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TRANSCRIPT
Musical Instruments
BERNARDELLISMusical Instruments
After a short, unexpected illness, Bernard Ellis died
peacefully on the 15th of November 2000.
This document is a tribute to Bernard’s work. These
instruments are no longer for sale, but it is hoped that this
remains of use as a source of information and images of a
wide range of early string instruments.
Luthier Bernard Ellis specialised in early string instruments
for nearly forty years, supplying instruments worldwide to
professional and amateur musicians, museums and cultural
foundations, and university departments of music. Often he
worked in conjunction with professional musicians to meet
specific requirements and demands in an instrument for
performance and recordings, for example with Philip Pickett,
director of the New London Consort and Dr Mary Remnant at
the Royal College of Music, London.
For nine years he worked on reconstructing and reproducing
a wide variety of string instruments for the Chi Mei Cultural
Foundation in Taiwan including the first ‘dulce melos’ one of
the earliest string keyboards from the 14th century.
Where possible the instruments are copies of originals,
otherwise they are researched and based on historical sources
and traditional methods of construction.
The instruments
Alfonso Oval Fiedel
Memling Fiedel
Symphonies
Munich Fiedel
Pimpard Hurdy Gurdy
Praetorius Rebec
Louvet Hurdy Gurdy
Italian Alto Rebec
Henry III Hurdy Gurdy
Early Mandolin
Citole
Bandora
Gittern
Orpharion
Cittern
Saxon Rotte
Trumpet Marine
Medieval Rotte
Dichord
Guitarra Moresque
Theorbo
Dulce Melos
Renaissance Lute
Psaltery
Baroque Guitar
Dulcimer
Vihuela
English Crowd
C14th Harp
Welsh Cwrth
Medieval Viol
Kithara
Organistrum
Bass Viola da Gamba
Brescian Viola da Gamba
Bows
Other instruments, including include: Mandora, Pandoura, Lira/Lura, Majorcan Rabab and the Arpanetta
Further Information
CONTENTS
BERNARDELLIS
Alfonso Oval FiedelThe instrument is based on the Oval Fiedels which
are depicted in the miniatures of the 3rd Codex of
the ‘Cantigas de Santa Maria’, by Alfonso el Sabio
(Alfonso X), who was King of Leon and Castile
from 1254 to 1284, and are preserved in the
Escurial Library. The angle of the fingerboard
together with the height of the bridge, which is
slightly curved, enables the bow to clear the
sides. The back and ribs can be carved out of
one piece of sycamore or two parts, with an
added arm and peg disc in the same wood. A
cedar front with D-shaped soundholes is edged
with African blackwood. The fingerboard and
tailpiece are in plane tree. Ebony tuning pegs.
The tailpiece and bridge can be integral (that is
the top end of the tailpiece has a foot resting on
the soundboard which acts as the bridge, which was
common at this time) or separate.
Tied gut frets are an additional extra to the price, if
required.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 630mm
Maximum width: 203mm
Depth: 40mm
String length: 330mm
Tuning: c g d’ a’
<CONTENTS
BERNARDELLIS
The Memling Fiedel with 5 strings and tied frets, is
based on a fiedel in one of the panel paintings on
the casket in the Memling Museum, Bruges. The
instrument is multi-sectional with a one-piece
arm, fingerboard and peg disc. It has elongated
C-shaped sound holes. A curved bridge allows
single line melodic performance. Lacewood is
used for the back, ribs, arm and tailpiece. The
tuning pegs are in boxwood.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 650mm
Width: 230mm
Rib depth: 45mm
String length: 333mm
Modern violin & viola tunings: c-g-c’-a’-e”
Tunings after Jerome of Morovia: c-g-c’-g’-c”
<CONTENTS
Memling Fiedel
BERNARDELLIS
The Munich Fiedel with four strings and no frets,
is derived from an instrument in the painting “The
Coronation of the Virgin” dated c.1470 by the
anonymous Master of the Life of Mary, in the
Munich Alte Pinakathek. It is also multi-
sectional, is slightly more waisted, has a
peg disc which is boxed, and a separate
fingerboard. The flat front has C-shaped
soundholes. The back, ribs and arm are in
sycamore, the tail-piece and fingerboard in
lacewood, and the fittings are in rosewood
and boxwood. The well curved bridge makes it
suitable for single line melodic performance.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 575mm
Width: 205mm
Rib Depth: 40mm
String Length: 315mm
Modern Violin & Viola Tunings: g-d’-a’-e”
Tunings after Jerome of Moravia: g-d’-g’-d”
<CONTENTS
Munich Fiedel
BERNARDELLIS
These are based on the three string instrument
illustration in Theatrum Instrumentorum (1620) by
Praetorius. Sycamore is used for the bodies. The
fronts have a pierced rose and the peg boxes end in
a scroll. They are only available with three strings in
the treble and tenor sizes.
