clavichord
clavichord Lexical Profile
clavichord Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small, rectangular stringed keyboard instrument popular in Europe from the late Middle Ages through the Classical era, in which pressing a key causes a small brass blade (tangent) to strike the string and remain in contact with it, producing a delicate, quiet tone capable of expressive vibrato.
"Because the clavichord produces such a quiet, intimate tone, Baroque musicians primarily used it as a domestic practice and composition instrument rather than for large concert halls."
Word Nuance & Usage
The clavichord is often confused with the harpsichord; while a harpsichord plucks the strings to produce a bright, uniform volume, a clavichord strikes the strings with small metal blades called tangents, producing a very soft, intimate sound that allows for subtle dynamic shading and vibrato.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 15th century from Medieval Latin clavichordium, a compound of Latin clavis ('key') and Greek chorde ('string').