The clavichord is the harpsichord's intimate brother. Its sound is so quiet that it is practically inaudible in an adjacent room — an ideal instrument for a composer's private reflection.
The clavichord had a unique capability — Bebung (German for “trembling”): after pressing a key, the player could gently rock it, creating a delicate vibrato impossible on other keyboards of the time. C.P.E. Bach (son of Johann Sebastian) considered the clavichord ideal for expressive, individual playing. In the 20th century the instrument returned through authentic performance. Today European makers still craft clavichords, and Ukrainian early-music performers include them in their programs.
