A Harpsichord Showcare Trivia Answers

1. True or False - The harpsichord was invented before the first organ.

   1. False. The first harpsichord was invented during the 14th century while the earliest organs date back to the 3rd century BC. By the time the harpsichord came around, many different types of organs had been invented and performed for over a thousand years.

2. The Wanamaker Grand Court organ in Philadelphia, PA is the largest operational organ in the world. How many pipes does it have?

   1. 28,750 pipes (currently). And perhaps event more interesting, this organ isn’t in a concert hall - it’s inside of a Macy’s store! Before Macy’s bought the store, it was the Wanamaker Department Store.

3. What is the name for the piece that plucks the string of a harpsichord when you pluck it - a plucker, a plectra, or a plinket?

   1. Plectra. Modern harpsichord plectrum (the plural of plectra) are made out of plastic, but they were once made out of bird quills or leather.

4. Which major league baseball team was the first to have an organ perform music during breaks in game play?

   1. Chicago Cubs. The organ was first heard at a Major League Baseball game at Wrigley Park in 1941.

5. Which instrument, the harpsichord or organ, can change the dynamics (how loud or soft) their notes sound by how they press the keyboard keys?

   1. Neither! The harpsichord can’t actually play at different dynamics at all and you change dynamics on the organ by with methods other than how soft or hard you press the keys (unlike the piano).

Friday, April 19th | 7PM | Augustana Lutheran Church

5000 E. Alameda Ave, Denver