harpsichord Hear it!

harpsichord Definition

harp·si·chord (härp′si kôrd′)

noun

a stringed musical instrument with a keyboard, often with two manuals: the strings are plucked by points of leather or quill when the keys are pressed, producing short, abrupt tones

Etymology: obs. Fr harpechorde or It arpicordo < arpa (LL harpa < Gmc *harpa: see harp) + corda (see cord); -s- is intrusive

harpsichord Related Forms

harp′·si·chord′·ist noun

harpsichord Usage Examples

Preposition: of

period: Such a procedure would conform with the usual tradition found in other English harpsichords of the period around 1761.

Converse of object

  • play: Playing the harpsichord Most Likely to Say You know you love me tripping you everytime you walk!
  • build: Warwick Cole played a two-manual harpsichord built by his father, M. E. Cole of Cheltenham.
  • include: Other instruments they make include harpsichords, lute, viols and recorders.
  • make: A list of thirteen existing harpsichords made by this firm is given in Grove's Dictionary of Music.
  • use: The harpsichord used tonight is now a part of the Russell Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments housed here in St Cecilia's Hall.
  • have: As a bonus most models now have a convincing harpsichord.

Adjective modifier

  • double-manual: Figure 2 - Graph showing the string scalings of the 1769 Pascal Taskin double-manual harpsichord, Russell Collection of Early Keyboard Instruments, Cat.
  • single-manual: Concert Notes - The single-manual anonymous Italian harpsichord The single-manual harpsichord being used in tonight's concert is unfortunately neither signed nor dated.
  • Italian: Concert Notes - The single-manual anonymous Italian harpsichord The single-manual harpsichord being used in tonight's concert is unfortunately neither signed nor dated.
  • English: But there is an additional reason for using an English harpsichord for the performance of Handel's keyboard works.
  • double: Frederick afterward ( in 1766 ) ordered from Shudi two double harpsichords for his new palace at Potsdam, where they still remain.

Modifies a noun

  • builder: Pascal Taskin was certainly one of the finest harpsichord builders of all times.
  • maker: Another German, Johannes Zumpe, who is said to have worked for Shudi the harpsichord maker, was more successful.
  • solo: In 1997, with Red Priest, he made the CD ' Priest on the Run ' , which contains the two harpsichord solos.
  • music: A whole disk of harpsichord music can be very tiring.
  • piece: The piece is almost certainly performed by Grainer himself, whose other harpsichord piece appears on Volume Two.
  • player: Burns, the harpsichord player, went on to become a university lecturer.

Noun used with modifier

  • solo: The next track, for solo harpsichord, fits the sequence beautifully.
  • double-manual: Flemish school: 3. Double-manual harpsichord, Andreas I Ruckers.