Why can’t Ligeti’s Hungarian Rock for solo harpsichord be played solo on the piano?

Question

Or should I say, why would it lose musical value if such a thing was done?

In: Other

Answer 1

It *could* be played, technically. However, piano and harpsichord are very different instruments. A harpsichord *plucks* the string when you press a key (like a *harp*), which gives a distinct sound. You can’t really alter the volume of the note, or hold notes. Every note is the same length. Pieces for harpsichord are written with this in mind, so you’ll never really get the same effect on a piano, which uses hammers to strike the strings. You can get a lot more control on a piano, but the sound is different.