Plural of cembalo; multiple harpsichords or similar keyboard instruments.
From Italian cembalo, from Latin cymbalum meaning cymbal. The harpsichord evolved from earlier string instruments and was named for its cymbal-like resonant quality.
Cembali were the rock stars of the 1600s—Bach and Handel would perform on them, and each instrument had a unique personality based on how the maker built it, kind of like how vintage guitars are prized today.
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