The following passage is adapted from an essay on historical keyboard instruments.
While both the harpsichord and the clavichord were popular keyboard instruments during the Baroque period, their mechanical designs and acoustic properties differed significantly. In a harpsichord, pressing a key activates a vertical jack that plucks the tensioned string with a small quill. This action produces a bright, uniform volume, meaning the sound's intensity remains consistent regardless of how forcefully the player strikes the key. In contrast, the clavichord features a small metal blade, called a tangent, that strikes the string and remains in direct contact with it as long as the key is held down. This continuous physical connection allows the clavichordist to control the volume dynamically through finger pressure and even perform vibrato—a subtle, expressive variation in pitch. However, because the clavichord's overall sound is exceptionally quiet, its use was historically confined to intimate, private rooms, whereas the harpsichord's louder, carrying tone made it suitable for larger public performances.
Based on the passage, which of the following statements explicitly describes a contrast in how sound was produced by the two instruments?
- The clavichord produced sound through a tangent that struck and remained in contact with the string, whereas the harpsichord relied on a jack that plucked the string.Cevap
- BThe clavichord relied on a jack to pluck the string, whereas the harpsichord used a tangent to strike the string.
- CThe clavichord produced a loud, carrying tone suitable for public performances, whereas the harpsichord produced a quiet sound confined to intimate rooms.
- DThe clavichord was limited to a single, uniform volume, whereas the harpsichord permitted dynamic volume control through variation in key pressure.