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
with the intention of producing a sort of guitar with a superior quality
of sound, by adopting the body of the harp. Lyre-guitare; French, period
of Louis XV.; a guitar in the form of Apollo's lyre, with the addition
of a finger-board in the middle. Lyre-guitare; French, said to have
belonged to Queen Marie-Antoinette; carved and gilt. Guitar-lyre;
English, made by R. Wornum, Wigmore Street, London, about 1770. The
English guitar-lyre is in its construction almost identical with the
French lyre-guitare. Harp-lute; English, about 1800; painted green, with
gilt ornamentation of flowers, and other designs. Dital harp; English.
An improved harp-lute, recorded to have been invented by Edward Light,
London, about the year 1800. Harp-ventura; English, invented at the
beginning of the present century by Angelo Benedetto Ventura, in London.
This gorgeously-ornamented instrument resembles the dital harp and the
harp-lute in construction. Harp-theorbo; English, made by Walker, about
1800. Lute, the back inlaid with ivory and various woods. From an
inscription in the inside, now greatly obliterated, it would appear that
this lute was made by Magnus Tieffenbruker, in Venice, about 1580. Lute,
by Laux Maler, in Bologna, fifteenth century. Brass and ivory screws
have been substituted for the original tuning-pegs. This contrivance, as
well as a painting of flowers on the sound-board, is probably not older
than a hundred years. The places where some of the ancient tuning-pegs
were fixed are still discernible. The cracks on its pear-shaped body
rather contribute to its dignity, and might be likened to the wrinkles
of a venerable grandsire. The sound of this old lute is very fine. A
German lute, made by Jacobus Heinrich Goldt, in Hamburg, anno 1712.
According to an inscription in the inside, it was altered in the year
1753. A French lute of the seventeenth century. An Italian lute;
inscription: "Vvendelio Venere in Padova, 1600;" with the head turned
backwards; twenty strings. This lute is of one of the most celebrated
Italian lute-makers, and is in a well-preserved and playable condition,
notwithstanding its high age. An English lute with a double neck
(Testudo theorbata) made about 1650. A theorbo, Italian, seventeenth
century. It has twenty-four catgut strings, which are arranged in pairs
tuned in unison, except the highest two which are single strings. It was
the custom to have the highest string, called _chanterelle_, single; it
principally served for playing the melody. Sometimes, as in the present
instance, two _chanterelles_ were used. The twenty-four open strings,
therefore, produce thirteen different tones. The frets are of catgut. A
French theorbo, made about the year 1700. An archlute; Italian, about
1700; a large instrument, with eighteen strings, ten of which are for
the upper set of tuning-pegs, belonging to the bass strings which are at
the side of the finger-board. The ten bass strings produce five tones
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account