Claviorgan

This claviorganum is mentioned in the Ambras inventory of 1596. It has recently been attributed to Servatius Rorif (died 1593), an organist and organ maker who worked in Augsburg and Innsbruck. It is the oldest of its kind and in its small casing contains both a spinet and an organ with the incredible number of 18 registers. The small organs of the Renaissance are characterised by great tonal variety and clearly defined registers. Contrasting tonal effects were evidently of paramount importance. The claviorganum achieves this ideal through the disparate nature of its harpsichord and organ registers. Rorif’s instrument is additionally equipped with several registers with special effects. (rh)

Rudolf Hopfner: Masterpieces from the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments. A Short Guide through the Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna, Vol. 1, Vienna 2019