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BERNARDELLISMusical Instruments

Musical 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


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


Tunings: g’ d’ a’

Tenor

Length: 700mm

Width max: 160mm


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


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



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


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


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


Depth: 27mm


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


Depth: 40mm


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 depth of bowl: 100mm


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


Depth: 40mm


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


Depth: 40mm


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


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


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


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


Depth of back: 70mm


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 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


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

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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 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

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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


Depth: xxmm


Tuning: c g d’ a’

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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 rib depth: 94mm


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.

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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



Tunings: published by Juan Bermudo in

1549 and 1555 A d g b e’ a’ or G c f a d’ g’

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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)

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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



Tuning: g d’ g’ / g d’ d’

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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


Rib depth: 150mm


Tuning: D G c e a d’

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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


Rib depth: 65mm


Tuning: g c’ f’ a’ d” g”

Treble

Length: 730mm


Rib depth: 80mm


Tuning: d g c’ e’ a’ d”

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Tenor

Length: 900mm


Rib depth: 100mm


Tuning: G c f a d’ g’

Bass

Length: 1,150mm


Rib depth: 130mm


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.

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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


Depth: 80mm

Tuning: f to d"'-

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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.

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Further Information

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