Editing Historically informed performance (section)

===Harpsichord===
[[File:Cembalo-Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg-2000.532+2.tif|thumb|Harpsichord by [[Pascal Taskin]], [[Paris]] (1780)  ([[Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg]])]]
A variety of once obsolete keyboard instruments such as the [[clavichord]] and the [[harpsichord]] have been revived, as they have particular importance in the performance of Early music. Before the evolution of the symphony orchestra led by a [[Conductor (music)|conductor]], Renaissance and Baroque orchestras were commonly directed from the harpsichord; the director would lead by playing [[Basso continuo|continuo]], which would provide a steady, harmonic structure upon which the other instrumentalists would embellish their parts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Harpsichord – Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment|url=http://www.oae.co.uk/instruments/harpsichord/|website=Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment|access-date=6 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180306230901/http://www.oae.co.uk/instruments/harpsichord/|archive-date=6 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Kottick|first1=Edward L.|title=A History of the Harpsichord|date=2003|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-253-34166-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uexrDtt7JKEC&q=harpsichord%20baroque%20orchestra&pg=PA469|access-date=6 March 2018|language=en|archive-date=20 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820090032/https://books.google.com/books?id=uexrDtt7JKEC&q=harpsichord%20baroque%20orchestra&pg=PA469|url-status=live}}</ref> Many religious works of the era made similar use of the [[pipe organ]], often in combination with a harpsichord.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Moses|first1=Don V.|last2=Demaree|first2=Robert W. Jr.|last3=Ohmes|first3=Allen F.|title=Face to Face with Orchestra and Chorus, Second, Expanded Edition: A Handbook for Choral Conductors|date=2004|publisher=Indiana University Press|isbn=978-0-253-11036-7|page=49|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m58XmBcjRlIC&q=harpsichord%20baroque%20orchestra%20sacred%20works%20organ&pg=PA49|access-date=6 March 2018|language=en|archive-date=20 August 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820090559/https://books.google.com/books?id=m58XmBcjRlIC&q=harpsichord%20baroque%20orchestra%20sacred%20works%20organ&pg=PA49|url-status=live}}</ref> Historically informed performances frequently make use of keyboard-led ensemble playing.

Composers such as [[François Couperin]], [[Domenico Scarlatti]], [[Girolamo Frescobaldi]], and [[Johann Sebastian Bach]] wrote for the harpsichord, clavichord, and organ.

Among the foremost modern players of the harpsichord are [[Ralph Kirkpatrick]], [[Scott Ross (harpsichordist)|Scott Ross]], [[Alan Curtis (harpsichordist)|Alan Curtis]], [[William Christie (musician)|William Christie]], [[Christopher Hogwood]], [[Robert Hill (musician)|Robert Hill]], [[Igor Kipnis]], [[Ton Koopman]], [[Bob van Asperen]], [[Wanda Landowska]], [[Davitt Moroney]], [[Kenneth Gilbert]], [[Gustav Leonhardt]], [[Trevor Pinnock]], [[Skip Sempé]], [[Andreas Staier]], [[Colin Tilney]], and [[Christophe Rousset]].