Aeolian Harp • The first Aeolian harps are attributed to the ancient Greeks and were named for Aeolus, the Greek god of the wind. The origins of the modern Aeolian harp, also known as a "wind harp," dates back to the 17th century.

The strings are loosely strung and pass over two bridges. Rather than being of different lengths, the strings are all the same length and tuned to the same pitch (e.g., all tuned to a). However, because the strings are of different guages, varying harmonic pitches are produced when the instrument is placed in a window where air can pass over and through the strings.

The beautiful, haunting sound is the music of Aeolus.

Balalaika • One of the principal instruments of Russian folk orchestras, the balalaika probably evolved from the domra, which, in turn came from a common Oriental instrument brought by the Mongols in the 13th Century. This was a round-backed, round- or oval-faced instrument with a long neck and two or three strings. The transition from that shape to the three-sided balalaika was probably a design simplification. A document dated 1688 is the first known mention of the balalaika. This document said that Savka Fedoov, a citizen of the city of Arzamas, and Ivashka Fedorov, a peasant, while passing through the Yauza Gates played the balalaika. For such a behaviour they were flogged and exiled. It would never occur to a civilized person living nowadays that a severe punishment awaited anybody who gave himself to such an innocent occupation as playing the balalaika, but that was part Russian history. That event happened soon after the death of the tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, who was called "The Quietest." This tzar was famous for his hatred towards popular Russian culture. In 1648 he issued a law ordering the collection of all musical instruments and to burn them. All those who dared to continue playing them were flogged and exiled to the Ukraine.

Toward the end of the 17th century the persecution of Russian musicians and Russian instruments subsided. The balalaika all but disappeared until Vasili Andreev, a young Russian landowner, happened to overhear one of his serfs playing one. Vasili considered himself a a connoisseur of Russian musical instruments and was struck with wonder, because he had not heard anything of the kind before. He vowed to study the balalaika and learn to play it. He came to the conclusion that balalaikas were a wonderful instrument but needed perfection. He improved the balalaika and appeared on stage with it in 1886. His performance became a sensation, and he became a household word in St.Petersburgh.

Inspired by his success, Andreev continued to improve his instrument untill finally producing a family of different sized balalaikas. His next project was to give the instrument back to the people. He taught the soldiers of the St. Petersburgh garnison how to play, and each soldier was given a balalaika to take home. By the end of the 20th century there were as many as 20,000 balalaika players in St. Petersburgh alone.

Notes by Yuriy Ivanets

[Return to Top]

Bowed Psaltery • The bowed psaltery is not a medieval instrument, nor is it a Biblical instrument as so many "historians" have mentioned, but a 20th century invention reportedly by a German teacher who wanted to simplify music instruction. It does have a history that goes back to bowed rotes, or rotas, similar to the English Crowde and Welsh Crwth, but its triangular shape and string arrangement is totally modern. One side of the triangle has the naturals and the other has the accidentals (sharps and flats). It has become a very popular folk instrument accompanying Irish- and Celtic-style music, as well as Early American and English ballads.

Dulcimer • In English-speaking countries, dulcimer (or dowcemere, dulcimor, dulcimur, doucemelle, doulcemelle, dolcimela, or dolcema, all from dulce melos, Greek for sweet sound) was the name given to the type of psaltery or box zither which had a trapizoidal soundbox and which was played by striking the strings with hammers. In areas around Germany, the term was Hackbrett (or hackbrad, hackbrade, hakkebrett, or hakkebord) meaning chopping board or chopping block.

The King James translation of the Bible occasionally translates nebel as dulcimer, but the ancient Hebrews didn't have a dulcimer as we know it from the Middle Ages. A 12th century ivory book cover made in Byzantium contains the oldest known evidence of the typical trapazoidal instrument with lateral strings. Then no other dulcimer representation is found until the middle of the 1400's, when the instrument was introduced to western Europe from Turkey and Persia. Shortly thereafter, dulcimers were found in Germany, Italy, Poland, Hungary, Bohemia, Flanders, northern France and England.

Dulcimers often had one or two bridges over which the strings crossed providing the opportunity for more pitches because the performer could strike a sound on each side of the bridge. In 15th century images, dulcimers had single courses of six to nine strings and were played on the lap or on a table. The hammers seem to be held between the index and middle fingers. A century later, the multiple bridges were more common, with between eight and twelve double courses. A neck strap could be used for portability. Soundboards were commonly decorated.

While images portray the dulcimer held by angels and individuals of the upper classes, Gehard de Jode portrayed it in 1600 along with the hurdy-gurdy and bagpipe. In 1609 a dulcimer, along with a violin, were recorded in a ship's log in Jamestown, Virginia.

Notes from the Iowa State University Musica Antiqua website.

