The Morphology of Lutes with Extended Bass Strings

Author(s): Friedemann Hellwig

Source: Early Music, Vol. 9, No. 4, Plucked-String Issue 2 (Oct., 1981), pp. 447-454
Published by: Oxford University Press
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3126687
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 The morphologyof lutes with extended
bass strings
FriedemannHellwig

.. .. IIlk, .

20?I .

'. c ~ ~ , 68~: :;i

;1OW
2E

TheConcert:painting byJ. G. Platzer,Vienna, c 1740 (Nuremberg, G(;cranisches Nationlalilluseu).

See illus.6
The pitch of the open strings on a lute cannot be and the need to find a terminology that combines
raised above a certain limit in the treble, depending morphological appearance with musical use, his-
on the sounding length of the string under con- torical nomenclature with modern needs.
sideration and the string material. But in theory at The present article is far from offering any answers
least there is no lower limit to the bass range, which to these questions. Instead, I should like to start
can be extended by heavier stringing, metal over- afresh by compiling a kind of inventory of the many
spinning, and reducing string tension. Such technical solutions to the problem of extending the
measures, however, produce a sound inferior to that length of the lower strings. The order in which these
of the tauter strings in the treble, and undoubtedly are presented is intentionally not chronological, so as
the best solution is to lengthen the lower strings. to avoid the tendency of our minds to rush to
From the second half of the 16th century onwards,' a regroup and rename them; rather, it follows tech-
wide variety of instruments have been constructed in nical similarities of construction. Examples of sur-
response to this problem. They will be known to the viving instruments, with written or iconographical
reader under the Italian names of chitarrone,tiorba, evidence, accompany the illustrations. The termin-
arciliuto, liuto attiorbato and liuto francese, and their ology used here is based on an earlier publication of
equivalents in other languages. Various articles2have the author's;3 to describe the stopped strings on the
discussed the historical, constructional, musical and fingerboard and the unstopped bass strings of
terminological problems concerning these instru- extended length I shall use the terms petitjeu and
ments, but without reaching general agreement. grandjeu respectively, elegant expressions which I
There seem to be two principal difficulties: the in- found in Campion's treatise4 and which I much
consistent use of the few terms that describe the prefer to such cumbersome words as Abziige, diapasons
varieties of construction during the earlier centuries; etc.

EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981 447

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Instrumentswith one bridge and two or more Written source: Inventory of the Raimund Fugger Collec-
nuts tion of 1566: 'Eine fischbeinene Lauten mit 2 Kragen'(J.
1 Technically this is perhaps the simplest way of Stockbauer, Die Kunstbestrebungen am BayerischenHofe,
Quellenschriften fir Kunstgeschichte und Kunst-
lengthening the bass strings. Few of such bass riders
technik, viii (Vienna, 1874), pp.81-4)
appear to be an original feature of the instrument,
most of them having been added at a later date. Iconographical evidence: Painting by Jan Molenaer
('1609-1668), TheDuet (Seattle Art Museum), and other
pictures
Surviving instrument: 1598
SIXTVSRAVWOLF//AVGVSTANVS
[?15991 (Copenhagen, Claudius Collection, no.93),
string lengths 67.5/96.4 cm

3 This type consists of a pegbox bent back and

another one in the prolongation of the neck, allow-
ing several different lengths for the grandjeu.

0
Surviving instrument: THOMASEDLINGER (Leipzig, Musik-
instrumentenmuseum, no.497), string lengths (petitjeu/
0
grandjeu)77.3/82 cm
od
0
2 The addition of a second pegbox permits the oO

lengthening of a greater number of strings.

r'l

Oo

Written source: Thomas Mace, Musick'sMonument(London,

1676), pp.32, 203-5
Iconographical evidence: Paintings by Gerard Terborch,
Lady Playing the Lute (c1667-70; Kassel, Staatl. Kunst-
sammlungen) and The Suitor's Visit (Washington, DC,
National Gallery, no.58), and other pictures
Surviving instruments: Mangnu1g Hellmer Zue//fiessen ...
16 ... Jar (Bildingen, private collection), string lengths
60.2/64, 67, 70.1, 73.2 cm; Raphael Mest in Fiessen ...
Anno 1633 (Link6ping, Diocesan Library), string lengths
50/54.2, 58.7, 63.7, 70.7 cm; 1596//Jonas Stehelin in
Argen[tuml and Johann Adolph B6ningk://in B6bsingen
...//renovire .. .//Anno 1662[?1J... (Leipzig, no.494),
string lengths 75/79.2, 84.7, 89.8, 97.1 cm; and other
examples

4 A pegbox leaning back just a little and then curling

forward to house further pegs and carry another nut.

