The Organistrum - Aleyn`s Instruments

Transcription

The Organistrum. Aleyn Wykington
1
Reconstruction of an Organistrum
from Iconographic Evidence
Aleyn Wykington
Apprentice to
Master Stephen of Hunmanby. OL
For
AnTir Kingdom Arts & Science Championship
XLIV
2
The Organistrum
The purpose of this document is to illustrate the thought and execution of creating an early
musical instrument for which there are no plans, little information and no existent instruments from
period to work from to construct a working model. In the case the ecclesiastic organistrum.
Table of Contents
What is an Organistrum?............................................................................................................................3
When was it in use?...............................................................................................................................4
Recreating the Organistrum.......................................................................................................................7
Source material......................................................................................................................................7
Illuminations..........................................................................................................................................7
“Hortus Deliciarium” 1176 – 1196) ................................................................................................7
Hunterian / York Psalter. English, circa 1170...................................................................................8
Lindesey Psalter. Early 13th C..........................................................................................................9
Gerbert possibly 13th C....................................................................................................................9
Statuary...............................................................................................................................................10
Gate of Paradise, Ourense Cathedral 12th C.................................................................................10
Gate of Butrón Ahed Cathedral 12th C...........................................................................................11
Gate of the Virgin de la Peña, Sepúlveda, Segovia. 12th C............................................................12
Gate of San Miguel de Estella, Navarra 12th C..............................................................................13
Gate of Santo Domingo, Soria 12th C............................................................................................14
Northern Gate at the Colegiata de Toro 12th C..............................................................................15
Saint George de Boscherville, Normandy 11thC...........................................................................16
Gate of Glory, Santiago de Compostela 12thC...............................................................................18
Palacio Gelmirez,Galacia 12thC....................................................................................................19
Notre Dame Organistrum. Circa 1160............................................................................................20
Honnecourt-sur-l'Escaut Organistrum. late 12th C.........................................................................21
Conclusions from Resources...............................................................................................................22
Techniques of construction ............................................................................................................24
Materials.........................................................................................................................................24
Tools...............................................................................................................................................24
Tuning..................................................................................................................................................25
Notes on Building the Organistrum.........................................................................................................27
References................................................................................................................................................33
Illustration Index......................................................................................................................................35
Appendix..................................................................................................................................................36
3
What is an Organistrum?
The organistrum was one of the earliest keyboard instruments; the earliest known being the
Roman hydraulic organ the hydraulus.1 It might seem strange to call an instrument that uses twisted or
pulled keys, rather than the more familiar depressed keys a keyboard instrument, but keys come in
many types. They can be depressed as per a piano or modern organ, they can be twisted like the early
organistrum, or slid in and out like early organs and the later organistrum, or as is still used as stops on
a pipe organ.2
The organistrum is essentially a modified theoretical monochord.3 Legend has it that the
monochord was invented by Pythagoras who then used it to discover pitch ratios.4 The monochord is a
rectangular box with two fixed bridges
(or nut and bridge if you prefer) and one
movable bridge between. There is then a
string stretched between the fixed
bridges. By changing the position of the
movable bridge, and thus dividing the
string, the pitch is changed. This is very
limiting in the case of trying to make
music instead of just producing note for
experimentation or demonstration, as you
constantly had to move the bridge by
hand to slowly produce another note.
In the case of the organistrum the
chord is stopped or fretted by the touch of
actuated frets; these are just flat pieces of
wood or horn that rotate up to touch, or
are pulled into the string, at the correct
spot to divide it and thusly create the note
accurately every time. Another change is
that instead of being plucked as per the
theoretical monochord, the string is set
into motion by the turning of a rosined
wheel that rubs the chord. The wheel
constantly excites the string(s) just like a Illustration 1: Guido of Azzero & Theobaldus at the
violin bow.
monochord. 12thC. osterreichische national bibilothek,
This instrument is thought to have
vienna
1 "keyboard instrument." Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2009. 17 Nov. 2009
<http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/315885/keyboard-instrument>.
2 Britannica Online. Keyboard
3 Galpin, Francis W. Old English Instruments – their history and character. London: 2nd ed. Methuen &
Co. LTD, 1911. 102
4 Remnant, Mary. Musical Instruments of the West. First ed. New York: St. Martin's Press Inc, 1978. 15
4
monastic origins, primarily as an instrument to teach chant to the monks. It is possible it had uses
outside of that in the church itself, but there is no definitive proof of this.5 Though Panum states that it
was used in church music in the midst of a large orchestra of other instruments She draws this
conclusion as this is exactly how it appears in nearly all stone iconography.6
Perhaps the most notable aspect of the organistrum is its size. Taking iconographic evidence
together, it seems they average around 5 feet in length. It was so big, it required two men to play it.
Illuminations and Statuary show one person cranking while the other played the keyboard. The
organistrum is the ancient musical T-Rex to today's falcon, the hurdy-gurdy. The size is analogous to
the dimensions that are apparent in illuminations of many of the theoretical monochords, a class that is
the likely parent instrument.
One of the issues with the organistrum is in deciding actually what to call it. There is no
consensus that organistrum is the conclusive name, but many have adopted the usage for the two man
instrument and symphony or symphonia for the one man successor. Properly, all organistrums and
modern hurdy-gurdies are classed as symphonies7. For the purposes of this document, organistrum will
be used to refer to the two man and symphony for the one man instrument. The name itself appears to
have been coined from a collision of Organum, (a musical form at the time using parallel fifths and
octaves to form the harmony,8 or as Christopher Page suggests, in Germany, derived from the verb
organizo 'I play an instrument/sing/in harmony',) together with the suffix -strum.9 The former suggests
a tuning scheme, say BFb; while the latter gives a very good description of the instrument. Either is
possible.