[Return to Top]

Hurdy Gurdy • The hurdy gurdy, known as the Vielle à Roue in France, is the original mechanical instrument. Originally used in 11th to 13th century churches and abbeys and to train choirs, it soon became popular in the secular realm. Minstrels and beggars used it because of its portability and easy playability. It became extremely popular with the upper class of 18th century France until the French revolution brought it back to the streets. Popularity in England was mixed because it was more often seen as a beggars instrument. However, several concerts were written in the 17th and 18th centuries for hurdy gurdy.

Hurdy Gurdy styles range from box shapes (symphonies), to viol and lute shapes. Some English and French instruments were trapezoidal with rounded corners. Strings are set in motion and make sound by a rosined wheel that the player cranks with a handle. Tunes are played by pushing in buttons that stop the strings at common fretted intervals. There are usually three to six strings, sometimes more, that the wheel comes in contact with. One or two strings are for melody (chanterelles), and the rest are drones (bourdons, petit bourdons). Early hurdy gurdies were modal, later instruments were chromatic.

Vielle à Roue by Varquain. Victoria & Albert Museum.

[Return to Top]

Psaltery • The psaltery (psalterion, saltere, sauterie, Psalterium, Psalter, salterio) is an ancient instrument seen in many forms. Early versions were simply a wooden board with gut strings stretched between pegs. The strings were plucked with fingers or by plectra. (The name might have derived from the Greek psallein meaning plucked with fingers.) Later instruments included the hollow box or soundboard with soundholes and metal strings. The player performed with the instrument on the lap or on a table, or in front of the chest held with a strap around his neck if movement was needed.

The name of psaltery entered Christian literature in the 3rd century B.C. translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint where, in the Psalms, nebel was translated psalterion. Thus, Nebuchadnezzar's idolatrous ensemble included the Aramic psantria. Notice, also, that the book of Psalms has also become known as the Psalter (or psalterium), from the hymns sung with this harp.

Southern Europe, influenced by Moorish Spain, prefered the trapezoidal psaltery with three or four strings to a note. Northern psalteries tended to be triangular or wing-shaped and single or double-strung. Like most other instruments of the time, the psaltery had no specific repertory, but was used to play whatever music the occasion demanded. It was referred to frequently in lists of musicians and instruments and in the art of the time. The psaltery was widely used until about 1500, but could not cope well with the chromaticism of the Renaissance, so was used less as time passed. It is thought that the psaltery evolved into the harpsichord, zither, and other instruments.

He kiste hire sweete and taketh his sawtrie,
And pleyeth faste, and maketh melodie.

Chaucer, "The Miller's Tale," from The Canterbury Tales

Notes from the Iowa State University Musica Antiqua website.

Rote • Lyre shaped instrument popular during the 6th and 7th centuries. The tuning and playing technique have been lost to history. A Germanic Rote was unearthed from a Danish warriors grave in the Black Forest, and a Saxon Rote was unearthed from a buried ship at Sutton Hoo, England. The Germanic Rote had metal (brass) strings, and the Saxon was strung with gut. Both were approximately 1 inch thick and hollowed out from a single piece of wood, either oak or birch. Photo is a Coog Instruments reproduction of a Germanic Rote.

[Return to Top]

Sutton Hoo • An area in East Anglia, close to the east coast of England, where a Saxon ship was found buried in the mud. Portions of the ship and many artifacts are on display at the British Museum in London. Musically noteworthy was the finding of a Saxon Rote, an oval lyre often carried by soldiers and sailors in the 6th and 7th centuries. I made a reproduction of this Rote based on that in the British Museum.

Coog Instruments Reproduction of Sutton Hoo Rote

[Return to Top]

Viola da Gamba • The viol family may have originated by applying a bow to a pre-existing plucked string instrument. It may have developed in Spain during the late fifteenth century (the tenor viol has the shape, size, and tuning of the Spanish vihuela). Only about the year 1600 did its outward appearance become standardized. Of the common sizes of the gamba family, the bass was the largest, and the treble viol was the smallest.

The most common viol has six strings and is tuned in the interval of fourths with a third in the middle. It has a long tail, fretted finger board (like the modern guitar), a flat back, sloping shoulders, and deep sides with reinforcing crossbars inside. A carved head often adorns the top of the instrument.

All viols are played while seated, with the instrument held on or between the knees. (There is no support on which to rest the instrument as is the case with the modern cello.) The viol bow is held in an underhanded position with the finger controlling the tension of the horse hair.

The viol, as the lute, was cultivated among courtly society by gentlemen amateurs. A consort of viols was the ideal medium for polyphonic music. Its sound was sustained and clear with little vibrato. Viols were ideal for accompanying solo voices in consort songs.

Notes from the Iowa State University Musica Antiqua website

[Return to Top]