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The Golden Age of Flemish Harpsichord Making
A Study of the MIM's Ruckers Instruments
ISBN: 9789090108384
(PB - EN)
€
Among the great names in the history of harpsichord making, that of the Ruckers is probably the most famous. This dynasty of makers, represented by four generations active in Antwerp between c.1580 and c.1680, exerted a predominant influence in Western Europe. Their harpsichords and virginals, synonyms of extraordinary workmanship, acquired a tremendous reputation that extended beyond European borders and lasted until well after their active period. The envy they inspired was such that it gave rise to large-scale counterfeiting, probably the most significant in the field of instrument making up to then.
The MIM owns eighteen instruments considered at the time of their acquisition to be Ruckers. Given the considerable patrimonial interest of this collection, a project centred on its conservation, study, restoration and enhancement was set up. The present publication sums up this fascinating research and sheds new light on this outstanding heritage.
this publication received the Bessaraboff Award, as the most distinguished book-length English language publication in in the field of organology.
The Bessaraboff Committee's citation reads as follows:
"This collective effort of scholarship represents the culmination of sustained, original, wide-ranging research into the work and instruments of the Ruckers dynasty. Beautifully produced, generously illustrated and thoughtfully organized and presented, this volume stands out both for the depth and breadth of material presented. Detailed, extended catalogue entries on each of the MIM's Ruckers instruments are complemented by insightful contextual essays that illuminate the world of harpsichord making, consumption and performance in the Low Countries and the representation of Ruckers instruments in paintings. The results of a range of scientific investigative techniques including dendrochronology, acoustics and materials analysis are lucidly interpreted and deployed to shed further light on this remarkable group of instruments. In bringing together and orchestrating their wide-ranging expertise, the authors and collaborators have produced an impressive work where individual contributions amplify each other to create a cohesive whole that is more than the sum of its parts. All are to be commended for a significant and authoritative contribution to organological literature".
Cited here by Dr Bradley Strauchen-Scherer, Chair, Bessaraboff Award Committee 2019, American Musical Instrument Society.
Associate Curator
Musical Instruments
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028
@metmuseum
metmuseum.org
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