cembal

Cembal is a historical term used to refer to the harpsichord, a keyboard instrument of the plucked-string family. The name derives from the Italian cembalo, and in some languages the spelling cembal appears in older texts. It is closely related to other keyboard instruments of the same family, such as the clavichord and virginal, and it is sometimes used in reference to the broader harpsichord genus.

Construction and mechanism: A cembal, like the harpsichord, has a wooden case with one or more keyboards (manuals) and a frame of strings. When a key is pressed, a small upright jack rises, bringing a plectrum to pluck the corresponding string(s). The sound is produced by these plucked strings, giving a bright, percussive tone that does not vary with touch in the way a modern piano does. Instruments may have multiple sets of strings (choirs) and, in some designs, two manuals to allow contrasting stops or timbres. The typical compass ranges around five octaves, with regional variations.

History and use: The cembal emerged in Renaissance Europe and became central to Baroque music. Italian, French, Flemish, and German makers developed distinct styles and aesthetics, influencing repertoire by composers such as Scarlatti, Couperin, Rameau, and Bach. It served both secular and sacred music, often used for continuo, solo keyboard literature, and chamber works.

Modern context: After the rise of the piano, the cembal declined in everyday use but retained importance in early music practice. In the 20th and 21st centuries, historically informed performance revived interest in period instruments, including the harpsichord and its variants, with contemporary builders constructing new cembals that imitate historical design while sometimes incorporating modern refinements.