During the Baroque era, keyboard players chose their instruments based on the venue and the desired expressive quality of the music. The clavichord was a small, rectangular instrument primarily used for private practice and composition. Its mechanism used metal tangents that struck the strings and remained in contact with them, allowing the player to influence the volume and even produce a vibrato effect through touch. However, its sound was extremely quiet, making it unsuitable for public performances. In contrast, the harpsichord was much larger and louder, utilizing a plucking mechanism where a quill plucked the strings when a key was pressed. While the harpsichord could easily fill a concert hall, its plucking mechanism prevented the player from varying the volume or tone through touch alone. Thus, the harpsichord offered volume at the expense of dynamic control, whereas the clavichord offered expressive intimacy at the expense of audibility.
According to the passage, which of the following best describes the main difference between the clavichord and the harpsichord regarding the performer's control over the sound?
- The clavichord allows the performer to vary volume and tone through touch, while the harpsichord does not.Cevap
- BThe harpsichord allows the performer to produce a vibrato effect, whereas the clavichord's volume is entirely fixed.
- CThe clavichord utilizes a plucking mechanism that gives the player more dynamic control than the striking mechanism of the harpsichord.
- DThe harpsichord provides the player with greater volume and expressive intimacy, while the clavichord is limited to loud, public performances.