center, and a small virginal ("the child"), tuned an octave above that of the large instrument and stored in the space next to its keyboard. Either instrument may be played by itself, or the small virginal may be removed from its space and placed on top of the larger one. When this is done, the keys of the "child" are activated when those of the "mother" are played, thereby causing both instruments to sound at once, in octaves.The rectangular shape is typical of Flemish virginals. When not in use, the front panel swings up to conceal the keyboards, and the lid closes to protect the strings. The inner surfaces, revealed when the instrument is opened, are decorated with painted patterns, and the Latin inscription Mvsica Dvlce Laborvm Levamen (Sweet music is a balm for toil) hangs from the instrument like a banner. The jackrail of the smaller keyboard is signed "HANS RVEKERS ME FECIT" and the initials "HR" appear to the left of the larger keyboard. Over the larger keyboard two gilded medallions, profile portraits of Philip II of Spain and his wife Anne of Austria, face each other.The inside lid reveals a beautiful painted interior with a pleasure garden scene, the maker of which is unknown. The theme of the outdoor garden party, the buitenpartij or fête champêtre, of which this is an early example, became a popular genre in the seventeenth-century Netherlands, reviving the age-old artistic tradition of the Garden of Love. Although somewhat stiffly executed, stylistically this painted view on the virginal fits garden scenes made by contemporary Flemish Renaissance artists, including Lodewijk Toeput (1550–ca. 1605) and David Vinckboons (1576–1629). Particularly charming in this garden scene is the way in which the elegantly dressed members of the upper class are amusing themselves in the meadows of the adjoining, moated castle. Their activities range from dining and playing musical instruments in the central pergola, to gentle promenades, embarking on a boat ride, or playing the game of kolf, forerunner of today"s golf. The text painted on the dropboard of this virginal, Musica Dulce Laborum ("sweet music eases work"), not only refers to the playing of this keyboard instrument, but also to the musicians in the painted garden of leisure.The royal family may have commissioned this instrument to send to friends or emissaries in the New World, as it was found in Cuzco, Peru, in a hacienda chapel early in the twentieth century. Although it is not known who owned or played this instrument, keyboards often were associated with women musicians.
Artista e museo
Nato a Mechelen, Belgium
In the vibrant tapestry of the Flemish Renaissance, few names resonate with as much structural and melodic importance as Hans the Elder Ruckers. Born in Mechelen, Belgium, around 1540, Ruckers was far more than a mere craftsman; he was the progenitor of a musical dynasty that would dictate the sonic landscape of Europe for over a century. While his early years remain partially veiled by the mists of history, his emergence as a master artisan in the mid-sixteenth century signaled a transformative era for keyboard instrument construction. His workshop did not merely produce tools for music; it birthed masterpieces where the boundaries between fine art and acoustic engineering dissolved into a singular, breathtaking expression of Renaissance virtuosity.
The essence of Ruckers’s genius lay in his ability to marry technical precision with an opulent visual language. His instruments, primarily virginals and harpsichords, were designed to be as much a feast for the eyes as for the ears. He possessed a profound understanding of the era's aesthetic currents, weaving intricate geometric patterns, delicate floral motifs, and regal gilded medallions into the very fabric of his work. These decorations often featured the profile portraits of Philip II of Spain and his consort Anne of Austria, serving as a sophisticated nod to the political and social hierarchies of the time. Through these embellishments, Ruckers elevated the harpsichord from a functional object to a symbol of prestige and cultural refinement.
The artistry found within a Ruckers instrument often mirrored the broader movements of the Italian Renaissance and the burgeoning Flemish school. The decorative programs found inside his virginals—revealed only when the lid is lifted—suggested a world of grandeur and sophistication reminiscent of Florentine palaces. One can observe the subtle influence of contemporary painters such as Lodewijk Toeput and David Vinckboons in the painted scenes that adorn his work. These miniature landscapes, often depicting idyllic garden parties or fête champêtre settings, provided a poetic counterpoint to the mechanical complexity of the instrument's interior.
Perhaps the most striking example of his technical and artistic summit is the celebrated double virginal, a rare treasure that exemplifies his mastery. This particular instrument, featuring a "mother" and a "child" keyboard, showcases the innovative spirit of the Ruckers lineage. Within its structure, one finds:
Intricate Carvings: Meticulous woodwork that demonstrates a high level of sculptural skill.
Latin Inscriptions: Poetic phrases such as Mvsica Dvlce Laborvm Levamen (Sweet music is a balm for toil), which imbue the instrument with philosophical depth.
Acoustic Innovation: The ingenious design allowing the smaller virginal to be played in octaves with the larger one, a precursor to more complex keyboard developments.
Hans the Elder Ruckers’s impact extended far beyond his lifetime, as his workshop established a lineage of makers whose influence stretched into the 18th century. His descendants and kin continued to refine the technical development of the harpsichord, pioneering features like the second manual that would become standard in later centuries. The quality of his craftsmanship was so profound that the name "Ruckers" became synonymous with excellence, much as the name Stradivarius is to the violin family. His ability to blend the mechanical requirements of string tension and pitch with the delicate demands of ornamental painting ensured that his work would be preserved in the world's most prestigious collections, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art to the halls of Yale University.
Ultimately, the historical significance of Hans the Elder Ruckers lies in his role as a bridge between the medieval artisan tradition and the high Renaissance. He transformed the act of instrument making into a multidisciplinary art form, integrating musicology, woodworking, painting, and heraldry. As we look upon the surviving remnants of his workshop today, we do not merely see antique keyboards; we witness the enduring heartbeat of a period when craftsmanship was the highest form of devotion to beauty and harmony.
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Double Virginal — hans the elder ruckers
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