moveable octave

[suzyq]

I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art the other day and stopped by the Musical Instrument exhibit.  If you live in New York or visiting, stop by this exhibit - it's fascinating.

There is a spinet (I think) dating from the late 1500's - the description said that it had a "moveable octave", what is a "moveable octave"

Thanks.

[False_Dmitry]

I'm guessing here, but if it's really a C15th instrument (wow, that would be very early!  maybe it's C16th?)...

... to economise on space and keys, many instruments of that era intended for domestic use had a "short octave" at the bass end of the instrument.  This means usually that there are just around 4-5 keys (there was no fixed standard about how many), and the player tuned them (in the days when you always tuned the instrument yourself before playing!) to whichever bass notes would be of greatest use in the key of the music to be played.

For example, in a piece in Bb major, you might want to pick Bb, F, G, C, Eb?   You then tune the keys to those notes - of course, you have to remember that the key which would "usually" be Ab has now been retuned to D, for the 1-2 times you'll need it.  Of course, passagework and scales aren't possible, but some low bass notes at cadences are handy.  To this extent this was a "moveable" octave - you can move the tuning of the notes to whatever suits your needs.   It's more usually called a "short octave", though.  It's a principle which keyboard-makers probably borrowed from lutenists - who are accustomed to tuning their open bass strings to whatever suits the music,  to offer some sonorous bass notes where needed.

Well, that's one idea about what their "moveable octave" might be, anyhow!   Did you happen to get a glance at the keyboard itself? 

[prémont]

Never heard of it, - it must have been rather unusual, but it was probably some device, which was able to shorten all the strings at the same time, making them sound one octave higher.

Usually this effect was achieved with the help of another keyboard, which´s strings were tuned one octave higher. (Double virginal).

[suzyq]

Thanks for your very clear description of a moveable octave.

False_Dmitry I did see the instrument and it was fascinating - if you visit New York City, you and Premont and other GMG members would really enjoy this exhibit.  They had something I think was called a double spinet - it looked like two instruments in one. 

Part of the exhibit are Violins, Cellos etc. so something for everyone, even John Lennon's drum is on exhibit.  Thanks.

[False_Dmitry]

Thanks, Suzy   I'm afraid my travel plans don't currently take me to NYC - but if I'm there in the future, I shall know where my first visit ought to be! 

[(poco) Sforzando]

Since the Met has just re-opened its musical instrument collection, I'll have to take a look next time I'm in Manhattan. I assume you also saw the oldest surviving piano, built by Cristofori in 1720.

As to your question, what you could do is call the museum and ask for an explanation from the curator of the collection. After all, if the information on the exhibit card is not clear to you, it's not likely to be clear to other visitors to the museum.

[(poco) Sforzando]

Thanks, Suzy   I'm afraid my travel plans don't currently take me to NYC - but if I'm there in the future, I shall know where my first visit ought to be! 

One of the world's most amazing and encyclopedic museums. You could spend literally weeks there without seeing everything.

[False_Dmitry]

One of the world's most amazing and encyclopedic museums. You could spend literally weeks there without seeing everything.

I wish I'd known about it on my previous trips to the Big Apple!  But I've filed it away now for any future visit   Sadly London (my more regular destination) has closed the Musical Instrument Gallery at the V&A now... there is some kind of vague promise they'll be exhibited at the Horniman Museum sometime in the future. 

Moscow has a small collection on show at the Glinka Museum, but the star collection here in Russia is the Musical Museum in St Petersburg, housed within the building of the Scheremetyev Palace (which is also a concert venue).  They inherited the collections of instruments previously in use in the Tsarist military regiments - there are no end of unusual wind instruments in there (shawms, a couple of cornettos, serpents from contra-bass to alto-size, tenoroons, a quart-bass recorder, a contrabass sarussophone, a huge case full of zurnas, the wooden horns (distant relations of the alpenhorn, but smaller) called rozhki which were played by serf orchestras etc.  Plus a large collection of bass viols (mostly hacked into cellos in the C19th, but still sporting their flat backs and six-string pegboxes), dancing-masters "kit" violins, jaws-harps, and all kinds of exotica and ephemera.  Well worth a visit if you happen to be in the "Northern Venice".


rozhki

[jochanaan]

I've never heard of a "moveable octave" either...

[(poco) Sforzando]

I wish I'd known about it on my previous trips to the Big Apple!  But I've filed it away now for any future visit   Sadly London (my more regular destination) has closed the Musical Instrument Gallery at the V&A now... there is some kind of vague promise they'll be exhibited at the Horniman Museum sometime in the future. 

Moscow has a small collection on show at the Glinka Museum, but the star collection here in Russia is the Musical Museum in St Petersburg, housed within the building of the Scheremetyev Palace (which is also a concert venue).  They inherited the collections of instruments previously in use in the Tsarist military regiments - there are no end of unusual wind instruments in there (shawms, a couple of cornettos, serpents from contra-bass to alto-size, tenoroons, a quart-bass recorder, a contrabass sarussophone, a huge case full of zurnas, the wooden horns (distant relations of the alpenhorn, but smaller) called rozhki which were played by serf orchestras etc.  Plus a large collection of bass viols (mostly hacked into cellos in the C19th, but still sporting their flat backs and six-string pegboxes), dancing-masters "kit" violins, jaws-harps, and all kinds of exotica and ephemera.  Well worth a visit if you happen to be in the "Northern Venice".


rozhki

The Met is often listed as the most popular tourist destination in New York City, and I don't know any art museums in the US that are its equal (though the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the National Gallery in DC, and the Art Institute of Chicago are certainly in the running - I've never been to the Getty in LA and so can't say). It's a gigantic place, stretching four city blocks, and almost like a dozen or more museums within a single huge building, as well as numerous temporary exhibits that keep people coming back for years on end. There is also a branch way uptown for Medieval art known as the Cloisters, where you feel you're no longer in the city. The Met's musical instrument collection is, however, not one of its larger or better-attended ones, being confined to two narrow hallways (one for Western and one for Eastern instruments); nonetheless it is still a fascinating exhibit and perhaps I'll post some of my personal photos a bit later.

I remember the instrument collection in the V+A as having all kinds of wonderfully wacky specimens. Too bad it's closed. But the best instrument museum I've ever visited is in Brussels, which I'd recommend to anyone going to that city: http://www.mim.be/

[Guido]

Yes I've been to that one in Brussels too - it's magnificent! What was best was that there were sound clips of each instrument being played in the audio guide. So many beautiful string instruments - some real oddities and rareties.

[petrarch]

Yes I've been to that one in Brussels too - it's magnificent! What was best was that there were sound clips of each instrument being played in the audio guide. So many beautiful string instruments - some real oddities and rareties.

To those interested in early instruments, this box is a treat: http://www.outhere-music.com/store-RIC_100-en