clavichord

clavichord, stringed keyboard musical instrument, developed from the medieval monochord. It flourished from about 1400 to 1800 and was revived in the 20th century. It is usually rectangular in shape, and its case and lid were usually highly decorated, painted, and inlaid.

clavichord in British English (ˈklævɪˌkɔːd ) noun. a keyboard instrument consisting of a number of thin wire strings struck from below by brass tangents. The instrument is noted for its delicate tones, since the tangents do not rebound from the string until the key is released.

Someone who plays the clavichord.

Bach's second son, Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, was a highly regarded performer and composer for the clavichord. It should be noted, however, that the older Bach's “Well-tempered Clavier” was not written specifically for clavichord: “Clavier” simply meant “keyboard.”

The clavichord was very popular from the 16th century to the 18th century, but mainly flourished in German-speaking lands, Scandinavia, and the Iberian Peninsula in the latter part of this period. It had fallen out of use by 1850.

The clavichord flourished as a popular home instrument from the 16th century until the 18th, mainly in Germany, Scandinavia, Spain, and Portugal. Clavichords were fairly small, about four feet long, and often had only four octaves, although some later versions had six octaves and were seven feet long.

It transfers the energy of the finger to the strings, by striking the strings (two per note) and causing them to sound while at the same time defining the sounding length of the string by dividing it into two, one half of which is free to vibrate, the other half being damped by a piece of felt (the listings).

In the home the clavichord was the ideal instrument for solo keyboard music and instrumental accompaniment. Organists also were known to practice in their homes on pedal clavichords. Today clavichords are played primarily by Renaissance, Baroque, and Classical music enthusiasts.

Several pop musicians have utilized the clavichord in their recordings to get a unique sound. The Beatles, Tori Amos, and Björk have all recorded songs featuring the clavichord.

14th century The clavichord first appeared in the 14th century and became popular during the Renaissance Era. Pressing a key would send a brass rod, called a tangent, to strike the string and cause vibrations that emit sound over a range of four to five octaves.

Several pop musicians have utilized the clavichord in their recordings to get a unique sound. The Beatles, Tori Amos, and Björk have all recorded songs featuring the clavichord.

The clavichord was invented in the early fourteenth century. It was popular in the 16th-18th centuries, but mainly flourished in German-speaking lands, Scandinavia and the Iberian Peninsula in the latter period; it fell out of use in the 1840s.