Virginal

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The virginal uses the same plucking action as the harpsichord, but it is oblong rather than wing shaped and the keyboard is in the long side. In this regard, it resembles the clavichord in shape. The virginal has one string per note running parallel to the keyboard and its range is approximately four octaves.
 
The name virginal supposedly comes from the fact that young ladies usually played this instrument and possibly due to a reflection on Queen Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, who reigned at the time. It is more popular than the harpsichord in northern Europe.
Mother and Daughter Virginal (JPEG - 58K)

Miniature Virginal, northern Italy, ca. 1600, pictured resting on top of a fortepiano (GIF - 53K), is one of the smallest, fully-working miniature harpsichords known. It is the the collection of the Shrine to Music Museum at the University of South Dakota.

 
 
Guy on the Italian Virginal
For the Mac (AIFF) 283K or (SND) 283K
For the PC (WAV) 283K
For the Unix (AU) 283K
RealAudio (RA) 28K
Guy on the Flemish Virginal
For the Mac (AIFF) 358K or (SND) 358K
For the PC (WAV) 358K
For the Unix (AU) 358K
RealAudio (RA) 33K

Une DameDebout Au Virginal (JPEG - 55K)
(Lady Seated at the Virginals)
London, National Gallery
by Johannes Vermeer 1673-75
 
 
 
 
 

Une Dame Assise Au Virginal (JPEG - 68K)

Lady Seated at the Virginals

London, National Gallery

by Johannes Vermeer 1673-75



 
 
(Original sound file courtesy of Bradley Lehman at website Sounds of Harpsichords and Related Instruments- see credits
Picture courtesy of "The Treasure Room: Hitorical Musical Instrument Collection" at Vassar College)
References:
Buchner, Dr. Alexander (translated by Iris Urwin). Musical Instruments Through the Ages. Batchworth Press Limited, London, England, 1961.

Haas, Karl. Inside Music: How to understand, listen to, and enjoy good music. Doubleday, New York, 1984. ISBN: 0-385-18536-7
 
Hindley, Geoffrey (ed.). The Larousse Encyclopedia of Music. Excalibur Books, New York, 1982.

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Authors: The VirRen Team led by C.S.Marszalek & B.Panagakis
Created: 8 August 1996; Modified: 23 August 2004