SPECIFICATIONS
Treble
Length: 590mm
Width max: 140mm
String Length: 345mm
Tunings: g’ d’ a’
Tenor
Length: 700mm
Width max: 160mm
String length: 451mm
Tunings: c g d’
<CONTENTS
Praetorius Rebec
BERNARDELLIS
The Treble Rebec dimensions and features are taken
from an anonymous Italian instrument, and the
Soprano, Tenor and Bass are based on the same
instrument. The fronts have f-shaped soundholes.
The bodies are in sycamore; the tailpieces and
fingerboards in lacewood and the tuning pegs in
boxwood. These Rebecs are available with three
or four strings with the exception of the Soprano,
which only has three.
SPECIFICATIONS
Treble
Length: 560mm
Width: 140mm
String Length: 350mm
Tunings: g d’ a’ (e”)
<CONTENTS
Italian Treble Rebec
BERNARDELLIS
This is a copy of the 6-Course instrument
attributed to Vinaccia, Naples in the Edinburgh
University Collection of Historic Misical
Instruments It has 8 frets and a fingerboard that
is flush with the soundboard, flat pegboard and saggital
pegs. There are 20 rosewood ribs separated with strips
of boxwood The scratchplate is in snakewood, and the
decorations are in synthetic ivory, mother of pearl and
ebony. It shares the characteristics of the ‘Neapolitan
4-course mandolin’ of a very deep body, angled
soundboard and end-fixed strings It was strung
with various combinations of gut, brass, silk
and steel strings.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 542mm
Maximum width: 165mm
String length: 290mm
Tuning: g d’ a’ e”a”e”’
<CONTENTS
Early Mandolin
BERNARDELLIS
The Bandora is a plucked, lute chordophone with
a bass register, having a scalloped body outline.
The unusual slanting bridge and fret arrangement
is to maximise the bass string length. Its invention
is attributed to John Rose, England in 1562. It was
used in the theatre, mixed consorts instruments and
court orchestras. A reconstruction based on the
dimensions from the James Talbot Manuscript
The Bandora shape is taken from a woodcut
in the William Barley’s book- ‘A new booke of
Tablature for the Bandora’ (1586). This is a
7-course instrument with the slanting bridge
and fret arrangement, which
gives a treble string length of
74cm and bass string length of
80cm The strings are of steel
and twisted brass. The ribs are
the same depth all round The
flat-back has seven staves of
alternate colours. The front has a
rose pierced into the purfled soundboard.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1200mm
Maximum width: 337mm
Tuning: G’ C D G c e a
Praetorius tuning: C D G c f a d’
<CONTENTS
Bandora
BERNARDELLIS
Part of the Bandora family, the Orpharion is
a smaller wire-strung instrument with a similar
scalloped body shape. The ribs are an even depth
all round, and other features include a neck
which is cut away on the bass side, lateral
tuning pegs, and a slanted bridge and frets,
giving a progressive increase in string
length from treble to bass. This bridge
and fret arrangement was to give the
maximum string possible to obtain
the deep bass notes sought after at
this time. The tunings for the lute and
orpharion were identical, so music
written for either instrument was
interchangeable. Appearing soon
after the bandora in the mid 16th
century, the orpharion had fallen into
disuse by the end of the 17th century.
This Orpharion is based on the original in the
Claudius Collection, Copenhagen by Francis
Palmer. It has nine-courses of steel and
twisted brass strings. The slanted arrangement
of bridge and frets gives a treble string length
of 560mm and 640mm on the bass strings.
It has a flat back of seven staves alternating
in colour, but the rosewood staves are purfled. The
rosewood ribs are the same 75mm depth all round with
boxwood strips inset. The front has a pierced rose.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1054mm
Maximum width: 270mm
Tuning: D E F G c f a d’ g’
<CONTENTS
Orpharion
BERNARDELLIS
The Middle-German name for this instrument.
The rotte was one of the most popular
and widely-used plucked instruments in
north-western Europe from pre-Christian to
medieval times, and is a descendant of the
ancient lyre from western Asia and Egypt.
