Waveform Analysis and Perception of Harpsichord Sounds with Various Articulations and Ornaments

Abstract

This study investigates the diversity in sound of the harpsichord, including articulation created by different ways of touching, duration and accentuation. Examined also are ornaments that are often added by the performer, as discussed in several historical treatises. Rolled arpeggios at various speeds can also be executed to either make a chord sound gentler or more brilliant. To investigate the unique sound characteristics of the harpsichord, sound analysis is conducted on a replica of a two-manual Blanchet-harpsichord in comparison with a Steinway-grand piano. Temporal and spectral waveform analysis of single tones, chords, short passages with various articulations and an excerpt from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita no. 2 in C minor, BWV 826, demonstrates a variety of differences in tones, timbres and phrasings. These results provide scientific ways to describe perception of sound and the art of playing on the harpsichord.