Overview of the Cultural Work
The selected work that has cultural value is the harpsichord. It is a musical instrument that is the predecessor of the contemporary piano (Banfield, 2018). The peculiar detail is that the harpsichord has two rows of the keyboard, but it is significantly smaller than the modern piano (Banfield, 2018). These two rows allow the musician to play in different registers, creating this instrument’s unique sound.
Historical Context: Time Period and Influences
The harpsichord generally belongs to the Baroque period because it was widely used in the music of that time. It was invented in the 15th century in Europe and became popular in the 16th century (Banfield, 2018). The modern piano was constructed only at the beginning of the 18th century, meaning that European musicians used the harpsichord for two centuries and had no alternatives (Burnham et al., 2021). The Baroque period in music is characterized by the gracious style and the technique that uses many ornaments typical for the works of such composers as Scarlatti or Mozart (Hoag, 2018). Therefore, Baroque culture, in general, and music, in particular, could not exist without the harpsichord because it was the only musical instrument accessible to the keyboard then.
Cultural Significance and Value to Society
It is impossible to evaluate the object out of the cultural context to which it belongs. Such notions as determinism and the locality of the item’s characteristics show the connection between the material thing and the cultural context surrounding its creation (Lombrozo, 2016). Therefore, the object belonging to the particular culture denotes its character, use, and value.
Addressing Societal Issues Through Cultural Expression
Nowadays, people determine the typical Baroque sound of musical compositions by how the harpsichord plays, making it valuable to that culture. The harpsichord helped musicians develop culture by writing the pieces for this instrument. It amused people, allowing them to escape from the social issues they faced in their lives. It assumes that the harpsichord allows musicians to write their compositions using the polyphonic abilities of the discussed instrument. Its primary function was to amuse people in the 16th- 18th centuries, but the harpsichord also contributed to the overall musical development.
References
Banfield, S. (2018). Music in the West country: Social and cultural history across an English region. Boydell & Brewer.
Burnham, D., Seltzer, M., & Von Moltke, D. (Eds.). (2021). Ways of hearing: Reflections on music in 26 pieces. Princeton University Press.
Hoag, M. (2018). On relevance and repertoire in the eighteenth-century counterpoint classroom. Bach: Journal of the Riemenschneider Bach Institute, 49(2), 388–401. Web.
Lombrozo, T. (2016). Embracing the humanities: A perspective from physics. NPR. Web.