Based on the Sutton Hoo lyre in the Bristish
Museum, London. The body arms and yolk
are cut from one piece of wood (oak in our
version) that are straight sided with with no
waist. The resonating space is hollowed out,
extending part way up the arms. the ceder
soundboard is about 2mm thick and bronze
pins are used to secure it to the body as
well as glue. There are no soundholes. It has
boxwood tuning pegs, a bone bridge, a fruitwood
tailpiece and six gut strings.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 740mm
Maximum width: 205mm
Depth: 27mm
String length: 580mm
Tuning: Variable in pentatonic scale
<CONTENTS
Saxon Rotte
BERNARDELLIS
From the 10th to 11th centuries
the instrument bacame shorter in
length and frequently resembles
the figure-of-eight version of the
rotte as shown in the illustration
Cod. Lat. 2599, State Library,
Munich. It is made from one piece
of hollowed sycamore or plane tree,
with an added front in Lebanese
ceder. The yoke is partially
hollowed, housing the wooden
tuning pins. The bridge is made of
bone. It has D-shaped soundholes.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 590mm
Maximum width: 335mm
Depth: 40mm
String length: 420mm
Tuning: Variable in pentatonic scale
<CONTENTS
Medieval Rotte
BERNARDELLIS
This long-necked lute descended from the early
Sumerian instruments is also illustrated illustrated in
the miniatures of the 3rd Codex of the ‘Cantigas de
Santa Maria’ (see the Oval Fiedel). The soundbowl
and the neck are one piece of sycamore. The arm
is re-inforced internally to take the tension. The
rose is pierced into the ceder or spruce front. The
tied gut frets can be in a diatonic or chromatic
arrangement. Brass strings. Horseshoe-shaped
metal tailpiece.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 875mm
Maximum width: 223mm
Maximum depth of bowl: 100mm
String length: 700mm
Tuning: G d g d’ or d g d’ g’
<CONTENTS
Guitarra Moresque
BERNARDELLIS
This instrument from the early 15th
century is one of the earliest string
keyboards. It was commissioned
to be reconstructed by the Chi
Mei Culture Foundation in Taiwan
for their Museum in 1994. The
only source of information is the
manuscript treatise by Arnault de Zwolle c. 1440. We are
the first firm to make this keyboard available for early music
performance, and it was used by Philip Pickett’s New London
Consort in March 1998 for their CD ‘Songs of Angels’ to be
released by Decca in the near future, and had its first public
performance in the Early Music Festival, London on the 5th
September 1998 with the same consort and programme as
on the CD.
It is essentially a keyed dulcimer whose action is a precursor
of certain early pianos. A staple-shaped ‘hammer’ carries
a slip of wood hinged to the key at the back, and when a
key is depressed it is thrown up against the strings and
returns instantly. There are no dampers, and it is possible,
played sensitively, to obtain limited dynamics, which was an
advantage over the harpsichord being developed over the
same period. Some people believe the mysterious chekker
and the dulce melos to be one and the same instrument.
For professional and amateur groups this early keyboard is a
valuable and exciting addition to the timbre and resonance
of sound so typical of medieval music. There is mention of a
dulce melos being used in Spain in 1490 to celebrate Corpus
Christi along with two vielles and woodwind instruments.
All of the 12 unison pairs of strings passing over the four
bridges is capable of sounding three notes; its basic pitch
(struck between the first and second bridges) and that
note two octaves higher, thus providing a fully chromatic
range from B to a”. The casework is in walnut, with a spruce
soundboard, and the keyboard is finished with boxwood
and ebony. Iron strings (‘a’ can be pitched at 440 or to a
maximum of 466).
Dulce Melos
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 930mm
Width: 360mm
Depth: 150mm
<CONTENTS
BERNARDELLIS
A reconstruction of the Hans
Memling Psaltery in the “Angels
Making Music” paintings
in Antwerp Museum. This
is the hog’s head style of
Psaltery that appeared
in 11th century Europe,
taking on the trapezoid
form, likened to the face
of a pig. For performance
it could be held across the breast or
placed on the lap. There a fifteen double courses of brass
strings, tuned with rosewood pegs. The four decorative roses
are let into the front. These can be simplified or abandoned
according to requirements.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 380mm
Width: 485mm
Depth: 45mm
Tuning: c to g’
<CONTENTS
Psaltery
BERNARDELLIS
Well documented
from the 15th
century, little is known of
the dulcimer before then.
It is thought to have originated
in the Middle East and appeared in Europe in the
11th century. In medieval Europe the strings were in single or
double courses and parallel to each other in the same plane
with a single bridge.
By c.1600 the courses were triple and a second bridge
appeared, with the strings passing alternatively over one
bridge and under the other, being angled in such a way as
to give the performer more ease in striking. More bridges,
or individual smaller ones, were used to suit individual
requirements eventually becoming fully chromatic.
Because of considerable variations in dulcimers, prospective
customers are invited to discuss their requirements with us
to take into account the period, tuning, courses, number of
strings, bridges, decoration and style of hammers.
A quotation will then be given, without obligation.