When was it in use?
Scholars disagree as to when the organistrum first came into use. It was at one time accepted
that it was invented by Odo of Cluny Abbey who died in 942, the tract often titled“Quomodo
organistrum construatur” or "How to make an Organistrum."10 This short extract, was included by
Martin Gerbert (1720-1793) in his Scriptores Ecclesiastici (Vol. IV). However with further study it has
been found that it is in fact from the 1100's.11 It would seem very few ever went to the extent of
5 Segerman, Ephraim. The Development of Western European Stringed Instruments. Lulu.com. 2006
325
6 Panum, Hortense, and Pulver, Jeffrey, The stringed instruments of the Middle Ages : their evolution
and development : a detailed and comprehensive history, with illustrations, of the evolution of the
mediaeval stringed musical instruments from their first appearance in the records of the earliest
civilisations, through their gradual development in the Greek, Roman and Christian eras down to
more recent times / from the Danish of Hortense Panum William Reeves, London : 1939. 297
7 Montagu, Jeremy P.S. The World of Medieval & Renaissance Musical Instruments. New York,
Overlook Press. 1976. 150
8 Panum. 297
9 Page, Christopher. Medieval Organistrum and Symphonia, 2: Terminology. The Galpin Society
Journal. 36 (March 1983). 76
10 Page. Organistrum 2. 77
11 Randel, don Michael. The Harvard dictionary of music. Boston. Harvard United Press. 2003
5
translating the text as it does not actually discuss an organistrum, but how to construct a Pythagorean
musical scale!
The following, translated by Christopher Page12 “Firstly, measure from the nut, which is next to the
first tangent, up to the other nut placed after the wheel and divide the distance into two parts; put C at the middle
part; the half lying beyond C will not contain pitches.” From there it continues to discuss how to divide the
string further. The only mentions of an instrument are in the wheel and tangent mentioned in the above
translation.
Below is a copy of the illustration provided us by Gerbert. He makes no claims about it but
many assume it also was by Odo. Once again there is no real agreement as for dating, beyond that it
was not drawn by Odo, and was drawn much later.13
Illustration 2: The Organistrum by Martin Gerbert.
According to Christopher Page, the organistrum can be traced as far back as approximately
1100 (possibly earlier) with a mention in the manuscript Wolfenbluttel Gud. Lat. 334, from Augsburg,
and the last being the much worn
statue of Honnecourt-sur-l'Escaut (to
the right) in the late 12th Century. So
from this we can conclude that the
instrument had a very short life
indeed . A number of sources conclude
that the organistrum was superseded by
the pipe organ in ecclesiastic circles
when church wealth increased to allow
Illustration 3: Honnecourt-sur-l'Escaut organistrum. late
them to afford one, and then the
12thC
organistrum was modified for use by
secular musicians as the symphony.14 15 The majority however, make no conclusion as to what
happened to the instrument, just noting that the two man version disappeared by the 13th Century.
As for place of origin, it is generally assumed that all European instruments came originally
from the Middle East; however, the organistrum may be the exception to this rule. Not only are the
12 Page, Organistrum 2. 77
13 Galpin, Francis W. Old English Instruments – their history and character. London: 2nd ed. Methuen
& Co. LTD, 1911. 102-103
14 Galpin. 105
15 Montagu. 30
6
names used for it Latin or Greek derived, but all early documentation for it comes from Germany, not
the Middle East.16 The usual evidence for a Middle Eastern origin comes from a work by the Ikhwan
al-Safa brotherhood in Basra. In a work from the nine hundreds they present a list of instrument that
can create sustained sound. Among them is the Dawalib. The word can be translated not as a hurdygurdy, but as a water wheel.17 Page notes that the only English language translation until recently was
by Farmer in “Studies of Oriental Instruments” 1939. He further notes that upon finding a newer
translation it bore no resemblance to Farmer's translations, but bears more resemblance to the modern
“music box” as appears in jewelry boxes than to the wheeled viol which is an organistrum. To quote
one line “They make that instrument go round in a clever way like a spinning wheel, so that the strings reach
the plectrum and their sounds become audible.” That does not at all sound like an organistrum.
This leaves us with only European evidence for the origin of this instrument. All of it associated
with ecclesiastic pursuits; written by the church/monastic community or carved for the same
community. From that we can only conclude it was created by the monastic community to teach
singing of chant at the time. Subsequent use within the church is as yet open to debate
16 Page, Organistrum 2. 83-84
17 Page, Christopher. Medieval Organistrum and Symphonia, 1: a Legacy from the East. The Galpin
Society Journal. 35 (March 1982) 38
the Organistrum by Aleyn Wykington.
7
Recreating the Organistrum.
Source material.
So little material has survived regards the organistrum. In sum total, roughly 10 documents can
be found, most of which simply mention the word in passing. Most are translated and commented upon
by Christopher Page in Medieval Organistrum and Symphonia 2: Terminology. Unfortunately they give
little to no information on the actual functioning of the instrument. Another problem with using the
existent documentation is that no one is even sure if the instrument mentioned in the document is what
we would think of as an organistrum.18
The main source for reconstruction of an organistrum comes from iconographic evidence. Very
few illuminations and statues that have survived to this date. Despite issues inherent in such evidence
due to interpretation or ignorance on the part of the artist, they are the best evidence we have as there
are no known survivals. Further issues occur from statuary in that only rarely are multiple perspective
views available to allow a complete picture of the evidence. The best way to work from this evidence is
through in person examination and measurement. However this is both prohibitively expensive and it is
rare an amateur can gain this sort of access to an object.
Once the single operator (one man)
symphonies were separated from the duel
operator (two man) organistrums, this left a
mere four illuminations and eleven statues.
