Re: the negative connotations of harpsichords
Another point to keep in mind is that the harpsichord is notoriously difficult to record properly; most of us have probably formed our opinions of the instrument based on recordings rather than live performances. The first time I heard a live one was in 1995 at Boston College, played by Sally Fortino. It was a revelation; the sound was richer and fuller than I had thought possible.
If you have never heard a harpsichord in person, I would suggest looking for the CD The Virtuoso Scarlatti, by Igor Kipnis. It uses different recording techniques which capture the sound better than any other I have heard.