The image above shows a dulcimer with a range of four octaves,
of which the central two are fully chromatic. There are nineteen
courses with four strings in each course. The front is stained a
dark reddish brown to make the strings more visible for
playing. There are three fruitwood roses inlaid in the front. The
beech frame is necessary to take the tension of the strings
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 520mm
Width: 970mm narrowing to 500mm
Depth: 100mm
Tuning: C-c’’’
<CONTENTS
Dulcimer
BERNARDELLIS
An instrument that is closely related to
the Lyre or Rotte. Whether the use of the
instrument spread eastward from Ireland
or north-west from cental Europe, or
whether it developed in several countries
simultaneously, is uncertain. Our early
English 14th century crowd is based on this
seal of Roger Wade of Crowder. The back
and yoke are carved from one piece
of sycamore or plane tree, and
the yoke hollowed out as on
the Rotte. The front is flush
with the yoke and made
of Lebanon cedar, with two
D-shaped soundholes. The bridge
has no extension into the soundholes,
as on the Welsh Crwth, and is set
horizontally to the strings. The tuning
pegs are made of boxwood
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 545mm
Maximum width: 223mm
Depth: 40mm
String length: 340mm
Tuning: c c’ d d’
<CONTENTS
English Crowd
BERNARDELLIS
The Welsh crwth is a form of bowed lyre,
known in England as the ‘Crowde’ or
‘Crouthe’, in medieval Latin as the ‘Chorus’
and on the Continent as the ‘Bowed Rotte’.
It has a central neck running from the yoke
to the soundbox, the whole being carved
out of one piece of wood. The yoke is also
hollowed out to lighten it. The flat bridge
is slanted and one foot is extended to
pass through one of the two soundholes
to act as a soundpost. It is played on the
shoulder or in the gamba position. There
are six strings which are doubled in octaves
with the two bass strings, off the fingerboard,
which can be used as drones, or plucked with the left thumb.
The 14th century Crwth had only three strings. No early
tunings have survived.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 570mm
Maximum width: 240mm
Depth: 40mm
String length: 325mm
Tuning: g g’/c’ c” d’ d”
(Barrington 1775, E. Jones 1784)
<CONTENTS
Welsh Cwrth
BERNARDELLIS
The Greco-Roman and Etruscan
Kithara has its source in Asia Minor.
It was widely used by the Greeks and
Romans in every area of musical life,
including religious associations. The
kithara eluded the ban in the early
Church against instrumental music -
it was used to accompany psalms. It
has no neck, which is replaced by two
hollowed out arms, rising vertically from
the wooden soundbox, which are crossed
by a yoke near the upper extremeties,
to which strings are attached and tuned
with wooden bars and strips of leather.
Seven strings had becoms standard by the
classical period. A typical kithara is shown
on a black-figure vase painting in the British
Museum (Ref. B.147) of Apollo Kitharoedos, on
which this kithara is based.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 735mm
Depth: 70mm in the centre,
tapering to 25mm at the ribs
<CONTENTS
Kithara
BERNARDELLIS
OrganistrumThe organistrum is not portrayed in art before the 12th
century and the first treatise on how it was constructed
comes from the 13th century. During the Gothic period
it was used in monastic schools. This reconstruction
from the Portico de la Gloria, completed in
1188 of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in
Spain has 12 tangents, which are positioned
according to Pythagorean principles, prividing
a diatonic scale. The tangents are pulled up
to meet the strings by one player, whilst the
other player cranks the handle. The spruce
soundboard is pierced with a large rose, four
smaller triangular soundholes and also has a
decorative border stamped into it. The ribs and
back are made from one piece of plane tree
or sycamore, as in the tangent housing box. The
lid of the tangent housing is covered in elaborate
fretwork.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1035mm
Maximum width: 330mm
Depth: 143mm
<CONTENTS
BERNARDELLIS
SymphoniesThe Symphony, a smaller treble
instrument, superseded the organistrum.
It could be played by one person
and was portable. The mechanism was
altered so that the performer pressed keys
operating tangents inside the box which touched only the
top string, (chanterelle), leaving the other two strings as
permanent drones, (bourdons). These improvements enabled
the symphony to be used for secular songs and dances as
described in contemporary poems.
The Symphony blends well with recorders and other instruments
of the period. Notes are supplied with each instrument on the
setting as well as the basic playing instructions.
Two models are available made of sycamore with a spruce base;
the fittings are in rosewood or ebony. For information on the
wheel mechanism, see the Hurdy-Gurdy. The tuneable tangents
allow for adjustments with string changes. Both symphonies
have a diatonic range of two octaves with a base tuning of:
g-d’ -g’- (g’) which may be varied to the mode required.
Symphonie – Multi-Key (Not Pictured)
This instrument is a larger version of the English Symphony
and has been developed to ease the problems of public
performances, namely tuning and needing instruments for
different keys.