Not much to work from, but as you will see,
there is a great deal to be gleaned from
these few examples.
Illuminations
“Hortus Deliciarium” 1176 – 1196)
Here we find an extract from a
larger image “the seven liberal arts.” This is
from a book created for Abbess Herrade de
Landsberg. Unfortunately the original was
destroyed by fire in 1870, we are lucky to
have two copies of this illumination made
before the disaster still with us. This one is
the Engelhardt version.
It shows a shallow figure eight body
18 Montagu. 15
Illustration 4: Hortus Deliciarium. late 12th C
The Organistrum – Aleyn Wykington.
8
with a simple crank, tail piece, three strings and pegs, but no sign of any form of keys. It is possible
that this is an early form that was played by pressing the fingers to the board, or that they were simply
omitted either in the original or by the copyist.
The latter may actually be the truth though as in the version of the image by Bastard, which I
do not have permission to copy,19 it shows lines across the neck that could be either frets or tangents. As
they continue past the neck on the right, you can conclude they are are more likely tangents/keys than
just frets.
Hunterian / York Psalter. English, circa 1170
This image is a small piece of
marginalia from a larger page, but it
gives us much useful information.
To start with we find we have three
strings, a simple “L” crank, a faint tail
piece. There are two slit holes on either
side of the strings, this is seen
occasionally in images of early fiddles
so is not just a fancy of the artist. There
is a further “D” hole forward of those,
also not unknown. The tangent box is
covered with a lid that is either painted
or carved with a simple zig zag that
may represent a more complex design.
This one shows an exposed round peg
head, common to many early
instruments. The head is partially
obscured by a “tear drop” projection of
Illustration 5: Hunterian Psalter, circ 1170
the case cover. It is possible this cover obscures a nut or string guidance system to aim the strings at the
pegs. Or as the pegs appear to be from the top of the instrument (we are shown the “t” of the pegs from
above, rather than a dot to show pegs from below), the strings likely pass through bored holes under
this cover, which aim the strings at the pegs.
If you look at the figure on the left, he seems to be pulling rather than turning the keys. The left
hand has what looks like a longer key than the ones next to it. In fairness this could just be an illusion
from blowing up a miniature. The figure on the right appears to be touching the crank, or pointing to it.
The tail also shows a built up area, possibly part of the crank bearing or a decoration.
The body is a shallow figure 8 with secondary arcs between the two bouts. This could indicate
solid blocks in this location to hold the boards from the bout sections and strengthen the unit with
minimal weight increase.
19 Remnant. 80
9
The neck narrows from the same width as the secondary arcs to some two thirds that width. It is
also only two thirds the length of the body.
Unusually this one is shown being played backwards to all others. This could be due to
“aiming” the instrument in towards the text for artistic purposes, rather than it being backwards to all
other instruments.
Lindesey Psalter. Early 13th C
Another small piece of marginalia from England and yet once
again we can gain information from it. Firstly the “L” crank is in evidence
at the base of the standard figure eight shaped body which in this case is
pierced by four “D” sound holes, one centred in each bout. The secondary
arcs between the bouts are quite wide, extending most of the way to the
main arcs. Between them seems to be the wheel, but this could be
interpreted as decoration or yet another sound hole.
The rudimentary neck is less than
two thirds the length of the body. It
shows tangents that are being
Illustration 6: Lindesey
th
operated by the man on the left. It is
Psalter, early 13 C
impossible to determine if they were
pulled or turned. The tail where the crank protrudes from shows
large block that could be a built up tail of the instrument to
support the crank, or possibly a simple representation of a
carved decoration, ie a head or a plaque.
Gerbert possibly 13th C
Here we have the well known Gerbert illustration which
as noted above, is of unknown date, possibly 13thC.
This shows the typical figure eight body, in this case
with no secondary arcs. It features two simple round sound
holes, bridge and wheel. The wheel is situated two thirds of the
first bout up from the tail.
The crank is a simple and shallow “L” with handle
showing a ball on the end, a feature that does not seem to
appear in other iconography. There are three strings that diverge Illustration 7: Gerbert from
from tail to nut, also atypical. This example shows the rotating Scriptores Ecclesiastici (Vol. IV)
bridge type of fretting. It is possessed of a narrowing neck and
rounded peghead.
a
10
Statuary
Gate of Paradise, Ourense Cathedral 12th C
Illustration 8: Gate of Paradise, Ourense Cathedral 12th C
This stunning example is at the peak of the portico surrounded by other musicians (the
apocalyptic elders from the Bible,20) playing a variety of instruments. Here we find the “L” crank, and
in this case we can see how it passes through the operator's hand and the tail pokes out past his little
finger. In this case it has a straight handle, not the mushroom handle typical on modern hurdy-gurdys.
Here we can see a trapezoidal tail piece, possibly carved and an arc type bridge that follows the
also visible wheel. The three strings disappear at the tangent box in a manner impossible to determine,
due to visible damage.
A winding interlock appears upon the side bouts and the tangent box top. There is simple box
lines around the tangent ends both carved in and gilded on. The keys are obviously not revolving
20Revelations 4:4-11
11
bridges, but pulled tangents, evidenced by the square key ends and the hand positions. The keys are
being gripped between the thumb and forefinger of each hand, a grip inconsistent, at least on the left
hand, with turning a key counter-clockwise as is evidenced in the illustration in Gerbert. The peg head
is either enclosed within the box or is a narrow extension beyond that can not be seen.
Here we have a very complex pattern on the soundboard. It is a system of dots on the outside
with a zig zag on the next ring in. An indeterminate pattern that also seems to be zig zagged is in the
inner most space. The whole follows the shape of the bouts. There are so many ways this carving can
be interpreted, but all we can say is it looks like there was complex decoration and possibly a complex
rosette on this instrument.
