Spinet for The Broken Consort
The Broken Consort is an early music ensemble from Chile which seeks to create interest in listening to vocal and instrumental repertoire from the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
This musical project performs several works interpreted by permanent members and guest musicians (session musicians) every year.
http://www.facebook.com/thebrokenconsortchile
http://www.thebrokenconsortchile.blogspot.com
We are raising money to purchase a spinet* for our ensemble (392/415/440 Hz), pay the shipping, and hire a luthier to assemble its parts. This instrument will reinforce the harmonic structure of the vocal and instrumental pieces from the 16th and 18th centuries thar we perform.
A spinet is a small kind of harpsichord with the strings set at an angle (usually about 30 degrees) to the keyboard. The general outline of the instrument nearly resembles that of a harp laid in a horizontal position, with the keys occupying the position of the sounding-board.
In Renaissance and Baroque times, and even later, people often had a spinet in their homes. The advantage of a spinet was that it was cheaper than a harpsichord and it also took up less room.
*Word origin: mid 17th cent. shortening of obsolete French 'espinette', from Italian 'spinetta' (virginal, spinet), diminutive of 'spina' (thorn), the strings being plucked by quills.
TPW Espineta de la escuela Delin
