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The Clavichord is a small shallow box, often without legs or stand. Behind the keyboard the strings are attached to hitch-pins at the left of the box, then pass across the back halves of the keys and over the bridge to the tuning pins on the right. When a key is depressed the tangent (a small upright brass blade set directly in the key) gently touches the corresponding string, making a vibration node at the point of contact; to the right of this strike point the string crosses the bridge that transmits the vibrations to the soundboard. The loudness of the tone depends directly on the force used by the player on the key, but the overall tone is too quiet to for it to be anything other than a solo instrument.
The Clavichord is a European instrument that first appeared as far back as the 15th Century. Although the instrument eventually gave way to the Spinet and the Virginal in the 16th and 17th Centuries it remained popular in Germany, Scandinavia and Spain through out the 18th Century. Mainly used for domestic use the Clavichord would often be used by Organists when practicing. |
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