periodinstrument

Period instrument, sometimes written periodinstrument, refers to a musical instrument that was built and widely used in a defined historical period. The term is commonly used in discussions of historically informed performance (HIP), where performers aim to reproduce the sound, technique, and character of music as it would have been heard at the time of composition.

In Western classical music, period instruments include instruments from the medieval era through the late Baroque and beyond, depending on the repertoire. Typical examples are the clavichord and harpsichord, the pipe organ of a given era, the viola da gamba family, and strings tuned with gut instead of modern steel. Wind instruments such as recorders, baroque flutes, oboes, and natural trumpets are used in their historical forms; percussion may include drums and tambourines fashioned to period specifications.

Period instruments are distinguished by construction, material choices, and playing mechanics that differ from modern equivalents. They may use different resonant bodies, lighter or differently braced soundboards, gut strings, and mouthpiece or key systems aligned with the era's technology. Intonation and temperaments were not standardized in the same way as today, and players often adapt to period tunings and pitch standards when performing.

Practice and scholarship in this field involve instrument makers, restorers, museums, and performers. Modern makers often produce replicas or faithful copies, and some ensembles use period instruments alongside modern ones in mixed settings. Recordings and performances of early music increasingly rely on these tools to approximate historical soundscapes.

See also: Historically informed performance; instrument maker; early music revival.