klaverer

Klaverer is a term with historical origins in the Netherlands, referring to a person who played the clavecin, an early keyboard instrument. The clavecin is also known as the harpsichord. Therefore, a klaverer was essentially a harpsichordist. This profession was prominent during the Baroque and Classical periods when the harpsichord was a central instrument in both solo repertoire and ensemble music, including opera and chamber music. Klaverers would have been skilled musicians, capable of reading complex musical scores, improvising, and performing with a refined touch suited to the instrument's dynamics, which are controlled by plucking the strings rather than striking them with hammers. The role of a klaverer extended beyond performance to include teaching and possibly composition. As musical tastes and instrument technology evolved, the harpsichord gradually gave way to the pianoforte, and consequently, the term klaverer became less common, eventually fading from general usage as the instrument itself receded from prominence in concert halls.