The two drones have an internal sliding mechanism to alter the
tonic and dominant drones for the various keys available. The
chanterelle is stopped by tangents as usual, but some keys
have double tangents that can be swivelled simply into play to
obtain the necessary accidentals for the various keys. The wheel
machanism is also adjustable, so that the wheel can be
lowered or raised to the chanterelle for perfect string pressure.
This Symphonie can be used in Pythagorean or Equal
Temperent tuning.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 665mm
Maximum width: 125mm
Depth: 120mm
Keys obtainable with this
set up: C, D, E, F, G
and A major and the
relative modes
<CONTENTS
BERNARDELLIS
Lute shaped, this instrument has a carved head and
decorative fretwork, in rosewood, set in the collar by the
handle. The staves are in figured
sycamore. The Pimpard is larger
and louder that the Louvet and
there is only one set of
sympathetic strings.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 750mm
Width: 330mm
Depth: 230mm
<CONTENTS
Pimpard Hurdy Gurdy
BERNARDELLIS
This guitar shaped instrument is especially suited to the
classical repetoire. The intricate detail on the troubadour’s
head along with the striped rosewood and boxwood ribs and
the back are the main features of this instrument. There are
two sets of sympathetic strings. in G and C.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 700mm
Width: 250mm max
Depth: 180mm
<CONTENTS
Louvet Hurdy Gurdy
BERNARDELLIS
This is based on a French 17th century instrument in the
Victoria and Albert Museum in London. It has a straight-sided
body with a bow-shaped wide end, with sloping shoulders.
Two turned balusters in wood connect the rib with the
peghead. There are two soundholes in the form of Germanic
crosses. Two chanterelles in a choice of the G or D and four
bourdons including the trompette string are standard. There
are no sympathetic strings. The ribs, back and head are made
from walnut with a spruce front. As on all the Symphonies and
Hurdy-Gurdies now it includes a device to minutely adjust the
height of the wheel to adjust the pressure of the strings for
correct playing.
SPECIFICATIONS
Overall length, including the handle: 660mm
Maximum width at the base: 280mm
<CONTENTS
Henry III Hurdy Gurdy
BERNARDELLIS
This medieval instrument is thought to have been
the fore-runner of the Cittern. It was one of the
instruments an accomplished minstrel
was expected to play, and it appeared in
festivities in the courts of Edward I and
Edward III, eventually losing its status to
the Lute by the early 15th century when
it is frequently named in conjunction with
the Psaltery.
The Citole illustrated is based on the
sculpture by Benedetto Antelami in the
Parma Baptistry, dated late 12th or early
13th century. The ribs, back and neck are
formed from one piece of sycamore. It has
a flat back, and the front has a pierced rose.
The lacewood inset forming the fingerboard
is flush with the neck and front, and the
arrangement of the frets gives a diatonic scale. There
are four metal strings which are played with the fingers or a
plectrum. The fittings are in ebony and boxwood.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 550mm
Width: 200mm
Depth: 50mm
String length: 360mm
Re-entrant tuning: e’ d’ g” a”
<CONTENTS
Citole
BERNARDELLIS
This gittern is based on the detail illustrated in
‘Crowning of the Virgin’, by the Master of life of Mary
(1465-1490) in the Alte Pinakothek, Munich. During
the 14th Century it gained in popularity and ousted
the citole. It remained popular with minstrels and
amateur musicians of all classes until it was eclipsed
by the lute and guitar in the 15th century.
The back, neck and peg box are made of one piece
of sycamore. The fingerboard and soundboard are
on the same plane. The sickle-shaped peg box
makes a 90° angle at the neck and is curved
into and arc ending in a carved animal head.
There are no tied frets, the bridge is moveable,
and the gut strings are attached to endpins
(one for each course). There are four double
coursed of gut strings. The rose is pierced into
the soundboard. The fitments are in fruitwood,
except for a bone nut.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 480mm
Maximum width: 137mm
Depth of back: 70mm
String length: 340mm
Tunings: g or a d g’ c” / d g c’ f’ / c g b e’
<CONTENTS
Gittern
BERNARDELLIS
The cittern was the most important plectrum played
instrument of the Renaissance. The image opposite
shows a copy of the six-course cittern by Gironimo
Campi in the Royal College of Music, London. The body,
neck and pegbox are all carved from a solid piece of
sycamore and the comb stringholder is an integral
part of the body. Viewed from the side, the body
is wedge-shaped, tapering from the neckto the
shallow bottom. The neck is half cut away
from behind the fingerboard on
the bass side. The resulting
‘channel’, along which the
player’s left thumb can
slide, facilitates the very
rapid shifts to and from the high
positions that are often required
in the solo cittern repertory. The
carved decoration on the pegbox is
separate and glued on. The carved head
can be replaced with a simply decorated
square finial. The soundboard is made from
one piece of spruce. The sycamore fingerboard
projects over the soundboard towards the rose
and is raised above it and scalloped between
the diatonically arranged frets. The scalloping and
low frets assists good intonation, by preventing the
thin wire strings from being stretched out of tune
when stopped. The brass frets in tapered slots are
secured by ebony wedges from the treble side.
