The Fine Art of Musical Dictionary Making

Abstract

clavichord has always been a typical German instrument is unfounded. Otto Kinkeldey in his book Orgel und Klavier in der Musik des 16. Jahrhunderts has already furnished ample evidence of the widespread use of the clavichord in Italy and Spain. In France the clavichord is mentioned in the titles of Pierre Attaignant's seven collections of keyboard music (1530). With regard to its use in the Netherlands, Dr. J. A. Stellfeld in his article Bronnen tot de geschiedenis der Antwerpensche Clavecimbel-en Orgelbouwers in de i6e en i7e eeuwen (Vlaamsch Jaarboek voor Muziekgeschiedenis IV, 1942) gives the names of 7 specialized clavichord makers living in this city around i550. Yet the belief in Germany's predominance in the field of the clavichord must have risen early. In 1722, Mattheson in his Critica Musica (vol. II, part VI, p. I5o) makes the following interesting statement: There must be clavichords in England, at least owned by the many Germans living there. Here in Hamburg are people sending as many clavichords every year as they ever can make to England, Spain, the Netherlands, etc. What is happening to them indeed? A wide field is still open here for musicological research and the recent reorganization of the libraries of Paris will certainly be of considerable help for such an undertaking. The role of the clavichord in the keyboard music of Scheidt, Froberger, Weckmann, Boehm and Kuhnau was discussed. Large parts of Johann Sebastian Bach's keyboard music were claimed for the clavichord on the basis of special analytical methods (published in: Erwin Bodky, Der Vortrag alter Klaviermusik, Berlin 1932). Numerous examples played on the clavichord illustrated the lecture.