Beyond the Piano: A History of Keyboard Instruments

Keyboards don’t just include the piano but harpsichords, clavichords, celestas, synthesizers—and even the archicembalo, a Renaissance keyboard with 36 keys per octave. In this course, we discover the weird, wonderful, and often forgotten history of keyboard instruments, where each design opens a new sonic and cultural chapter. Guided by the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system (chordophones, aerophones, idiophones, and electrophones), we explore how these instruments produce sound, how they evolved over time, and how composers across centuries have brought them to life. Our weekly sessions include focused listening and curated musical examples written specifically for these fascinating machines. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.