The whole has been painted a purple and trimmed with gold leaf in a regal effect.
The body thickness on this instrument appears to be between a third and a half of the maximum
width of the body.
Gate of Butrón Ahed Cathedral 12th C
Illustration 9: Gate of Butrón Ahed Cathedral 12th C
12
Once again this instrument is placed at the top of the gate surrounded by other instruments
played the the apocalyptic elders. Unfortunately this one is in rather poor shape. Here we can still
determine a simpler and quite narrow figure 8 body with extremely shortened neck.
It looks like this version is played by use of fingers on the fingerboard rather than a tangent
system. This can be seen as the index finger of the right hand on the right player is touching one of the
strings. He could just be instructing the man next to him, but as there is no sign of key system, this is a
likely conclusion. There are what look like “D” sound holes on the soundboard and a couple of small
round piercings on the sides. There is also a large object at the tail end that may have once been a
carving from which the crank issued, ala the Notre Dame organistrum, or some method to support the
crank bearing, but in this state it is hard to draw a firm conclusion.
Body thickness appears to be between a third and a quarter of the maximum body width.
There appear to be three strings.
Gate of the Virgin de la Peña, Sepúlveda, Segovia. 12th C
Illustration 10: Gate of the Virgin de la Peña, Sepúlveda, Segovia. 12th C
…........Here we find another Gate topper. This one shows a possibly smaller instrument, there is barely
room for more than one hand on the neck and unusually the neck is less than half the size of the body.
But, look at the fingers, this one is played from the opposite side to the others. This is a manner
consistent with the Symphony and the modern Hurdy-gurdy, pushing the tangents rather than pulling.
It is hard to tell, but there seem to be only two strings and two pegs in the exposed head. There
are six sound holes in total. All of them are extremely simple being nothing more than round holes
drilled into the soundboard. Four larger ones are located centred on each of the 4 bouts. The two
smaller ones are centered between the strings and the body edge at the join between the bouts.
Further you can make out what is either the wheel or the bridge. If it is the wheel it is only one
13
half of the distance from tail to end of the first bout. The body itself has the familiar figure 8 shape.
Body thickness of this instrument appears to be a quarter that of the maximum width.
If this instrument actually existed, undoubtedly it would have been of a higher pitch than its
larger cousin. It is possible that this is not an organistrum, but a symphony that is being displayed by
two men. Note that the one on the right shows no signs of turning a crank.
Gate of San Miguel de Estella, Navarra 12th C
Illustration 11: Gate of San Miguel de Estella, Navarra 12th C
Here we have a number of pieces of evidence. The same “L” handle we are already familiar
with can be very plainly seen on the left, though it would be a tad large for comfortable use, its depth
going twice the thickness of the instrument it is attached to.
The body is a shallow 8 with narrow side arcs. Body thickness is unknown due to photograph
angle.
On the top we can see a bridge, nearly flat and a wheel, also as flat, though the flatness could be
an illusion induced by the angle of the photograph. Wheel is positioned half way up the lower bout.
As for decorations, the body shows what look like arches and pillars as a motif. Unfortunately I
have yet to find a photograph that shows the top of the instrument, so can not guess as to what its
characteristics are. Doctor Antonio Poves has created a version of this one in which the icons of saints
14
are placed within each archway.21
The neck shows strings that enter a tangent box that is played in the modern manner from the
side opposite the player. Note that he fits all fingers easily on the neck with out crowding, or ample
space beyond. This leave no room for the peg head. The hands obscure the keys, so number is
unknown.
Gate of Santo Domingo, Soria 12th C
Illustration 12: Gate of Santo Domingo, Soria 12th C
Here we find what seem to be four “D” sound holes on the soundboard of a very long and
narrow figure eight body. This one has elliptical side arcs, rather than round. Thickness of the body
appears to be between a quarter and a third of the maximum body width.
There is an obvious tail piece at the tail end, in this case a narrow oval. To it are attached an
indeterminate number of strings. Here it looks like just one thick one, but closer examination may show
otherwise. The string(s) run the length of the instrument and right up the neck.
I can not be sure, but it looks like there may not have been a key system on this organistrum, but
rather it may have been finger fretted like the Butrón. It is impossible to be sure and could be argued
either way. The neck itself seems to be the length of a single bout with no remaining evidence of the
peg head.
The crank is hard to determine from this photograph as to exact type.
21 Poves, Antonio ." The organistrum in Spain - Historical Background. Web. 18 Feb 2010.
<http://www.organistrum.com/imagenes/organos7.jpg>.
15
Any colour on this example has long been worn away.
This instrument may be based upon the Saint George de Boscherville organistrum. They share
many of the same characteristics. This one was made some decades later however and could be based
upon the Saint George. If this is the case, then there is in fact a shallow tangent box and pull tangents,
which have been lost over the centuries.
Northern Gate at the Colegiata de Toro 12th C
Illustration 13: Northern Gate at the Colegiata de Toro 12th C
At first this statue seems so badly worn that little can be discerned of the soundboard at all. As a
usable example I was going to ignore it, at least for decoration data, till I had a happy accident. I was
viewing this image on my laptop lcd screen and pushed the screen backwards to look at something
across the room. Suddenly with many colours eliminated and the image appearing shadowed, I could
see a pattern of drilled in dots following the edge of each bout and meeting between the bouts beside
the wheel just ahead of the now easily viewable bridge. It also has a number of larger holes, some twice
the diameter, of which I can make out three in the lower right bout but am unsure about more than one
in each of the remaining bouts.
