Which instrument replaced the harpsichord?

• A. Piano
• B. Harpsichord
• C. Organ
• D. Clavichord

Answer: (A)

The main idea is expressive power through dynamics. The piano replaced the harpsichord because it could vary loudness with touch, something the harpsichord cannot do. Harpsichords pluck strings, so pressing a key produces a fairly fixed volume regardless of how hard you press. Pianos use hammers and a dynamic keyboard action, so you can play softly or loudly and shape phrases with crescendos and decrescendos. This level of dynamic nuance, plus the ability to sustain notes longer, made the piano the preferred instrument for Classical-era music. The organ serves a different role with sustained tones and a different timbre, while the clavichord, though responsive to touch, couldn’t project or sustain as well. So the piano became the instrument that largely took the harpsichord’s place in repertoire.