The Kirckman Harpsichord reflects the English tradition of harpsichord making which was characterised by undecorated timber cabinet work of the highest quality. This differed to the Flemish, French and Italian schools that used extensive lid and casework painting. Kirckman was one of the two most prominent harpsichord makers in London during the mid to late Eighteenth century, the other being Shudi and Broadwood. He had a reputation for experimenting in the design of a variety of devices to produce tonal differences. For example this instrument features a foot operated stop lever that can change the combination of registers played and override the manually operated stops.

The museum's Kirckman harpsichord is the oldest English made keyboard in the collection and dates from 1763. It is significant in the context of the museum's broader keyboard collection as it illustrates an earlier method of sound production, that is by plucking the string rather than it being struck with a hammer as used on the piano. The harpsichord was invented before the piano although by this late stage (1760s) the piano mechanism had already been developed by Christofori in the early 1700s. The amount of inventions being added to the harpsichord in the later period suggests the possible encroachment makers felt from the dynamic abilities of the piano which was already being made in several parts of Europe.

Harpsichord, Jacob Kirckman, London, 1763.

Two manuals, each from FF to f''' (no FF#); three choirs of strings plucked by four sets of jacks: 4' operated by lower manual, 8' with double dampers operated by lower manual, 8' with double dampers and cut-away jacks playable from either or both manuals. Close to the nut (forward of the gap) is 8' lute stop operated by upper manual.

Two pedals: right pedal operates buff stop; left pedal operates a "machine" which is turned on in readiness by pushing forward a lever to the left of the lower keyboard, and which, when depressed, gives the lute stop to the upper manual and the back 8' to the lower manual, regardless of what stops had been previously set. That is, it moves all registers to the right. All stops, including the buff stop, may be operated by knobs on the nameboard.

Soundboard undecorated apart from 75mm diameter rose in gilded metal with the letters I.K. (Iakobus Kirckman); case shows fine craftsmanship; lid is solid mahogany; cheeks, bentside and tail veneered in banded mahogany and inlaid with light satinwood; spine not veneered.

H7441

910 mm

940 mm

2340 mm