The tangent box lid is covered in carving that is difficult to make out from photographic
evidence when in colour. However when I went to black and white you could make out a “compass
flower”
16
pattern of interconnected arcs in raised carving decorated with drilled holes on the raised arcs.
Illustration 14: de Toro in greyscale
The sides themselves you can now see are highly decorated with not the two lines I originally
thought, but three lines tracing about the body and possibly onto the neck. Circles are visible within
the lines. The neck looks to have once had a complex pattern on it, but that has largely been obliterated.
It is quite possibly three large circles connected by lines at their centre. A line goes around the entire
tangent box / neck assembly. You can see a divide where the strings go under the tangent box cover.
This is different from others in that the box begins part way out on the neck, instead of at the neck/body
join.
It also shows the instrument being played from the side closest to the player with hand positions
more likely for pulling than turning the keys. There are no exit marks still visible for the keys. Perhaps
it was all internal, perhaps just obliterated by time.
The body is of the figure 8 variety, but shallower than most. The crank is missing, but you can
see the narrowing trapezoidal tailpiece which ties over the end of the instrument. It exhibits some drill
piercing. The bridge is located only a very short distance (2/3 the statues finger width) behind the
wheel. The wheel itself is at the juncture of the lower bouts and the side arcs and a very small wheel.
The body face is about three body thicknesses wide at maximum.
Saint George de Boscherville, Normandy 11thC
This is an engraving of a much larger piece from a destroyed abbey. Until only as I write
I had believed the original no longer existed as I could not find a copy of any photograph of it, or any
mentions quoting Galpin that the original column is preserved at the museum in Rouen, France.22
Below you can see the image I just located.
This image comes from A Popular History of the Art of Music From the Earliest Times
22 Galpin 103
17
Until the Present by W. S. B. Mathews, 1891. It is listed as “SCULPTURED HEAD OF COLUMN,
FOUND IN THE RUINS OF THE ABBEY OF ST. GEORGE, AT BOSCHERVILLE, IN
NORMANDY. ELEVENTH CENTURY.”
Interestingly this one gives us two pairs of D holes, one on
either side of the strings, centred within the upper and lower
bouts. Just a little farther apart than the Santa Domingo.
You can also clearly see the “D” crank handle.
The neck is extremely narrow in the sketch, but is
of average width in the photograph. It has key pegs
protruding from the top, but detail is too poor to determine
the type of action.
Illustration 15: Saint George de
Boscherville, Normandy 11thC
This instrument is also the most wasp waisted of the
organistrums in iconography, forming a near full figure eight.
Stretched across the length of the instrument are three
strings. The sketch is of too poor quality to be sure but the
photo clearly shows them. As this information all conforms
to the Santa Domingo organistrum, perhaps they are of a
type. The photo also shows a very long tear drop shaped tail
piece, right next to the player on the left's, left hand. This
was not shown in the sketch.
It is interesting to have the generally accepted sketch and a photograph of the same item
available. I had found in the past sketches to be of greater
detail than could be found in a photograph, that is so
subject to lighting and skill of the photographer. But now
must call into question sketches as well.
Illustration 16: Saint George de
Bosherville. Rouen Museum
18
Gate of Glory, Santiago de Compostela 12thC
Illustration 17: Gate of Glory, Santiago de Compostela 12thC
Taking it to the simplest form, on the soundboard we have two concentric circles with a band of
dots in between, forming the outside of the design. On the first bout there are four cut out triangles with
dots at each apex placed 90' to each other. The second bout gives us an elaborate pierced leaf motif
rosette.
We also find a tail piece with some carving that could have been raised, insized or pierced on
the original. The string lid maintains the dot in between lines on the body and encloses a pierced lattice
of a Celtic knot. The lid begins at the neck/body junction.
I can find no information on the sides of this instrument.
The body is a figure eight with smaller bouts in between the main. Three strings, a bridge
located two statue finger widths behind the wheel can also be seen. The wheel is located at the juncture
of the lower bouts and arc between the bouts.
The crank is of “L” type as can be seen from hand positioning. The end of the handle just pokes
out from the back of the hand as it grips it.
The manner of play and positioning of the keys indicates pull tangent operation, though Edward
Turner of Vancouver who was the first to make an organistrum in modern times and has since made
two, used the Gerbert rotating bridges system on his.
Most importantly, the number of keys within half the string length (twelve) indicate this
instrument was fully chromatic.
19
Palacio Gelmirez,Galacia 12thC
Illustration 18: Palacio Gelmirez,Galacia 12thC
This statue has taken some damage and erosion over the centuries. For example it has lost its
head and the lower bout next to the neck. There is still a wealth of information to be gleaned from it.
The original shape was more “guitar” than figure eight, with the bouts closest to the neck being
much smaller than the ones at the tail.
It may be quite hard to see, but if you look at the upper left bouts you can make out a cut rosette
on each. It takes the form of a 6 pointed star with a circle in the centre. This motif is duplicated below
in the lower left bout and is just there where the rock breaks away on the right lower bout. Given this it
can be assumed that the right upper bout also bears a similar rosette.
The lattice on the string lid is very similar to the Compostela. The sides however are too
degraded to draw any conclusions from, other than the thickness conforms to one quarter to one third of
the maximum width of the instrument.
Three strings that disappear under the tangent box at the body/neck join, are visible.
There are a number of protrusions that represent the keys on the upper side (left) but do not
come through to the lower (right side). Seven are visible just by the right hand (nearest the neck). If this
is so, then the total of remaining keys would be between four and six (following normal progression of
the scale) yielding eleven to 13 keys and a chromatic range of play. Hand positions are from the top
indicating pulled keys.
This example is at a palace attached to Compostela. This is a great find as it shows the variation
of patterning of sound holes on the organistrum even in the same period and location.
