harpsichord
A keyboard instrument where strings are plucked rather than struck, predecessor of the piano.
In Depth
The harpsichord produces sound by plucking strings with small quills or plastic plectra when a key is pressed. Unlike the piano, pressing a key harder does not make the sound louder — volume is essentially fixed. This means the harpsichord cannot produce gradual dynamic changes, which is why the piano eventually replaced it. The harpsichord was the dominant keyboard instrument from roughly 1500 to 1775, central to both solo repertoire and continuo accompaniment in Baroque ensembles. Composers like Bach, Scarlatti, Couperin, and Rameau wrote extensively for it. The 20th-century early music revival brought the harpsichord back into regular performance, and many modern players now perform Baroque music on period instruments.
Wanda Landowska, who revived the harpsichord in the 20th century, reportedly told a fellow musician: You play Bach your way — I'll play him his way.