Lutes, Viols and Other Ancient Instruments

An Anglo Saxon Lyre

2010-02-04T13:56:00.001-06:00

Here is a video of an unusual instrument. This lyre is a copy of the Sutton Hoo Lyre.

Here is some more information about Anglo Saxon Lyres.

The Tromba Marina (Trumpet Marine)

2009-08-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

"I cannot help but laugh at this unearthly instrument" -Heinrich Glarean

The trumpet marine isn't very trumpetlike in appearance. It's a long instrument with only one string. It's not even blown like a trumpet, yet it sounds kind like a trumpet. This neat trick is accomplished by playing the harmonics of the string, similar to the way a bugle or natural horn plays notes from the harmonic series. It also has a loosely fitted, buzzing bridge. This gives the trumpet marine an unexpected, brassy sound.

See Tromba Marina.com for additional information and sound samples.

Theorbo

2009-08-05T09:48:00.004-05:00

Lady with a Theorbo by John Michael Wright (from the Columbus Gallery of Fine Arts, Ohio)

The Theorbo is a type of lute with a long neck extension and two pegboxes. It was developed in the late sixteenth century to provide an extended bass range and a loud sound, especially for accompanying singers and other instrumentalists. It was sometimes paired with a small pipe organ for the performance of basso continuo. The theorbo is also called the chitarrone.

Very Ancient Flutes Found in Germany

2009-08-04T09:17:00.001-05:00

Archaeologists say they have discovered the world's oldest undisputed musical instruments, four flutes made from vulture bone and mammoth tusks. They are estimated to be around 35,000 to 40,000 years old and were found in a cave in southwestern Germany.

The flutes made of mammoth ivory are a bit of a surprise, due to the difficulties of working the material. Bird bone is a much easier material to use for making flutes.

This is just another example of the evidence which shows that early modern humans in Europe during the last ice age were artistically expressive. This is shown by cave paintings and other artifacts and now we know this also included music.

See also this article on the NPR website, where you can hear a recording of a replica of a vulture bone flute.

A Small Gallery of Lute Artwork

2009-08-03T18:43:00.005-05:00

The Lute Player by Orazio Gentileschi

The Ambassadors by Hans Holbein the Younger

Jester With a Lute by Frans Hals

The Lute Player by Caravaggio

Woman Playing the Lute by Johannes Mijtens

Die fünf Sinne by Lubin Baugin

The above pictures are all believed to be in the public domain.

Quick Links About Unusual Instruments

2009-08-02T21:45:00.001-05:00

Here are just a few items that caught my attention lately.

Visit the Symphonic House.
Play the virtual Hapi drum. (Just click the notes to play.)
See The Saw Lady.
Take a tour of this collection of unusual instruments.
Read about Five Intriguingly Unique Musical Instruments.

Unusual Keyboard Layouts

2009-08-01T20:47:00.001-05:00

The modern piano keyboard, with twelve keys per octave, has become so commonplace that we aren't used to seeing alternative versions. The modern keyboard is simple and efficient, but it is far from the only possibility. Imagine practicing scales on this keyboard with thirty-six keys per octave, spread over two manuals.

Archicembalo

The above picture is a modern version of Nicolo Vicentino's sixteenth century extended meantone harpsichord, the archicembalo. It is just one example of the various keyboards that had more than twelve keys per octave, so the performer could choose intervals that were more purely tuned for the key he was playing in. (Our modern twelve tone equal temperament uses equally spaced intervals that are different from purely tuned intervals to make it easier to modulate from key to key.)

This tradition has continued to the present. Computers and electronic keyboards make it easier to experiment in microtonal(anything other than twelve tone equal temperament) tunings, ranging from the historical to the exotic to the highly experimental. Alternate keyboard layouts for acoustic instruments also continue to be made as can be seen in the following pictures.

22 Key per Octave Just Intonation Harpsichord

Enharmonic Pipe Organ

Bach's Forgotten Horn, the Lituus

2009-07-31T11:02:00.000-05:00

What in the world is a lituus? Apparently, it's an instrument, but we don't have any surviving examples of it. We don't even have any pictures of it. About all we know is that Johann Sebastian Back called for two of them in his cantata, “O Jesu Christ, meins lebens licht”. Well, that isn't good enough for some people. The lituus has been recreated with the help of some advanced software. Click here to read the story and to hear the lituus in performance.

Serpent

2009-07-29T19:12:00.003-05:00

"A drain pipe suffering from intestinal disorder." -Willi Apel

"The instrument gave a fresh zest to Gregorian Plainsong." -Canon Edme Guillaume

Opinions vary about the serpent. Not all of them are complimentary. It's an unlikely looking instrument with a mouthpiece like a brass instrument and side holes like a woodwind. It gets its name from its snakelike shape, not from its ability to play scales.

Here's a video of a Serpent.

See also The Serpent Website including its photo gallery and the quotes and anecdotes page.

Allemande de Robert de Visée (Performed by Rafael Andia on Baroque Guitar)

2009-07-01T14:38:00.001-05:00

Icelandic Langspil

2009-06-01T14:24:00.004-05:00

The langspil is a simple bowed dulcimer from Iceland. It only has two or three strings and is relatively easy to play.

A Cool Theorbo Video, Daniel Zapica Plays Kapsberger

2009-05-17T10:02:00.001-05:00

Viola da Gamba Piece by Abel (Performed by Nima Ben David)

2009-05-01T14:20:00.000-05:00

Chitarra Battente

2009-04-01T14:09:00.003-05:00

Melancholy Galliard-Renaissance Lute

2009-03-16T16:28:00.001-05:00

Mount Hekla on Hurdy Gurdy

2008-04-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

Johann Sebastian Bach-Prelude for Lute in D Minor

2008-03-11T23:52:00.000-05:00

The Harpolyre (music by Fernando Sor, played by John Doan)

2008-02-26T19:15:00.000-06:00

Two Viola da Gamba Videos

2008-02-23T10:05:00.000-06:00

Chanty by Thomas Mace

Sonata by Carl Friedrich Abel

Medieval Harp Troubadour

2008-02-20T23:33:00.001-06:00

The Baryton

2008-01-30T10:00:00.000-06:00

La Quinte Estampie Royal (Medieval Music)

2007-12-15T00:16:00.001-06:00

John Dowland-Melancholy Galliard-Renaissance Lute

2007-09-20T23:55:00.000-05:00

Medieval Music-The Sandsacks in Moritzburg

2007-08-02T00:24:00.000-05:00

The Charango Plays Early Music

2007-06-08T14:46:00.001-05:00

The charango is a delightful South American instrument. I hope to discuss it in greater detail in future posts as I'm very fond of it and play it occasionally. For now, I wanted to share a video of a man playing early music on the charango. (You may also enjoy visiting his blog, Early Music Charango)

Echo la Primavera (Played on charango)

Well, this video prompted me to do some more research and I found out about the group La Volta. Here are three of their videos. It might seem that the South American charango would be a little out of place in a Swiss group playing early European music, but I think it works very well.

Canarios-Gasper Sanz

Ballo & Saltarello-Simone Molinaro

La Follia - Anonymous, Italy (18th Century)