Flemish and Franco-Flemish traditions of harpsichord making: history and modernity

Relevance of the study. The harpsichord-building traditions of the Flemish and FrancoFlemish schools, as well as the harpsichords that represent them, are rarely the subject of study by Ukrainian musicologists. However, it is precisely such instruments and their copies that are an important component of the modern practice of historically informed performance. The affiliation of the harpsichord of Johannes Ruckers, 1632 (Neuchâtel) to the Franco-Flemish school actualizes to introduce information about it into domestic scientific circulation, as it will allow us to draw conclusions not only about the specifics of the functioning of the aforementioned schools in a historical perspective, but also about possible ways to involve original harpsichords in today's concert practice and educational process. The main objective of the study is to consider the specifics of the Flemish and FrancoFlemish schools of harpsichord building, as well as to identify the features of approaches to working with harpsichords in a historical perspective. The methodology includes the following methods: cultural analysis to contextualize the space of the functioning of the harpsichord as a musical instrument; historical analysis to trace the evolution of harpsichord making; descriptive analysis to determine the characteristic features of harpsichords of the Flemish and Franco-Flemish schools; comparative analysis to identify similarities and differences between them; theoretical generalization to draw conclusions. The methodology includes the following methods: cultural analysis to contextualize the functioning of the harpsichord as a musical instrument; historical analysis to trace the evolution of harpsichord making; descriptive analysis to determine the characteristic features of harpsichords of the Flemish and Franco-Flemish schools; comparative analysis to identify similarities and differences between them. The main results and conclusions. The Flemish and Franco-Flemish schools of harpsichord making are examined in a historical and cultural context. Information is provided on the activities of the Ruckers-Couchet dynasty. The specific features of Flemish harpsichords, the peculiarities of their design and decoration are described. The kinship between Flemish and French sound aesthetics is emphasized, which made the emergence of the Franco-Flemish school possible. The ravalement procedure is described and attention is focused on the mandatory preservation of the original Flemish soundboard as the main factor in ensuring the standard sound of the harpsichord. Based on historical evidence, conclusions are drawn about the highest appreciation of FrancoFlemish harpsichords by contemporaries and the special cultural significance of this tradition of harpsichord building. The strong connection and interdependence of the type of harpsichord and the corresponding national harpsichord (composer and performer) school is indicated. The Johannes Ruckers harpsichord, 1632, kept in the Museum of Art and History of Neuchâtel (Switzerland), is described as a representative of the Franco-Flemish school. Information is provided on the activities of the Florentine antiquarian and harpsichord forger Leopoldo Franciolini. Modern approaches to working with preserved original instruments of the 16th—18th centuries are identified. The feasibility of involving original harpsichords in concert practice and the educational process, whose condition allows it, is emphasized. Examples of cultural and educational events involving original harpsichords are described, including the “Marathon Scarlatti 555” (2023) with instruments from the François Badoud collection. The special attention of modern harpsichord makers to Franco-Flemish models is emphasized. It was emphasized that Ukraine has copies of such instruments, in particular those built by Ukrainian master Dmytro Tytenko and highly appreciated by the world's leading harpsichordists.