I chose Louis Couperin - Prelude to the suite in C major. After listening to the music, it almost seems like he's warming up before launching into a virtuoso piece. A prelude is a brief keyboard piece that is either an independent composition or an introduction to another piece. It almost seems like an improvisation piece. (Ferris, pp. 127-128, 2014)The harpsichord was very detrimental during the Baroque era. The harpsichord is a piano-like instrument that is plucked instead of struck with a hammer and has a distinctive sound. When a key on the harpsichord is pressed, a small piece called a plectrum plucks a string above the soundboard, producing a distinctive sound. As soon as the key is released, a tiny piece of felt falls down to stop the vibration, causing the sound to stop. The sounds of the harpsichord cannot last more than a brief moment, unlike those of a piano or an organ. The sound of a harpsichord is associated with the Baroque era. (Ferris, pp. 36, 2014) The first references date back to around 1400 and the oldest harpsichords date from the 1500s and it was at this time that the mechanism was perfected. (http://www.philharmonia.org/learn-and-listen/baroque-instruments/harpsichord/) It became very popular throughout Europe, in Italy, Flanders, France, Germany and England. There were different configurations for keyboards, pedals and hand stops. The cases housing the mechanisms were often exquisite works featuring inlays, paintings, and other decorations. (http://www.philharmonia.org/learn-and-listen/baroque-instruments/harpsichord/) Demand for the harpsichord was constant until the 18th century, when it was replaced by the pianoforte. The transition was complete by ear...... middle of paper......and a heavier case and also a very thin and responsive spruce top. Italian makers only made single-manual instruments, very light in construction and with very little string tension. (http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/harpsichord-history) It was around the middle of the 16th century that the first music was written specifically for a solo harpsichordist. There were many harpsichord composers during the Baroque era in Italy, Germany and France. The most popular genres for harpsichord compositions were the dance suite, the fantasy and the fugue. The harpsichord was widely used in the basso continuo style, a feature that was retained in opera until the 19th century. In the 18th century, the harpsichord was considered to have advantages and disadvantages over the piano. (http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/harpsichord-history)