The slots stop short of the bass side. The junction
between the body and neck occurs at the 12th fret.
the parchment rose is missing. This can be included
at an additional cost with one in the ‘Gothic’ style.
The tuning pegs are set into blind holes from the
top, in three rows on the solid pegbox that has a
central ridge, so the pegs splay outwards.
Cittern
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 730mm
Maximum width: 250mm
Maximum rib depth: 49mm
Tuning: e’-d’ d’-g’ g-b c’-a
<CONTENTS
BERNARDELLIS
First portrayed in a 12th century French sculpture,
the trumpet marine originated from the plucked
monochord. Its name has always been an enigma.
The use of the bow is not shown until the 15th
century. From around 1650 to 1725, the Trumpet
Marine was at the height of its popularity. The
instrument shown is a copy of the anonymous
17th century German Trumpet Marine
in the Royal College of Music
museum, London. The separate
solid neck is jointed onto the
soundboard and seven back
staves. The finial is a carved
black head, with a feathered-
body design that merges into
the sickle pegbox. If preferred,
a square finial can replace the
carved head. There is a moveable
bridge similar to the trompette on a
Hurdy-Gurdy.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1940mm
Body length: 1180mm
Width at base of soundboard: 340mm
Depth at base of soundboard: 172mm
String length: 1400mm
Tuning: traditionally it was tuned to C.
Possible harmonic tones: c g c’ e’ g’ c” d” e” f” g” a”
<CONTENTS
Trumpet Marine
BERNARDELLIS
This is the shorter version of the Trumpet Marine,
called a Dichord when a second string, half as long
as the first, was added in the 15th century. In was in
common use for most of that century, but had become
obselete by the mid 16th century. It was played in
the most unusual manner. The upper tuning pegs
were held against the player’s chest, with the lower,
open end projecting forward and overhead in the air,
supported by the left hand. The string was stopped
by the player’s left thumb. It was easier to play the
string close to the nut and other pitches could be
produced by touching the string at the nodal points.
Supporting the instrument with the hand precludes
any great manual dexterity and the short string
places the upper partials so close together that their
performance is impratical.
The Memling painting “Angels Making Music” in the
Antwerp Museum shows a typical Dichord with the
rectangular resonator, which this reconstruction
is based on. The bridge is flat for the long string,
but placed to one side instead of centrally, which
suggests the vibrating bridge was used. There
are also tied frets, a soundhole pierced into the
soundboard and a solid scroll finial which houses the
tuning pegs.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1014mm
Maximum width at base: 75mm
Maximum depth at base: 45mm
String length: xxxmm
Tuning: 5ths in variable pitches
<CONTENTS
Dichord
BERNARDELLIS
Theorbos were a type of archlute developed in the
1500s and were still in use in the 18th century.
They developed from the notion of taking the
lowest string to a second head, which extended
in a step directly from the first head, which was
in line with the neck, thereby avoiding the use of
one very long pegbox, which would be unable to
take the strain of the bass strings. These unstopped
strings, called diapasons, caused a sudden jump and
change in the tone colour.
Based on the Theorbo by Christofolo Choc,
Venice 1637 in the Victoria and Albert Museum,
London, this is a small instrument with 15 ribs,
alternately rosewood and ivory (substantiated
with sycamore). The pine belly has a
finely carved inset rose. The marquetry
decoration is omitted, to reduce the
cost. The original main pegbox has 14
pegholes but a nut with 11 grooves. The
reconstruction has 14 tuning pegs and
strings. The upper pegbox has 9 pegholes
for the diapasons. The fingerboard has a
veneer of ebony, but the remainder of the arm
and pegbox are stained black.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1075mm
Maximum width: 311mm
Maximum depth of bowl: 185mm
String length-fingerboard: 567mm
String length-diapasons: 840mm
Tuning: F’ G’ A’ B’ C D E F G c f a d g
<CONTENTS
Theorbo
BERNARDELLIS
The shape of the front and the barring underneath
of this 8-course lute are taken from a lute made
by Pietro Railich in Venice, 1644, which is in the
Nationalmuseum, Nuremburg. The rose is a
traditional design pierved into the front. This
lute is of the rounder, or pearl, variety. The
back has 23 staves in lacewood or figured
sycamore. The whole construction is
extremely light. The front has a ‘glair’ finish
and the staves are very lightly oil varnished
to allow the instrument to resonate freely.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 780mm
Maximum width: 360mm
Depth: xxmm
String length: 625mm
Tuning: c g d’ a’
<CONTENTS
Renaissance Lute
BERNARDELLIS
This version is based on a 5 course instrument by Antonio
Stradivari, Cremona, 1688 in the Asmolean Museum, Oxford
The outline of the front is bordered in African Blackwood and
pufled. The decorative inset rose is in fruitwood and the rose-
hole has an inlaid ornamental border which is repeated along
the top of the bridge. At the upper end of the front where the
tab extends along the neck, there is an engraving of two Putti
supporting a crown.
