Lute
History
The lute is a plucked stringed instrument with pear-shaped body and a bent-back pegbox at the top of the neck. The lute’s body is deeply curved at the back and the sound hole is round, often carved with a flower pattern. Lute can have from four to twenty-five strings. It’s origin comes from the Arabic oud, which was introduced to Europe in the 13th century during the crusades. The lute was popular from Medieval times, and remained one of the most important instruments during the Renaissance and Baroque eras.
Facts & Features
The first lutes were plucked with a plectrum and had four strings. Over time, the lute was plucked by the fingers, and more strings were added, and organised into pairs called ‘courses’.
The lute’s round sound hole is also known as ‘the rose’. One large hole or sometimes three small sound holes were carved with a floral pattern. This was to control feedback and allow natural air flow through the instrument to create a beautiful tone.
There are several different types of lute, including the theorbo, the small theorbo-lute, and the chittarone. Lutes with bass strings need longer necks with bigger instrument heads.
Lutes were played by minstrels and troubadours. King Edward I of England (1239-1307) employed lutenists, and they remained part of the English royal court for centuries after.
Written music for lutes is called tablature. It shows the lutenist where the notes are on the instrument, rather than the musical pitch, like traditional musical notation.
Famous Players
Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519)
Denis Gauliter (1597 or 1602/3 -1672)
Matthew Wadsworth (b.1974 )
Music To Listen To
King Alfonso X - Cantigas de Santa Maria
John Dowland – Frog Galliard
Kapsberger -Passacaglia
Find Out
How long is the neck of a chittarone?
Which Indian musical instrument can also be considered a lute?
