What instrument is this?

[cpessimist]

Your help and expertise is much appreciated.  I'm a novice pianist (just starting, I'm having a blast!).  I'm listening to this rendition of scarlatti by wanda landowska and can't figure out what kind of instrument this is!  It sounds kind of like a harpsichord but it seems to have some sort of dynamics too... either way, thanks in advance

[lostinidlewonder]

I believe it is the two-keyboard Pleyel harpsichord which gives you those extra sounds (almost like a pipe organ).

This might interest you:
https://www.harpsichord.org.uk/EH/Vol2/No5/pleyel.pdf

[keys60]

The beginning of the video does say its a Pleyel harpsicord. What sounds like dynamics dould just be the balance of the recording. The higher register sounds a bit louder than the lower. Nice recording though. Glad you're having a blast.

[cpessimist]

Ah whoops, I didn't notice it said that usually I have youtube in the background just running playing music.  Thanks for your replies, and that was a great article!  What does "16' register" mean? I assume it has something to do with something being 8 feet, but if you look at the dimensions of the pleyel this seems impossible.  It must've been those organ like sounds that were confusing me into thinking that there were dynamics.  Either way, I really love the second piece of that records.

Thanks a lot guys,
Colin

[latrobe]

What does "16' register" mean? I assume it has something to do with something being 8 feet, but if you look at the dimensions of the pleyel this seems impossible. 

Hi Colin!

Harpsichords were often organists' practice instruments at home so picked up some of their terminology. 8ft refers to the length of pipe necessary to play bottom C on the keyboard - 8ft is standard pitch, 4ft an octave up, makes brightness and 16ft the octave below, gives depth.

Best wishes

David P