Location
In the 1690s, Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1732), harpsichord maker at the Florentine court of Ferdinando de' Medici built what is considered to be the first successful piano, an instrument called the Archicembalo. As musical priorities evolved, the piano gradually displaced the harpsichord during the 18th century as the predominant instrument for both accompaniment and solo playing.
This lecture-demonstration will introduce the harpsichord and lute family instruments (which include the pear-bodied archlute, the extremely long-necked theorbo, and the percussive baroque guitar), with descriptions of each instrument and performances, showing their use in various kinds of music. Demonstrations will highlight the ways music changed in the 18th century, and afterwards, participants will have an opportunity to look at the instruments up close and talk to the performers.