20
Notre Dame Organistrum. Circa 1160
There is an unfortunate issue with using this instrument as a
template in that the sculpture has had unknown restoration done to it,23
Thusly we can not be sure of what is correct to period and what is not.
It does show an unusual oval shaped body, rather than the usual
figure eight.
The body terminates in an animalistic head that functions both
as tail piece, tail peg and possibly has the crank (missing) issuing from
it.
A very small wheel is visible beneath the 4 strings. From the
look of them, there are two thick strings flanking two very close
together narrower strings. The latter could represent a doubled course
of strings; but if this is so, then likely only the outer strings functioned
as chanters and the inner as a doubled drone. There is simply not
enough space for tangents to fit between the strings and leave space for
the string to vibrate. But of course these strings take up only a quarter
of the space within the tangent box and could have in reality been
spread farther to allow individual activation.
The string cover shows no decoration, but is scalloped at the
Illustration 19: Notre Dame
string opening and shows slightly cutaway access to pegs. I can only Organistrum. Circa 1160
count three, but there may be another under the man's fingers. Further
the tangent box displays 8 keys on the upper side.
The body is pierced for the small wheel and for two four point stars for sound holes. No other
decoration is visible. But the body shape leads me to think that the bottom may have been rounded
rather than flat as per the other organistrums.
These differences could be due to the unknown repairs that were done before this piece was
properly documented, thus rendering it useless as a model to reconstruct from. Or this could be a
faithful repair and thus represent the diversity of experimentation within the family of the organistrum.
23 Page, Organistrum 1. 43 note 18
21
Honnecourt-sur-l'Escaut Organistrum. late 12th C
Illustration 20: Honnecourt-sur-l'Escaut Organistrum. late 12th C
This example has only just in the past few days come to my attention and did not effect my own
reconstruction of the organistrum. I do include it to complete the record however.
As an example for recreation, this one is sadly flawed, owing entirely to its poor state of
preservation and poor quality of the image. But let us see what we can glean from it.
This one is most unusual and if Christopher Page did not include it as an organistrum, I likely
would not have. Here I bow to a more learned head than my own.24 who has actually seen the statue in
question.
The body appears to be a pear shape with no discernible neck or side bout indents.
There is a visible tail piece that goes right to the edge of the instrument. So we can be fairly safe
in thinking it attaches either right at the end of the instrument, or over the edge around a peg from
which exits the crank.
From the lump below the string and the angle of the strings, we can deduce the presence of the
bridge, if not its shape. The wheel in front is quite well defined and very thick. It is also quite tall.
I can see four strings and from the configuration I think we can assume five. The top mounted
pegs on the peg head confirm this by their placement. One at the very end, two at the near side, one
visible on the other side with ample space for another. Further the strings are at a steep angle that pass
below the peg head to be secured by the pegs from the underside. Given its shape, steepness of the
strings, lack of any method to fret the strings or even a finger board. I have to conclude that the strings
are stopped by the fingers lightly touching them in the air as per the bowed lyre family.
24 Page, Organistrum 1. 40
22
Conclusions from Resources
In the table in the appendix is the compiled data from the iconography above. With all this
information in one place it is possible to now look at the information and draw some conclusions from
it.
Body:
• With rare exceptions the usual shape to the body of an organistrum is the figure eight.
• The sides are between ¼ and 1/3 the maximum width of the body.
• Narrow side arcs between the upper and lower bouts are most common.
•
•
•
•
Neck:
Parallel sides are most common. (10)
Varies greatly in length, from tiny stubs to 1.5 times the length of the body. Insufficient
examples for a conclusion.
Highly decorated lid, seemingly carved. Decoration varies greatly.
Sides vary in decoration. Likely to local requirements.
Soundboard:
• Always has openings for wheel and tone holes of varying types. No agreement as to type.
Simple holes, “D” holes and rosettes appear in equal numbers with no regard for place or
period.
•
Wheel:
Appears anywhere from half way (3), 1/3 (1), 3/4(1) in line with centre arcs ( 5).
Tailpiece:
• Varies greatly. Most common is trapezoidal (3) followed by straight (2). Most are too eroded.
Bridge:
• Commonly 1/3 up from the tail and 1 to 2 finger widths (statue) behind the wheel when shown.
Keys:
• In most cased the icons exhibit a pull type tangent (5) with push type (2) next. The rest are
mostly indeterminate.
Peghead:
• The most common peg head is round (3) the rest are either hidden (4) or eroded away (8)
Strings:
• 3 is most common (8), unknown (3), and other configurations (3).
•
Crank:
“L” shaped (8) with all others unknown.
23
Thus we can now see that the organistrum, though many seem at first glance to be very much
the same, are in fact very individual. This would make sense when taken in context with the
experimental nature of the theoretical monochord it came from. It can not yet be proven, but you can
surmise that the theory of the instrument was taken from monastery to monastery with each stamping
its own image and ideas of construction/operation upon it.
So this leaves me with attempting to recreate a specific instrument or make my own based upon
the collected data. I believe that without direct personal observation of a particular statue or icon type
best to reconstruct from, that I can make anything but a guess as to the exact instrument. As such I
would rather continue in the spirit of the monasteries and take the information I have about it and
construct my own based on that data. This I did over a period of 6 months, totaling between 5 and 6
hundred hours of work. I am disabled, thus have plenty of time on my hands for such an undertaking.
Before construction came roughly 4 months of nothing but thinking about what configuration it
would have and how I would go about construction of this instrument. I had originally wanted to go
with the rotating bridge system from Gerbert and create an early instrument. However after many
discussions with Master Stephen of Hunmanby and Joaquin Ayala of the band Winter Harp, who owns
and plays an Edward Turner made rotating bridge organistrum, I decided I would rather have a later
period instrument with greater capabilities than the slow and awkward rotating bridge would give me.