The back, ribs, head and neck are in figured maple.
Narrow ebony/boxwood/ebony stripes run down the
back dividing it into four sections. These stripes
are then continued up the arm to both sides
of the head. The fingerboard is veneered with
African Blackwood edged with bone. There are
18 ebony frets, the last six extending along the
belly. The nut is bone; the ornate tuning pegs
and end pin are made of boxwood.
Like the lute, the whole construction is very
light, and finished on the front with ‘glair’;
the minimum of oil varnish elsewhere
allows the instrument to resonate freely.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1000mm
Maximum width: 290mm
Maximum rib depth: 94mm
String length: 691mm
Tuning: a common tuning for the five course guitar was:
a-a d-d b-b e’=-e but because of the long string length
on this guitar, all the courses have been lowered by
three semi-tones.
<CONTENTS
Baroque Guitar
BERNARDELLIS
VihuelaA 6-course instrument of the narrow type in relation
to its length. It is flat-backed, slightly waisted and
has very shallow ribs of 72mm depth that do not
taper. The ribs and back are in rosewood. There are
10 moveable gut frets on a fingerboard that is flush
with the sitka spruce belly. Only plain gut strings
are used and they are tuned in unison throughout
the courses. The bridge is a narrow bar glued
to the belly. It has a parchment rose. The arm
is spliced with alternating coloured bands of
hardwood for strength.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 802mm
Maximum width: 177mm
String length: 620mm
Tunings: published by Juan Bermudo in
1549 and 1555 A d g b e’ a’ or G c f a d’ g’
<CONTENTS
BERNARDELLIS
This lap frame harp is reconstructed from
the ‘Angel Duet’ by Gherado Starmina
(Italian-active, 1387-1413). The
panel (480mm x 720mm) was
once part of an alterpiece in
the Laurentian Chapel of the
Certosa, a Cartusian monastery
near Florence. It is now in
the Museum Boymans-van
Beuningen, Rotterdam.
The frame is made in sycamore,
which is stained and has a matt
finish. The black tuning pins are in
hardened black steel, and the 22 gut
strings are secured with ebony pins.
The decoration is painted on to the front
of the pillar.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length of soundbox: 625mm
Length of pillar: 925mm
Lower width of soundbox: 1400mm
tapering to 82mm
String length: 780mm to 140mm
Tuning: C (780mm) to c” (140mm)
<CONTENTS
C14th Harp
BERNARDELLIS
This 3-string instrument does not appear to
be the ancestor of the renaissance viol. It
flourished in the 12th and 13th centuries
in Europe. The medieval viol here is based
on a sculpture at Oakham Castle, England,
and has a small central ‘bump’ separating
the upper and lower bout sections of
the front and back. It has a form of hook
bar from the one-piece flat-back and ribs,
which can be found in various European
examples. The ribs are the same depth all
round. The arm and separate fingerboard
are added on to the main body and taper
slightly in width to the peg disc. The low,
flat bridge is placed centrally between the
upper and lower bouts, and is separate from
the tailpiece. All the strings could be bowed
together. There are four D-shaped soundholes.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 940mm
Maximum width: 548mm
String length: 620mm
Tuning: g d’ g’ / g d’ d’
<CONTENTS
Medieval Viol
BERNARDELLIS
This instrument is a copy, without the decorations on
the back and fingerboard, of the original instrument
in the Gemeentemuseum, the Hague.
This graceful instrument has a distinctive horsehead
scroll. The carved front has a shallow arch and
elaborate S-shaped soundholes. The back is flat
and the ribs taper in depth towards the arm.
Figured maple is used for the back, ribs and
arm, and the latter is carved out of one piece
of wood, which is hollowed out to lighten it.
A fingerboard of ebony or blackwood veneer
is added to the arm, which is purfled with
boxwood. The unusual tailpiece is made of
ebony or blackwood with a boxwood purfling
to match the fingerboard. The elaborate tuning
pegs are also made of ebony. The upper bouts
of the instrument have corners and the lower
bouts are rounded, and they overhang the
ribs front and back. The external linings are
in fruitwood.
