create for you?
(Links lead to detailed pages with larger photos and more information...)
Authentic:
Citole:
Cantigas style
Warwick style
Drums:
Bodhran
Gusli
Harps:
Bardic/Lap Harps:
Gut Strung
Celtic Wire Strung
Floor Harps:
Gothic
(more to come)
Kantele:
5 string
5 string Piccolo
9 string
Performance set
Lyres:
Trossingen
Sutton Hoo
Mosning Thorpe
Bergh Apton
Oberflacht
Cologne
Student Model
Bowed Lyres:
Crwth
Jouhikko
Psaltries:
Pig Nose
Cantigas style
Rebecs:
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Zithers:
Fretted:
Epignette
Scheitholt
Fretless:
Myrna Hammered Dulcimer
Echoic:
Non-authentic,
but imitative of
the sound of the original instrument
Flutes
Whistles
Cantigas
Citole
The
Guitar family is one of the longest continuous instrument families in
existence. Many modern instrument families were designed around
form and function of older instruments, but were not even close to
being mechanically the same instrument as their predecessors.
This is well shown in the Viol family, which developed to replace the
handheld bowed Rebecs, but which are so technically dissimilar from
their predecessor as to be a completely seperate family.The Guitar developed by small steps, improvements through instruments that have different names but are technically very similar. As luthiers gained knowledge of controlling warping in longer necks, those longer necks, and thus longer scale lengths and more possible notes to play, became common. As rib-bending and built-up construction replaced hollowed out one piece soundboxes, the instrument evolved to make use of these processes, but was not technically redesigned, just updated.
While there were many smaller branches in the Guitar family, the larger branches were the Citole, the Cittern, the Gittern, and the Guitar. Even expert musical historians have troubles assigning the labels to any given instrument, but many believe this lineage occurred in this order. The citole had many stringing patterns and tunings, like today's guitar. It was built with arched, carved, or flat tops, like today's guitar. It had single or double courses of strings. There were as many variants as their were situations to play in. Many place these instruments in the lute family, with the mandolin, but most of these instruments were not the featherweight wire strung styles that led to the modern mandolin, although comparing only by size it would be tempting to place these instruments in with the Lute, Oud and Manodlin.
One of the most useful artistic sources of images of citole is the Cantigas de Santa Maria, a 13th century manuscript in which there are several margin illuminations depicting individuals playing Citole. This instrument is based on several illustrations in the Cantigas. It is a 5 course instrument, single strung, with 12 frets. In this instance it is tuned in fifths, but many tunings, including reiterant tunings, are possible. It can be strung in gut, nylon, or wire and there are many options available.
This compact instrument accompanied many bards and troubadors as they made their livelihood for hundreds of years in Western Europe. It may just be the key to discovering your inner minstrel. Contact us to see what we can create for you.
For
more information or to place an order, contact:
Chris Nogy,
founder and craftsmancontact@instrumentsofantiquity.com
Phone: 479-283-6364
Please call between 9 AM and 7 PM U.S. Central Time (-6 GMT)
copyright (c) 2011