Kiejcher, Krzysztof
Kiejcher, Kecher, Kejeher, Keycher, Kicher, Kicker Bartłomiej, *1548 Krakow, †9 January 1599 Krakow, Polish instrumentalist and builder of instruments. Around 1558, he was given to the royal band, where he learned to play instruments, probably wind instruments. On 6 January 1565, he was transferred from the band of boy singers to the pipe band. He worked in this band until the end of his life. He took over the instrument-building workshop after his father, which was one of the largest workshops in Poland, next to M. Dobrucki’s workshop. He mainly built woodwind instruments and probably also organ; the inventory of his workshop also included string instruments (i.a. violones, soprano violins and clavichords), which he built by himself. Kiejcher employed at least 8 people, using teamwork, especially in the construction of wooden aerophones. This is evidenced by a large number of almost finished instruments). Kiejcher is credited with bringing instruments from Nuremberg to Poland: dulcians, trumps and regals. After Kiejcher’s death, the workshop was taken over by his wife Zofia (†1604), and then by his son Krzysztof.
Literature: S. Starowolski Monumentu Sarmatiae, Krakow 1655; S. Tomkowicz Do historii muzyki w Krakowie, Krakow 1907; W. Kamiński Instrumenty muzyczne na ziemiach polskich, Krakow 1971.