 The clavichord is a relatively quiet instrument capable of an immense range of expression. Unlike other keyboards, one's fingers are virtually in contact with the strings through the keyboard such that the instrument sounds very much in the way it is touched. It can be played loudly or softly and the pitch can even be bent, like a violin. With practically no artistic limitations, the clavichord can be a very challenging instrument to play. Consequently it has always been a wonderful instrument for practice.
There are two types of clavichords, "fretted" and "unfretted." Groups of adjacent keys strike the same string in the fretted instruments, much in the same way that strings are fretted on a guitar. One significant benefit of fretting is tonal clarity. Fewer overall stings also allow the instrument to be compact and easy to transport. By comparison, unfretted instruments provide one string pair for each note. They are much larger and the sound is more 'veiled'.
|
