MEDIEVAL
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
This page, called 'Locksley's
E-Z Harp Method',
written by W. J. Bethancourt III, provides a short history of the
Celtic harp
and 'A Means of Familiarization with the Medieval Celtic Harp Designed
For the
Musically Illiterate'.
Including
detailed
bibliographies and links to a couple of sound files,
this
well-researched account, written by Nicholas Lander of Australia, will
probably
tell you all you need to know about the crumhorn, the curved horn made
of wood
that was used in Europe between the fourteenth and seventeenth
centuries.
In an interesting and detailed
illustrated article,
Joe Bethancourt describes the appearance and tuning systems of the
medieval
predecessors of the modern guitar, including the lute, theorbo,
cittern, guitarra
latina and guittern.
In her article, Astra Thor
deals with the medieval
origins of the mechanical instrument originally known as the
organistrum and
later, in France, as the vielle à roue.
A
large
collection
of illustrations (from the fifteenth to the seventeenth century)
depicting
early lutes and lute-players. It is part of the web-site maintained by
lute
maker Wayne Cripps.
A brief, illustrated
description of this one-person,
hand-pumped organ (which was extremely popular between the thirteenth
and the
sixteenth centuries) can be found in the Guide to Medieval and
Renaissance
Instruments produced by Musica Antiqua (Iowa State University).
A useful, illustrated introduction to
the drum and
tambourine can be found in the Guide to Medieval and Renaissance
Instruments
produced by Musica Antiqua.
A brief, illustrated
description of this ancient
plucked-string instrument (rather like a zither) that was extremely
popular
until the beginning of the sixteenth century can be found in the Guide
to
Medieval and Renaissance Instruments produced by Musica Antiqua.
A brief, illustrated
description of this double-reed
instrument (like a crumhorn) can be found in the Guide to Medieval and
Renaissance Instruments produced by Musica Antiqua.
A brief, illustrated
description of this bowed
instrument that was popular throughout the Middle Ages can be found in
the
Guide to Medieval and Renaissance Instruments produced by Musica
Antiqua. (With
sound file)
Nicholas
Lander has produced an impressive, well-researched account of the
medieval recorder. Included in the article are links to a vast
collection of recorder iconography, the earliest of which is a carving
on the stone pillar of an eleventh-century French church.
A short, illustrated account
can be found in the Guide
to Medieval and Renaissance Instruments produced by Musica Antiqua.
Yet another excellent and
informative article by W.
J. Bethancourt.
Any suggestions or
comments? Please write
to me: 
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