Immerse yourself in the sounds of 17th-century Italy with An Evening at Home: Music on the Octave Virginal, performed by acclaimed harpsichordist Faythe Vollrath. This special program offers the rare chance to hear the NMM’s 1694 Guarracino octave virginal, a small keyboard instrument once favored for practice, song accompaniment, and private entertainment in the Italian home. Its delicate voice—sounding an octave higher than a standard keyboard—brings a light, crystalline quality to Baroque repertoire that is seldom experienced in modern concerts.

Praised by The Wall Street Journal for her “subtly varied tempo and rhythm that sounds like breathing,” Faythe Vollrath is an active soloist and chamber musician whose artistry has been heard in distinguished venues across the United States and internationally. She is equally at home in historically informed performance and in interpreting contemporary works for historic instruments, bringing a fresh vitality to every program. Her creative approach has led to distinctive performances, from pairing Japanese harpsichord works with Japanese art to playing in unconventional spaces such as a columbarium during Oakland’s Garden of Memory event.

An Evening at Home promises an evocative journey into the elegance, intimacy, and charm of music as it might have been heard in an Italian home over 300 years ago.

This program is funded by the Clayton & Odessa Lang Ofstad Foundation, Bank of America N. A., Co-Trustee.

NMM Live! is made possible by the USD Student Government Association and the South Dakota Arts Council through the Department of Tourism, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

About the instruments featured in this program:

Octave Virginal by Onofrio Guarracino (1694) – Naples, Italy
Built by Naples’ most notable 17th-century harpsichord maker, this octave virginal exemplifies the Neapolitan school’s distinctive style with its rectangular maple case, dovetailed corners, and finely crafted parchment rose. Tuned an octave above normal pitch, it produces a light, sparkling tone once favored for practice, song accompaniment, and private music-making in the home. (NMM06041)

Harpsichord attributed to Giacomo Ridolfi (ca. 1660–1690) – Rome, Italy
This Roman harpsichord features a single manual with two sets of 8' strings, housed in an original outer case with delicate moldings and fine boxwood and cypress keys accented by ivory studs. Though later converted to a piano in the 18th century, it retains much of its original craftsmanship and elegance, offering insight into the refined artistry of Italian keyboard building in the late Baroque. (NMM04657)