448 EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981

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Iconographical evidence: Painting by Jan Brueghel the
Elder (1568-1625), Allegoryof Hearing,Tastingand Touching I

(Madrid, Prado, no. 1505)

5 Somewhat similar to the preceding type, this form
usually has an upper head glued on to the prolonga-
tion of the lower. The sizes of the instruments and the
distance between the two pegboxes vary consider-
ably. Most of the surviving instruments with
extended bass strings belong to this group, and for
that reason string lengths are here more fully
discussed.
Iconographical evidence: Paintings by Guido Reni (1575- 11
1642), Coronation of the Virgin(London, National Gallery,
no.314), Bartolomeo Bettera (1639- ?1688), Natura morta 13 V. Venere, 1592 (London, V&cA,7/15), 67/146 cm
(Kassel,Staatl. Kunstsammlungen),and other pictures
Surviving instruments: The following list of 31 examples
(and there exist a good many more) includes instru-
ments that may not be completely original in their con-
struction. This seems of little consequence in this context
as long as they took their present form at a time when
they were still in use. They are listed here in the order of 18 17th century (Paris, E 25), 70.5/109 cm
the length of theirpetitsjeux.
1 T. Fiscier, 1710 (Leipzig, no.502), string lengths 20 V. Venere, 1611 (Vienna, Schlosser no.47), 73.5/
37.5/58 cm
2 M. Sellas (Leipzig, no.405), 50.4/72.5 cm
3 MH, 17th century (Brussels, Conservatoire, Mus6e
Instrumental,no. 1578), c53.8/c 106.8 cm
4 17th century(Brussels,no. 1564), 54.1/85.1 cm
5 17th century (Paris, Conservatoire, Mus&e Instru-
mental, E 528), c55/83.5 cm
6 Cr. Choco (London, V&8A,7/5), 57/85 cm
7 M. Sellas, 1638 (Paris, C 1052), 58.6/84.2 cm
8 M. Zelas, Genova (Brussels,no.544), 60.5/94.5 cm
9 M. Sellas, ?1639 (Bologna, Museo Civico), 63.8/
133.2 cm
10 M. Sellas, 1637 (London, V&cA,7/4), 64/93 cm
P. Railich (Brussels,no. 1562), 65.2/155.4 cm
12 V. Venere, 1610 (Brussels,no.1563), 67/105.5 cm
14 M. Tieffenbrucker(Vienna, KunsthistorischesMuseum,
Schlosser no.45), 67/112 cm5
15 A. Taus, 1621 (London, V&cA,7/13), 67/143 cm
16 M. Hartz, 1665 (Edinburgh, private collection), 67/
143.5 cm
17 Italian, ?1626 (London, V&cA,7/14), 70/148 cm
19 17thcentury(Paris, E 1557), 71/151 cm
121.2 cm
21 M. Buechenberg? (Zurich, private collection), 75.2/
151.1cm
22 P. Railich? (Brussels,no.1569), 79.2/162 cm

EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981 449

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23 P. Railich, 1655 (Darmstadt, Hessisches Landesmu- 6 Although this kind of construction of the upper
seum, KG 67:107), 81.5/167 cm pegbox does not actually form a separate morpho-
24 S. Schelle, 1728 (author's collection), 83/? cm logical group (it is rather a slightly altered version of
25 M. Sellas (Paris, C 231), 85.7/168.5 cm the type described under illus.5), I should like to
26 M. Sellas (Paris, E 545), 89/131 cm
present it here for the sake of completeness. Another
27 V. Venere? (Paris, E 548), 89.2/166.7 cm
28 M. Graill, 1627 (Florence, Museo Bardini, no.143), possible variation would show an upper head
93.5/164.5 cm resembling that of a pandurina.
29 G. Sellas, 1626 (Paris, E 1556), 96.5/177.5 cm Iconographical evidence: Painting by Johann Georg
30 M. Buechenberg, 1608 (Florence, Museo Bardini, Platzer, The Concert(c 1740; Nuremberg, Germanisches
no. 142), 98.6/148.2 cm Nationalmuseum); see headpiece to article.
31 M. Buechenberg, 1610 (Brussels, no.1570), 98.6/ Surviving instruments: MARTINUS HARZ//IN ROMAE1665 (see
169.7 cm illus.5, no.16); MATTEOSELLASALLA//CORONA IN VENETIA
(see illus.5, no.25); and other examples
This data is given in graph form in table 1 to allow an easier
comparison of the measurements. On the right are shown
the lengths of the petitsjeux(heavy lines) and the additional
lengths of the grandsjeux (thin lines). It is obvious from a
study of the petitjeu lengths that only those c67 cm long 0
appear to form a distinct group, and that the remaining
instrumentsdo not seem to follow a particularpattern. The 0

left-hand section gives the proportion, grandjeuto petitjeu,

of the two lengths. The value of 1.5 is equivalent to the
extension that corresponds to the intervalof a 5th, that of 2
to an octave. These proportions seem to have served as a 0
rough guide in the design of this type of instrument. There
appears to be no direct relationship between the lengths of
the grandsjeuxand the petitsjeux.
Table 1
.2 2,1 2,0 1.9 1.8 1.7 1.5 1.3 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170cm
1.6 1.4

51

10

25

30

Length ratio, grandjeu:petitjeu Lengths ofpetitsjeux and grandsjeux

450 EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981

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7 This construction of several small pegboxes in a
long piece of wood bears a certain resemblance to
that shown in illus.3.
40
ic
Surviving instrument: MARCVS VVEIS. A SOMAYSTER and
Werner K6tting in C611n(Darmstadt, KG 67:108), string
lengths 68.6/c87, c 104, c 127 cm. Instrument altered as
shown in illus.5
8 This very interesting construction occurs in an
instrument that seems to have served as a theatrical
prop. The pegs for the grandjeu are inserted from the
rear.
Surviving instruments: Italian, ?16th century (Vienna,
Schlosser no.66) and a twin instrument (Bologna, Museo
Civico, no.1475)
9 (overleaf) In this example the designs described in
illus.5 and 7 combine to form an arrangement with
triple pegbox. Another example (see illus. 11) shows
no fewer than five pegboxes.
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d
--o
IS-
Surviving instruments: MATTEOSELLAS. . . (Brussels,
no.1565), string lengths 59.2/82.2, 101 cm; Anon. (Paris,
C 234), string lengths 59.2/86.1, 97.2, 106.2, 117.2 cm
10 (overleaf) The two heads are connected by a
short, curved piece, the whole being carved from one
block of wood.
Surviving instruments: Martin Hoffmann//in Leipzig//
169... (Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum,
MI 245), string lengths 69.6/97.1 cm; Sebastian Schelle
Lauten und Geigenmacher in Nornberg, Hummels
Erben, An. 1744 (Zurich, private collection; formerly
Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, MI 46),
string lengths 72.7/96.5 cm; Leopold Widhalm, Lauten-
und Gei-//genmacher in Niirnberg fecit An. 1755
(Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum, MIR 903),
string lengths 74/99.2 cm; and other examples
EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981 451
910 lung, no.9-126), string lengths 78.4/94.4/104.4 cm; and
other examples
1

cZ
4

10 I -1

12 Constructional details seen in preceding illustra-

tions combine here to form the head of Mace's
'dyphone' at its theorbo end. There are four differ-
ent grandjeu lengths, the three shorter ones running
over nuts standing out of one side of the straight
main pegbox, and the longest possessing a curved
pegbox of its own.
Written source: Mace, Musick'sMonument(see notes to
illus.3)

13 This most economic way of housing the pegs for

the grand jeu is found in a number of paintings. The
uppermost part seems to possess a series of rollers in
order to reduce friction at the hairpin bend.

