The Claviorganum - Michael Thomas

THE CLAVIORGANUM liner notes

The claviorganum was the largest and most complicated of the domestic keyboard instruments. It is not surprising that few have survived in their original state, though traces remain to show that many harpsichords had an organ attached which has disappeared. They seem to have been not uncommon in the sixteenth century. Illustrations to the late Raymond Russell's "The Harpsichord and Clavichord” show the Brussels' Conservatoire Bertolotti of 1585, and the Flemish maker Ludovic Theeuwes' example, of 1579, in the Victoria and Albert Museum ; both showing the single manual harpsichord sitting on the large elaborately decorated rectangular box which houses the organ. Eighteenth century examples have, instead of a rectangular box, an organ case which follows the shape of the harpsichord in having a bent side. We do not know what the claviorganum looked like which Handel used in the opera house, but a very fine instrument remains to represent the century in the clavi organum belonging to the Earl of Wemyss. This has a double manual Kirckmann on a Snetzler organ of 1750 in an exceptionally beautiful case of figured walnut and marquetry in sycamore. Michael Thomas was fortunate enough to be permitted to broad cast a recital on this instrument in 1958.