Artus Gheerdinck

Artus Gheerdinck (1564–1624) was a Dutch harpsichord builder.

Gheerdinck lived and worked in Amsterdam, where he was appointed carillonneur of the Oude Kerk (Old Church) in 1595.^[1] This was the same time period that Sweelinck was organist there. Gheerdinck had a workshop in an attic space at the church, and tuned both the church’s organs.^[2] There was also a Harmanus Gheerdinck living in Amsterdam in the mid-1600s, but his relation (if any) to Artus is unknown.^[3] Harmanus was also a harpsichord builder.^[3]

A single instrument by Artus Gheerdinck survives, a rectangular virginal. It has the range C/E – c´´´ (four octaves), and is currently housed in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, Germany (Inventory No. MINe 95).

O’Brien believes that a harpsichord attributed to Hans Ruckers may actually be by Artus Gheerdinck.^[4] Though its present range is C—c´´´, its original range was C/E—c´´´.^[5] It is currently in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum (Inventory No. MINe 84).

• Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck: Organ & Keyboard Music. Siegbert Rampe. MDG 341 1256-2. Dabringhaus und Grimm, 2004
• Peter Philips: Complete Organ & Keyboard Works. Vol. 1. Siegbert Rampe. MDG 341 1257-2. Dabringhaus und Grimm, 2005

• Boalch, D.: Makers of the Harpsichord and Clavichord 1440-1840. Third edition, ed. Charles Mould. Clarendon Press, 1995
• O’Brien, G.: Ruckers: A Harpsichord and Virginal Building Tradition. Cambridge University Press, 1990

• Gheerdinck’s virginal is illustrated here.
• Further information on this instrument, including a sound sample, may be found here.
• Georg Ott built an instrument based on Gheerdinck’s virginal.
• J.C. Neupert also offers a virginal based on Gheerdinck’s.
• The harpsichord attributed to Hans Ruckers, but which may be by Gheerdinck, is described and illustrated here.