Iconographical evidence: Paintings by Pieter Codde

(? Caspar Netscher, mid- 17th century),Joueusede thiorbe
(Strasbourg, Mus&edes Beaux-Arts), Peter Paul Rubens
(1577-1640), Educationof Mariade' Medici(1621-5; Paris,
Louvre),and other pictures
11 A design which like that of illus.9 shows more
than two pegboxes. Instruments with more than one nut and bridge
Survivinginstrument: signedMagno dieffopruchara venetiz 14 In this type, the petit jeu and grandjeu have their
1576 (Munich, Stdidtische Musikinstrumentensamm- own unaligned bridges and nuts.

452 EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981

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12 14

13

15 (overleaf) Although the instrument depicted is,

from the construction of its body, not a member of
the lute family, it is nevertheless of interest here. The
length of all the strings decreases up through the
compass, to give a closer correspondence between the
length and pitch of each string.
Surviving instrument: Anon., ?16th century (Vienna,
Schlosser no.60). In an inventory of 1596 quoted by
Written source: Alessandro Piccinini, Intavolaturadi liuto,et Schlosser, the instrument was described as 'mer ain
di chitarrone,
libroprimo(Bologna, 1623), p.5 (see fn.2) grosse selczame lauten mit zween kragen und drei stern'
Surviving instrument: IN PADOVA, Vvendelio Venere//... (rather a large strange lute with two pegboxes and three
(Vienna, Schlosser no.46), string lengths 68.8/116.8 cm roses).

EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981 453

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15 H. Radke, 'Wodurch unterscheiden sich Laute und Theorbe', Acta
musicologica,37 (1965), pp.73-4
'Theorbierte Laute (Liuto attiorbato) und Erzlaute
(Arciliuto)',Die Musikforschung,25 (1972), pp.481-4
R. Spencer, 'Chitarrone, theorbo and archlute', EM 4/4 (October
1976), pp.407-23
D. A. Smith, 'On the Origin of the Chitarrone',JAMS 32 (1979),
pp.440-62
3 F. Hellwig, 'Zur Terminologie der europiischen Zupfinstru-
mente-das Vokabularium in den Quellen zum historischen
Lautenbau', Festschriftto Ernst Emsheimer,ed. G. Hillestrim
(Stockholm, 1974),pp.81-6
4 Franqois Campion, Additionau traite d'accompagnement (Paris,
1730/R1976),p.38
I See
J. von Schlosser, Die Sammiungalter Musikinstrumente:
beschreibendesVerzeichnis
(Vienna, 1920/R1970).

EARLY MUSIC
We regret to announce that bound
volumes nos.2 (1974) and 4 (1976) are
O0 out of print. Stocksofvol.5 (1977) are low.
O The special offer for vols.1-5 has there-
fore had to be discontinued.

DIRE CTORY OF
BRITISH EARL Y
MUSIC GROUPS
Thisarticleis thefirst of a grouponthissubject.Thesecondis The Early Music Centre has published a
to be a compilation of quotations from written,musicaland Directory of BritishEarly Music Groups as
sources on the use theterms thevarious a comprehensiveguide to performersof early
pictorial of describing music in Great Britain.The Directory is a
instruments withextendedbassstrings.Theelaboration of a compact handbook containing descriptions
historicalterminology couldbethenextstep,to befollowedby of 111 groups specialisingin early music.
a historyof thisgroupof instruments; andfinally theremay Each listing gives a brief history of the
evolvesuggestions for a modern terminology, shouldtheneed group, details of programmes and fees and
such arisein the course our All thiswill the name and address of the contact through
for of investigations.
takeyearsto realize.Perhapsotherswill beabletosolvesome whom the group can be booked.
The Directory has been distributedfree of
of theproblemsin themeantime andpublishtheirsolutionsin charge to Britishconcert promoters and
thisjournal. some foreign ones. A limited numberof
copies are available for sale-price ?3-
The earliest mention known to me refers to a lute 'mit 2 Krigen' from the new Early Music Centre premises
(with two pegboxes) in the Raimund Fugger Collection, as listed in at 5th Floor, 137 Goswell Road, London
1566. See notes for illus.2. EC 1V 7ET.
2 G. Kinsky, 'Alessandro Piccinini und sein Arciliuto', Acta
musicologica, 10 (1938), pp. 103-15
M. Caffagni, Introduction to facs. edn. of A. Piccinini,Intavolatura
di liuto,et di chitarrone,
libroprimo,ii (Bologna, 1965), pp.vii-xvii

454 EARLY MUSIC OCTOBER 1981

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