The harpsichord generates sound by plucking strings when keys are depressed, in contrast to the piano which strikes them.

When Landowska began, nobody was writing harpsichord music; it was a dead art. Composers like Francis Poulenc (her student for a year) and the late Manuel De Falla wrote harpsichord music for her.

The U.S. enthusiasts for harpsichord music are a small ... many improvements into harpsichord manufacture, utilized modern materials like bakelite, aluminum and nylon. “I am not an antiquarian ...

Because of this technique, the timbre of the harpsichord comes off somewhat tinny and perhaps would fit perfectly in the background music of a ... steel strings with modern bows, but instead ...