Still I did not wish to use the push tangent system that was used on some instruments and is still in use
today on the modern hurdy-gurdy. I was wanting more of a challenge than simply cloning a modern
instrument and making it larger. Thus I chose to build the pull tangent system as seen on so many of
icons. Further I chose to go with the larger size of the instrument, (with a greater number of keys,
slightly extended range and chromatic as per the Compostella example appears to be. This allows me a
greater range of music available for SCA usage.) I also went with medium bout arcs with small side
arcs between. I chose a hidden peg head, but kept it the round shape exhibited on so many of the
organistrums and on other period instruments. I chose to have side depth between ¼ and 1/3 the
maximum width of the body. For sound holes I chose to make a pair of 8 pointed interlocked stars on
the upper bouts. Further body decoration included wood burned “dots,” in this case crosses, following
the shape of the body edge. I took the interlock pattern from the Ourense organistrum for the body
sides and a simple box frame about the neck. I chose to go with the three string configuration, placed
the wheel in mid lower bout with the bridge a finger width behind. I had wanted to go with gut strings,
but at $180 each, I simply could not afford them, so went with nylon music string instead. Finally I
would go with an “L” crank with the handle the same length as my palm, with the tangent box lid
would have a pierced lattice interlock. I chose to go with wood burning, blue paint and gilding to
decorate the instrument. It is argued that paint can not be proven on an actual instrument, even though
it was used on the statues as shown above.25 However, the earlier Trossengen lyre, found in 2002 by
Doctor Barbara Grosskopf was found with wood burning and possibly rubbed in colour.26 The Queen
Mary and Trinity Harps, at the other end of period, have wood burning and paint on them. There are so
few survivals from period, but with examples at both extremes it is likely these techniques were in use.
25 Poves.
26 Theune-Großkopf, Barbara. The Trossengen Lyre. The Proceedings of Archeology in Germany.
German language. 2004
24
Techniques of construction
With design in mind, I had to then think about techniques of construction. There were two
possible ways to construct the body/neck assembly. The first I considered as I was most experienced
with it, (having made previous some 50 instruments with this technique) is hollowing. This is a very
old method of construction in which you take a block of wood and carve an instrument from it; sort of a
Micheal Angelo technique. See the instrument within and bring it out. This was and is still a common
construction method. The prime drawbacks are firstly, a block of wood five and a half feet long, eight
inches deep and two and a half feet across is very very hard to get due to the likelihood of flaws
developing during drying and the extremely long drying time. Secondly from experience I can say that
one in 4 instruments you make this way, will be thrown away due to finding a fatal flaw in the wood
during construction. Existent examples of this technique include the Trossengen lyre, the Angel Rebec
and the Wartburg Castle Gothic Harp. The next technique is the one used today by the modern luthier
but less commonly in period until the introduction of the lute. Is taking small pieces of wood to make a
larger instrument. It is extremely labour intensive and would take much longer to make. However it has
the virtue of only adding un-flawed pieces to the work and a lower cost for materials. I had never used
this technique, but decided here was the time to start. It is possible that the technique was brought up in
trade with Byzantium before the Moorish invasion of Spain27 and thus could have been a known and
used method of construction , if not a common one in this time period.
Materials
I chose to go with fiddle back maple for construction with secondary woods of sugar maple,
cherry, black walnut and spruce. European variants of maple and cherry were available as was spruce.
28
I used the sugar maple, sometimes called rock maple, for its high strength to reinforce the neck. I
also made an inner structure for the hollow neck out of spruce for lightness and strength and sheathed it
with fiddle back maple. The back is fiddle back maple, book matched for added interest. The
soundboard is spruce, inner reinforcements are all of spruce. The side arcs were made from sugar
maple, the tail and neck/body join of cherry I harvested, cut and dried myself.
Other considerations included keeping in mind that this was a teaching instrument and as such
the keys were marked with the relevant note so that anyone could reproduce a tune, even if they had
never heard it before and only saw the letters on paper.29 A new and radical idea at this time.
Tools
The most commonly used tools on this project were:
• A variety of hand planes from jointing plane to miniature luthier's planes. Much of the work
27 Montagu. 30
28 Halstead, Gary R. "Woods in Use in the Middle Ages." Medievalwoodworking.com. 2001. Web. 23 Feb 2010.
<http://www.medievalwoodworking.org/articles/wood.htm>.
29 Panum. 293
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
25
would be impossible to do on a power planer as it would shred the oddly grained fiddle back
maple. Work is much easier when dealing with very thin pieces of wood using traditional tools.
Scrapers. Scrapers have been in use for a long time and are essentially a very fine plane. They
also work well when dealing with the fiddle back maple as they care little if the grain is odd. I
prefer scrapers to sand paper.
Razor knives. Exacto type as opposed to specialty knives that would have been made for the
construction of soundboard rosettes in period.
Lathe, for construction of tuning pegs and wheel. Modern as I do not own a more period lathe
Compass.
A variety of small saws.
Bandsaw. I had to do a lot of long cuts and to saw these lengths by hand is more then my
arthritis will allow. Thus the non period substitute.
A variety of chisels.
Improvised wood steamer. A professional in period would have owned a steaming box if bends
were a common part of the work, or one would have been build specially for this project.
A variety of paint brushes, knives and small tools.
Tuning
Now we have some information on the physical structure itself, we have to ask the question;
how was it tuned?
First to take into consideration, Hortense Panum gives a string length at about 1.5 meters,
around 5 feet30 Mine is 1375 millimeters, around 4.5 feet with the over all instrument just over 5 feet in
length.
