clavichord

A clavichord is a keyboard instrument in which pressing a key causes a small brass or iron tangent to strike a string. The tangent remains in contact with the string after impact, allowing the player to control volume, attack, and duration directly through touch. This produces a quiet, intimate sound with a smooth, singing timbre, often described as mellower than the harpsichord.

Mechanics and design: Most clavichords have a single string per note, though some early or larger examples use two or three strings. The action is simple: the key lifts a tangent that strikes the string, and the string’s vibration is damped when the key is released. The instrument is highly responsive to touch, enabling subtle dynamic shading and even microtonal inflections known as bebung, produced by applying slight tremolo with the finger on the key or string. Clavichords are typically compact, with wooden frames, and range about four to five octaves, though sizes vary.

History and use: The clavichord emerged in the late medieval to early Renaissance period and was widely used throughout the 16th to 18th centuries, especially in German-speaking regions and the Netherlands. It served as a practical instrument for practice, composition, and intimate performance; composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach wrote for it, valuing its expressive control. By the late 18th century, the fortepiano and the refined harpsichord diminished its prominence.

Legacy: Today the clavichord is primarily encountered in early music performance and historical study. It is valued for its delicate touch and expressive potential, and modern makers reproduce historical designs to explore period temperaments and performance practices.