INSTRUMENTSINSTRUMENTS
OF THE
MIDDLE AGES
Flutes
A wide variety of flutes were played throughout the Middle Ages. They are of two basic types: fipple flutes, which are played like a whistle, and transverse flutes, which are blown crosswise in the manner of the modern orchestral flute. These flutes were open-holed, unkeyed straight-bore flutes which require a greater degree of tone and intonation control than later instruments. Conversely, they enable a high degree of expressiveness in tone color and ornamentation.
Guitarra Latina
A popular instrument of the 13th through 15th centuries was this small strummed ancestor of the guitar. These would have anywhere from three to six strings (probably gut) and were played either with the nails or a quill plectrum. Our guitarras are based on illustrations in the 13th century Cantigas de Santa Maria.
Harp
The harp of the Middle Ages was a far smaller instrument than the modern concert harp, frequently small enough to hold on the player's lap. These harps had anywhere from twelve to thirty strings and were diatonically strung (no sharps or flats). Our harp is a replica of the 15th century Scottish Lamont harp. It was strung with lightly tensioned brass and played with the fingernails as was the style in the British Isles and much of the continent.
Percussion
Drum types tended to be either frame drums or timbrels, a large ancestor of the modern tambourine. Both could be played with hand or beater. Besides drums, we also see large and finger-sized cymbals, bells either struck or shook, and bones- a Western Mediterranean instrument similar to castanets.
Psaltery
This is a stringed instrument with metal strings running over the sound box, as opposed to the harp, in which the strings are perpendicular to the sound box. It was played with either double quill plectrums or fingernails. Our psaltery is a typical
"di porco" (pig snout) psaltery.