The spinet, a compact member of the harpsichord family, is distinguished by its angled stringing—typically set at roughly 30 degrees to the keyboard—which allows for a space-efficient triangular or polygonal case. Its jacks pluck the strings closer to their midpoint than in larger harpsichords, producing a comparatively nasal, less resonant tone with limited sustain.
Most spinets are single-manual instruments with one choir of strings at 8′ pitch, though occasional examples include additional registers. Particularly popular in domestic settings in 17th- and 18th-century England and Italy, the spinet reflects a compromise between affordability, size, and tonal resources, rather than an independent aesthetic ideal.
The clavichord occupies a unique position among early keyboard instruments due to its direct tangent action: small brass blades (tangents) strike and remain in contact with the strings, defining both the pitch and the speaking length. This mechanism enables continuous control over dynamics and pitch inflection, including Bebung (a form of vibrato), making the clavichord the most expressive of pre-piano keyboards despite its extremely low volume.
Fretted clavichords, in which multiple notes share a single string pair, were common for economic reasons, though unfretted designs became more prevalent in the 18th century. Favored for private study and compositional work, the instrument was central to empfindsamer Stil aesthetics, particularly in the circle of C.P.E. Bach.
The harpsichord, encompassing a wide variety of national styles, produces sound via a plucking mechanism in which quills mounted in jacks engage the strings as keys are depressed. Its inability to vary dynamics through touch alone led to the development of multiple manuals and stop registers (e.g., 8′, 4′, lute, buff) to provide contrast in timbre and volume.
Italian instruments tend toward lighter construction and a bright, immediate sound, whereas Franco-Flemish and later French harpsichords emphasize richer sonority and more complex registration schemes. By the late Baroque, the instrument had reached a high level of structural and tonal sophistication, serving as both a continuo instrument and a vehicle for virtuosic solo repertoire.
The fortepiano, emerging in the early 18th century and associated with Bartolomeo Cristofori, represents a fundamental shift in keyboard technology through its hammer action, which permits graduated dynamics in response to touch.
Early Viennese instruments, with their light action and relatively shallow key dip, facilitated rapid articulation and nuanced dynamic shading, aligning with the stylistic demands of Haydn and Mozart. Compared to the modern piano, the fortepiano typically features a lighter frame, thinner strings, and a more transparent, less sustaining tone, with distinct timbral registers across its compass.
Its evolving design throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries underpins the transition toward the modern piano while remaining integral to historically informed performance practice.
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