Musical Myths and Facts, Volume 1 (of 2)Engel, Carl
History
Musical Myths and Facts, Volume 1 (of 2)
Engel, Carl
Music -- History and criticism
The pandurina, which
in shape resembles a diminutive lute, even smaller than the Neapolitan
mandoline, was usually played with the fingers, but occasionally also
with a quill. On the Continent, gentlemen used to carry it under their
mantle when they went to musical parties, or for serenading. Pandurina,
twelve-stringed. Inscription: "Carlo Steffani fece. L'Anno 1712, in
Mantova." Pandurina, in its old Italian case, with brass ornamentation.
The back made of strips of ebony and ivory; length, 20 in. Ivory frets;
twelve metal strings. Inscription in the inside: "Joseph Molinari,
Venetus, Anno, 1737." Quinterna, Italian, seventeenth century. A species
of guitar somewhat resembling a violin in shape, with frets made of
catgut. Mounted with eight catgut-strings which produce five tones, as
they are arranged in three pairs and two single ones. A five-stringed
guitar inlaid with mother-of-pearl and tortoise-shell. Italian,
eighteenth century. A French guitar, made by Vobeam, a celebrated
lute-maker of the time of Louis XIV. The strings are arranged in pairs
tuned in unison. An English guitar, made in the beginning of the present
century; the back and sides of the body are of rosewood; the sides have
several indentations. Machine head. Portuguese guitar, made about the
year 1600, with three sound-holes. The head is bent backwards somewhat
like that of the lute; the frets are of catgut, as they used likewise to
be on the lute. Not only the belly, but the entire body is made of thin
pine-wood. The strings, twelve in number, are arranged so that the
higher six are in sets of two, and the lower six in sets of three. As
the strings of each set are tuned in unison, five tones are produced by
the open strings. An inscription in the inside of this guitar, now
greatly obliterated, runs as follows: "Manoel Correa de Almda Uileiro
da Rainha, N. S., morador na Ruadireita la EsperanÁa LXa." It would,
therefore, appear that the guitar was made by Manoel Correa of Almeida
in the province of Beira, Portugal, and that the maker had the title of
manufacturer of musical instruments to the Queen. The Portuguese
musician, Manoel Correa, born in the year 1590, at Lisbon, and engaged
about the year 1620 as chapelmaster at the Cathedral in Saragossa, was
probably of the same family as the maker of this instrument. A guitar of
the Portuguese peasants, made in Lisbon, eighteenth century; oval shape
with indentations at the side; six strings. Inside is a label with the
inscription: "Joze Terreira Coelho a fez em, Lisboa, ao Poco los Negros,
a Cruz da EsperanÁa." MachÍte, a small guitar with four strings;
Portuguese, eighteenth century. Harp-guitar; English, about 1800. On the
finger-board is the inscription: "Clementi and Co., London;" painted
with flowers, etc.; eight strings. The pianist and composer Clementi
gave his name to a firm of music-sellers in the year 1800. Harp-guitar;
English, about 1800; seven strings. The harp-guitar was manufactured
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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