Why does GPO include a harpsichord?
You might want to compose for the harpsichord, either as a solo instrument or as part of a chamber ensemble; or you might want to reconstruct early music for your own enjoyment. Even a piece such as Vivaldis Four Seasons should have a harpsichord tinkling away in the background. Remember that the comparatively weak sound of the harpsichord is easily drowned by a large ensemble it has a wooden frame which means its strings cannot be under great tension. The harpsichord is not a sort of piano Of course the harpsichord preceded the piano; it held sway, in one form or another, for a good three centuries before the invention of the piano, which has been around for rather less time: certainly the modern piano with its iron frame and powerful sound is a relative newcomer. Moreover, the harpsichord has enjoyed a huge revival in the latter half of the 20th century. Although the harpsichord has keys resembling the piano, the strings are plucked rather than struck almost like a mechanical guitar.
