Klavier
Definition
- Noun:
- A keyboard instrument with strings: A "klavier" is a general term for a stringed musical instrument that is played using a keyboard. Historically, it can refer to various keyboard instruments, particularly those where strings are struck (like a clavichord) or plucked (like a harpsichord), as distinct from a modern piano.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The museum displayed a beautifully restored 18th-century klavier. (The museum displayed a beautifully restored 18th-century keyboard instrument.)
- He specializes in performing Baroque music on the klavier. (He specializes in performing Baroque music on the harpsichord/clavichord.)
Advanced Usage
- The term "klavier" is often used in historical or musicological contexts to refer to early keyboard instruments, especially in German. In modern English, it is a somewhat specialized term.
- "Klavier" (alternative spelling): This is the modern German word for "piano." In English, using "klavier" can sometimes cause confusion, as it may be interpreted as the German term for the modern instrument.
Variants and Related Words
- Clavier: An alternative English spelling with the same meaning.
- Klavier (German): The modern German word for piano.
- Harpsichord: A specific type of plucked-string keyboard instrument.
- Clavichord: A specific type of struck-string keyboard instrument.
- Fortepiano: An early form of the piano.
Synonyms
- Keyboard instrument: A general term for instruments played with a keyboard.
- Harpsichord: A specific synonym when the context implies a plucked mechanism.
- Clavichord: A specific synonym when the context implies a struck mechanism.
Notes on Meaning
- The core meaning of "klavier" in English is a historical, stringed keyboard instrument. It is not typically used to refer to the modern piano, for which the words "piano" or "fortepiano" (for early versions) are used.
- The word originates from the German "Klavier," which itself derives from the Latin "clavis," meaning "key."
Noun
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a stringed instrument that has a keyboard