INSTRUMENTIONARY.COM

The Harpsichord is a stringed percussion instrument built into a wooden frame that uses the action of hammers on strings to produce its unique, dulcet tones. It is the fundamental instrument required for the recital of a wide range of music from the 17^th century and is the ancestor of the piano. It has a very plucky, bright, cheerful tone, that sounds reminiscent of several hundred Slinky’s that are launched down a large flight of stairs simultaneously. It is strung up in the same fashion as a piano, with black and white keys representing major and minor notes, presenting a large range of octaves, with all thirteen notes of the western tonality available to play.

Inside the Harpsichord:

There is a big piece of equipment inside the harpsichord that holds the tension of all the strings, and as with the piano these must be tuned individually to produce the correct notes. Being able to tune a piano or a harpsichord properly is an incredibly valuable skill, and when you have a harpsichord you should make sure that it is tuned properly. Don’t move it once it is tuned properly, otherwise it will lose its tune, and you will have to pay someone to tune it again.

Origin:

  The harpsichord evolved through Europe during the renaissance period, principally as a modification of an organ. It would seem that some rather enlightened instrument maker was sitting having a jam one day, and thought, “What if I combine my harp with my Organ?” The resulting transmogrification led to an instrument that was the definition of court music for centuries. Many composers Bach especially produced works for the harpsichord, but as the piano became more prominent, there was a contraction in the fame and prominence of the harpsichord.

Not a solo instrument:

Taken as a solo instrument the harpsichord can sound relatively thin, lacking the solidity of other stringed instruments, but when the harpsichord is played in conjunction with other stringed instruments the effect of the dainty elf like tones is remarkable. The modern format of the harpsichord differs from its ancestors, effectively modeling the same layout as a baby grand piano, sometimes having multiple keyboards in the same manner as the organ.

  Dim lights

Limited Access:

Rarely do you encounter a harpsichord that is able to be played and you are privileged if you have access to one. The reason that you are unable to play the harpsichord is not that it is broken, but conversely because it is breakable. People that own a harpsichord are aware of the value of their instrument and are often unwilling to let a musician that is only learning,  play on the instrument. Talented keyboardists will relish the opportunity to play the harpsichord and will appreciate the difference in the sound it produces when compared to an instrument that they are more familiar with such as the piano. If you do get a chance to play on a harpsichord, enjoy it!