Michele Todini

History

Michele Todini (born 1616 or c.1625, died after 1676 or c.1700) was a native of Saluzzo who lived for many years in Rome. Sources contain conflicting information regarding his birth and death dates, with some indicating he was born around 1625 and died after 1676, while others state he was born in 1616 and died around 1700. He was known as an inventor and maker of numerous musical contrivances, often incorporating clockwork mechanisms. Todini dedicated several years to this manufacture, transforming his house into a type of musical museum. He also authored a pamphlet describing its contents. He was a professional musician, specifically a contrabassist, and is credited by George Hart with adopting a new method of stringing the Violono or Double Bass with four strings, and playing the instrument himself at oratorio performances in Rome. John Dilworth notes that Todini was also the founder of possibly the first museum collections of musical instruments at his home.

Craft

• Inventions: Todini was an inventor and maker of a great number of musical contrivances, frequently utilizing clockwork.
• Instruments: He built violins, lutes, organs, and a double bass. He is chiefly known as the architect of the 'Machine of Polyphemus and Galatea', an extravagant harpsichord that incorporated an organ, violin, viola, and various other mechanical instruments, all governed by the same keyboard.
• Innovation: His work is described as mechanical and often 'over-burdened with eccentric innovations' by John Dilworth. He is credited with introducing a new mode of stringing the Violono or Double Bass with four strings, which led to the conversion of old Violonos into Double Basses suitable for modern requirements, according to George Hart.

Legacy

• Museum: Todini established a musical museum in his home, which he described in a pamphlet. John Dilworth suggests this may have been one of the first museum collections of musical instruments.
• Exhibits: His 'Machine of Polyphemus and Galatea' now survives only as a terracotta model housed in the National Museum of Musical Instruments in Rome.
• Controversy: While George Hart credits Todini with introducing a new method of stringing the double bass, Cecie Stainer notes that he has been called the inventor of the double-bass, but 'there is apparently nothing to support this assertion'.

Further Information

• Residence: He lived in Rome, near the Arco della Ciambella, and his home was located at Via dell'Arco della Ciambella.
• Publication: He published a pamphlet titled Dichiaratione della galleria armonica eretta nella sua habitatione posta all'arco della Ciambella in Rome, printed by Francesco Tirroni in 1676. This work was 12 pages long. Cecie Stainer refers to it as his 'Dichiarazione della galleria armonica eretta in Roma'.
• References: Further information can be found in A. Bertolotti's 'Un musico meccanico' within Artisti subalpini in Roma (pages 56 ff.).

Summary

Michele Todini, born in Saluzzo in either 1616 or around 1625, and active in Rome until at least 1676 or c.1700, was a multifaceted individual known as an inventor, musician, and instrument maker. He specialized in mechanical musical contrivances, including an elaborate harpsichord known as the 'Machine of Polyphemus and Galatea'. A professional contrabassist, Todini is credited with pioneering a four-string method for the Violono or Double Bass. He also established a musical museum in his home, documenting its contents in a published pamphlet.