Włoskie instrumenty klawiszowe we wczesnym baroku – historia, ośrodki, charakterystyka

Italian keyboard instruments in the early Baroque period – history, centres, characteristic features. This article describes Italian style of building harpsichords and other similar keyboard instruments in the end of the Renaissance and the early Baroque period. In the beginning of the 16th century, this particular way of constructing instruments was very innovative and important for the later centuries. We can say that Italy was the „place of birth”of harpsichords. There is a limited number of original instruments that have survived to our times. Studying them closer we can now assess what the style of these early Baroque instruments was. The evaluation includes the kind of wood they were made of, the strings that were used, and the range of the keyboard. Not only can we say that these keyboard instruments were used for entertaining the audience with the music, but that they were also true pieces of art. This article also describes shortly the most important constructors who specialised in this style on the Italian Peninsula in the 16th and 17th century. A great deal of the instruments were left without the signature which makes it difficult to recognise their constructors. Nevertheless, it is wonderful that we have the opportunity to admire their amazing master craftsmanship.