harpsichord
Baroque plucked keyboard
A harpsichord is a keyboard instrument in which pressing a key causes a mechanism to pluck a string, producing a bright, percussive tone.
Unlike the piano, which strikes strings with hammers, the harpsichord cannot vary volume through touch.
It was the dominant keyboard instrument in European music from the Renaissance through the Baroque era: Bach composed most of his keyboard works for harpsichord.
Small plucked keyboard
- virginalsSmall Renaissance keyboard instrument
- fortepianoEarly hammer-action keyboard
- ItalianOf or from Rome's country
- FlemishBelgian Dutch variant
Unsullied or inexperienced
- spinetSmall plucked keyboard
- madrigalUnaccompanied Renaissance choral composition
- motetSacred polyphonic choral work
- pavaneMeasured ceremonial court dance
chanson · Byrd · Gibbons · consort · masque · fantasia · toccata · Fitzwilliam
String-plucking implement
- jackDevice for lifting vehicles
- quillFeather used for writing
- registerRecord officially; vocal range
- stopCease all motion
soundboard · strings · keyboard · manual · coupler · plucking · bridge · case
Baroque harmonic foundation
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
- trillRapid pitch oscillation
- mordentRapid neighbor-note embellishment
- gigueBaroque suite's closing dance
allemande · sarabande · recitative · aria · cantata · Scarlatti · Couperin · Bach
Unaccompanied performer
- cadenzaExtended solo passage
- orchestraLarge instrumental ensemble
- chamberEnclosed room or cavity
- recitalSolo musical performance
virtuoso · allegro · adagio · presto · largo · movement · Martin · obbligato
Refined, graceful quality
- refinementElegance of manner
- brillianceExceptional intelligence or luster
- silveryPale metallic sheen
- crispFirm and breakable
delicate · resonance · articulation · ornamentation · aristocratic · courtly · salon · chamber music
Quality of being genuine
- restorationReturning something to condition
- HubbardEnglish-origin family name
- early musicPre-1750 Western compositions
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
spinet
Small plucked keyboard
- virginalsSmall Renaissance keyboard instrument
- fortepianoEarly hammer-action keyboard
- ItalianOf or from Rome's country
virginal
Unsullied or inexperienced
- spinetSmall plucked keyboard
- madrigalUnaccompanied Renaissance choral composition
- motetSacred polyphonic choral work
pavane · chanson · Byrd · Gibbons · consort · masque · fantasia · toccata · Fitzwilliam · tablature
plectrum
String-plucking implement
stop · soundboard · strings · keyboard · manual · coupler · plucking · bridge · case · lid
continuo
Baroque harmonic foundation
- ornamentationDecorative additions to something
- trillRapid pitch oscillation
- mordentRapid neighbor-note embellishment
gigue · allemande · sarabande · recitative · aria · cantata · Scarlatti · Couperin · Bach · Handel
soloist
Unaccompanied performer
recital · virtuoso · allegro · adagio · presto · largo · movement · Martin · obbligato · accompaniment
elegance
Refined, graceful quality
- refinementElegance of manner
- brillianceExceptional intelligence or luster
- silveryPale metallic sheen
crisp · delicate · resonance · articulation · ornamentation · aristocratic · courtly · salon · chamber music · intimate
authenticity
Quality of being genuine
- restorationReturning something to condition
- HubbardEnglish-origin family name
- early musicPre-1750 Western compositions
conservation · replica · workshop · builder
- Early Musicmedieval music, Gregorian chant, Renaissance music, motet, baroque music
- Renaissance musicmadrigal, motet, polyphony, lute, consort
- 1700sMozart, Voltaire, colonial period, French Revolution, William III
- European instrumentsaccordion, bagpipes, balalaika, bandura, bodhran
- instrumentsguitar, guitars, piano, pianos, drum
- keyboard instrumentspiano, organ, spinet, virginal, synthesizer
harpsichordpiano
Keyed percussion instrument
grand piano · pianoforte · fortepiano · hammer dulcimer · clavichord
harpsichordsynthesizer
Electronic sound-generating instrument
electronic keyboard · digital piano · electric piano · keytar · electric organ
harpsichordpipe organ
Wind instrument with tuned tubes
theremin · cello · accordion · melodica · drum machine