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 1200mm
Maximum width: 320mm
Rib depth: 150mm
String length: 720mm
Tuning: D G c e a d’
<CONTENTS
Bass Viola da Gamba
BERNARDELLIS
During the 16th century the style of playing different
sizes of viola da gamba in consort developed; treble,
tenor and bass being the usual combination. There was
no standard shape for the body but the guitar form was
widely used.
The design of this chest of viols is based on a
soprano/treble viol made by Giovanni Maria of
Brescia in Venice between 1500 and 1525,
now in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. The
fronts, with C-shaped soundholes, are carved
into a shallow arch with two crossbars on the
underside of the soundboard. A single line
of purfling graces the fronts and backs. The
backs, ribs and arms are in figured maple, and
the fingerboard and tailpieces are veneered
with ebony or blackwood and purfled. The
tailpieces are fixed with buttons. The scrolls
are flat sided with a single flute at the front
merging into a triple flute at the back.
SPECIFICATIONS
Brescian Viola da Gamba
Soprano
Length: 620mm
Maximum width: 205mm
Rib depth: 65mm
String Length: 314mm
Tuning: g c’ f’ a’ d” g”
Treble
Length: 730mm
Maximum width: 240mm
Rib depth: 80mm
String Length: 390mm
Tuning: d g c’ e’ a’ d”
<CONTENTS
Tenor
Length: 900mm
Maximum width: 320mm
Rib depth: 100mm
String Length: 515mm
Tuning: G c f a d’ g’
Bass
Length: 1,150mm
Maximum width: 400mm
Rib depth: 130mm
String Length: 635mm
Tuning: D G c e a d’
BERNARDELLIS
Arched Bows
These light, simple bows, with capped ends and fixed ebony
wedges, are made of fruitwood. The 600mm length is suitable
for the Soprano and Alto Rebecs. Tenor Rebecs and Fiedels
require the 660mm length. The 710mm length is also suitable
for the Fiedels and the Bass Rebec.
Renaissance Pernambuco Bows
These have a properly constructed head and nut to receive
the hair, the nut fitting into a notch in the stick. The nut is still
fixed. The heavier bow is suitable for the Viols of this period
and the Crwth. They also come in three lengths: 600mm,
660mm and 710mm.
<CONTENTS
Bows
BERNARDELLIS
MANDORA alternatives to the Mandola or Mandolino
Throughout much of the 18th century these three terms for
the small, high-pitched instrument in fourths were used. The
curved type of peg box usually ended with a decorated square
finial.
PANDOURA
This is the long-necked Greco-Roman Lute which appeared in
Greece in the 4th Century BC with its roots in more eastern
countries. It was played in Byzantium and even now in
Armenia, the long-necked Lute is called a 'Pandir'.
LIRA/LURA
In the Byzantine Empire bowed instruments were known
as 'Lura' and in the Islamic Empires as 'Rabab'. They have
continued to be played in these regions until the present day,
with few changes. The instrument available is based on the
Greek Lyra (without the sympathetic strings) in the Pitt Rivers
Museum, Oxford.
MAJORCAN (ARANGONESE) RABAB
This Rabab developed from the North African Rabab which
was a boat-shaped, two-string fiddle with no frets. This
Moorish Rabab from the Kingdom of Aragon dates from the
late 14th/early 15th century. It is part of a panel in the church
of Santa Maria del Puig, Pollensa. It is played in downward, 'a
gamba', position.
ARPANETTA
Popular in the second half of the 17th century and the first
half of the 18th century in Germany and the Netherlands. The
Arpanetta is thought to have first appeared in Italy. It is an
upright double Psaltery for domestic use. It has a soundboard
on each side, with and internal partition board serving as
a 'false' back to each sounboard. The Arpanetta available
is based on an x-rayed example in Schloss Stolzenfels,
Germany.
ARABIC UD
SPECIFICATIONS
Length: 970mm
Maximum width: 330mm
Depth: 80mm
Tuning: f to d"'-
<CONTENTS
Other Instruments
BERNARDELLIS
High quality spruce or cedar is used on all the soundboards.
Soundposts are used where indicated in illustrations and
historical texts.
Finishes
All the instruments are sealed with several coats of "glair",
which is prepared egg-white applied like varnish. Symphonies,
Dichords and Citoles are then polished with beeswax to give
a protective finish, which is easy to maintain by occasional
waxing and polishing. The fronts of the Lutes, Baroque Guitar
and Vihuela and all the fingerboards are treated the same
way. For all the other instruments, once sealed, they are
varnished a golden-brown unless otherwise specified.
Cases
These are made in fibreglass with a black finish and lined in
plush velvet.
Note on care
Instruments should be kept in an atmosphere of not less than
60° humidity. Extreme changes of temperature should be
avoided. In very dry climates a cigar humidifier should be kept
in the instrument case.
<CONTENTS
Further Information