The largest harpsichord in the collection is described as possessing five registers and four sets of strings, one of which was probably a sixteen-foot stop. A further two harpsichords with three sets of strings, - and a Flemish instrument with a similar disposition is also referred to. Another harpsichord is listed with two sets of strings and sixty-one keys in ebony and mother of pearl. In addition, two harpsichords of similar specification are also mentioned; all three were quite possibly Spanish in origin.

The keyboard compass of all these instruments presents some interesting puzzles. The most elaborate harpsichord with four sets of strings had a limited keyboard compass of fifty-six keys and the two instruments with three sets of strings possessed respectively fifty-six and fifty-eight keys. The pianos also had short compasses of fifty-nine, fifty-four and fifty-six keys respectively. Many of Scarlatti’s sonatas demand a full five-octave range which would have excluded their performance on many instruments in the collection. It is also interesting that sonatas, suggestive of the piano’s expressiveness, actually fall outside of the instruments’ compass.

Queen Maria Barbara owned twelve instruments housed amongst the various royal palaces. Seven were harpsichords and five were pianos made in Florence. A Flemish harpsichord is mentioned of unspecified compass but with three sets of strings and keys in ebony and bone. I am indebted to John and Gina Wilson for kindly allowing me to record on their fine copy of a single manual Ruckers harpsichord by Andrew Garlick. There are two sets of strings of eight and four foot pitch with a harp stop.

The two fugues are played on a two-manual organ in Barnsley church, a village near Cirencester in Gloucestershire. It was originally thought to be by Samuel Green, a notable English organ builder of the eighteenth century, but more recent examination has disproved the theory. It does however contain much excellent eighteenth century pipe-work.