Harpsichords and Clavichords

The booklet opens a window onto the world of the harpsichord and clavichord, the two dominant keyboard instruments from the fifteenth through the eighteenth centuries. It explains how their strings are plucked or struck, why their sound differs from that of the modern piano, and what makes each instrument uniquely expressive despite limited dynamic range. Readers also learn how the shape of the case, the material of the soundboard, and the arrangement of strings shape the tone.

Within its pages, several restored Smithsonian instruments are highlighted, from Flemish Ruckers virginals to English spinets, each accompanied by clear photographs and simple diagrams of their inner workings. The text describes the clever jack‑and‑plectrum mechanism, the use of multiple string sets, and the practice of short‑octave tuning that defined early keyboard music. It also points listeners toward a full checklist of the museum’s keyboard collection, inviting further exploration of these historic treasures.