Clavichord

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The clavichord is an early keyboard instrument in which hammers strike strings running parallel to the keys to create sound. Unlike a piano, however, the hammers remain in contact with the strings until the key is released, thus muting the sound. The sound of the instrument is quiet in the extreme; it is difficult for anyone other than the performer to hear even a few feet away. It was thus mostly used in the eighteenth century for discreet practising and composition in the home. George Frederick Handel used the clavichord as a young man to compose without attracting the attention of his parents, who wanted him to be a lawyer and disproved of his musical activities. The inside of the lid would often be highly decorated.