The Odo tract (assuming it is in fact about an organistrum as the title states) suggests that it was
tuned with 2 unstopped drones at octave intervals and a chanter string a fifth below the highest
string.31 This is at odds with the image in Gerbert which shows a mechanism which plays all strings at
once in some chordal form.32
Panum suggests that it plays organum with the keynote, a fifth above and the octave above the
key note.33 This is in accordance with her interpretation of the Gerbert illustration. Galpin also agrees
that it likely played in the manner of organum; but states that this is a mix of fourths, fifths and octaves.
34
Carl Engle on the other hand says that the main string (chanter) is the highest and the that others are
tuned a fifth below and an octave below the chanter.35 All are acceptable forms of organum music.
Panum further suggests another variant on how the it was tuned with a keynote (chanter) string
30 Panum. 293
31 Segerman. 53
32 Gerbert, Martin, freiherr von Hornau. “Scriptores ecclesiastici de musica sacra potissimum”
(Vol. IV) Greece: San-Blasianis, 1784. Harvard digital collection, 2010.
33 Panum. 296
34 Page, Christopher. Voices and Instruments of the Middle Ages. Berkeley, 1986. 104
35 Engle, Carl. Musical Instruments. London. Chapman and Hall. 1875 98
26
and two drones. First drone is tuned to the chanter with the second being tuned a fifth above this.36 I
am not too sure this tuning is well considered, as you will end up with dissonances in the fourth and
sixth on the chanter as they clash with the drone tuned to the fifth.
I originally set up the instrument to follow a doubled chanter with a third string a fifth above.
This has not worked out as well as I would have liked as the string tension is higher than I wish to have
on this instrument and the sound itself is not what I would like for clarity. As I write, it is playing with
three parallel octave strings, but I plan on trying the doubled chanter in B with the third string a 5th
below at E. This is a lower tension mode on this instrument and I expect good resonance from it.
36 Panum. 293
27
Notes on Building the Organistrum
I built this instrument Empirically, that is all the plans were in my head. This allows me a great
degree of flexibility in changing plans, as the materials or discoveries I make require. I also would
think this is how our ancestors made the earliest instruments. They learned as they went, with only an
idea of where they were going in mind. This fits the idea of some basic information being passed
monastery to monastery and each fitting the instrument to themselves.
I
llustration 21: Stage one - Aleyn's Organistrum
Above you see the results after two weeks of sawing, scraping, planing and cursing. The basic
body was laid out and I used a bent wire to form the outlines of the bouts, when I was happy with the
shape I transferred it to the wood. Neck was laid in front with the peg head already in place. The latter
was designed entirely by compass work to establish shape and location of the holes. I then made the tail
support, neck support (hollowed out to link the resonance chambers in body and neck) wheel supports,
and side arcs. The latter were hollowed to decrease their weight. If I did this again I would not go to
such a degree as I did, as I ended up replacing them three times due to cracking when the sound bouts
were applied. The wheel was turned and test fitted, only very loosely as I had not yet made the
bearings.
28
Illustration 22: Stage 2 - bending frame. Aleyn's Organistrum
Above you see the spruce bending frame I made for bending the side bouts. I had never bent
anything before and this was a massive learning curve as I ruined expensive fiddle back maple or bent
it to the wrong curve. I had to learn timing for steaming, speed to get the thing in the frame, how to
clamp it without causing ripples in the wood or inducing a twist. Also I had to learn how much the
wood rebound back to straight again. I cannot tell you how many times I re-cut the frame, narrower and
narrower till I eventually had
a piece that would spring
back to the correct shape. Yes
that is a cut sanding belt, it is
very strong and a great thing
to use to smoothly bend the
wood. If I had a heavy canvas
I would have used that
instead as it is more period
plausible, but did not, so I
made do.
Beside is my high
tech bending chest. My lady's
water bath canner and some
Illustration 23: Steaming chest. Aleyn's Organistrum
aluminum foil that I had to be careful not to allow to touch the wood, as it would dis-colour it, as I
unfortunately found. Not pretty, but it worked.
Below you can see the sides on, and how they attached
into the various blocks. Simple slits and a bit of hide glue.
They are under a very mild bit of tension within their slits. The
side bouts are
now glued to
the back. The
wheel is in for
true test
fitting. I made
period
plausible
bearings of
soapstone and
wood for it to
turn on.
Illustration 25: Stage 3. Sides on. Aleyn's
29
a
Organistrum
Right is the organistrum
with the inner neck box of
spruce and some spans of
spruce running the length of the
neck in each corner for
strengthening. In the body you
will see braces installed across
the width. Also steam bent
wood kerfing, running about the Illustration 24: Stage 4. neck box,
top and bottom of the sides to body braces. Aleyn's Organistrum
stiffen the top and bottom and
allow a more firm attachment.
to
This is also a good size comparison as I am 5'8” and the
instrument comes up to my chin. Off topic, you can also see a few other
instruments I have made. A Gothic Harp and a Cytol, in the background.
It was only at the point that I installed the various bracing that the
instrument stopped being terrifyingly fragile and I could move it as
needed without fear of destroying all my work.
Illustration 26: Stage 5.
Rosettes. Aleyn's Organistrum
Left is the instrument after cutting the rosettes in the body and
neck soundboards. Yes, the ones in the neck are designed to be able to
resonate. There are two small 8 point stars on the neck and two larger
ones that are of interlocked knotwork on the upper bouts of the body.
The points were carved out into the soundboard, then those cut outs and
the surrounding circle wood burned black so as to give the illusion that
the gold leafed stars are floating in the circles.
30
I have never carved a rosette before and it was once again a learning experience. I used a knife
and cut out the individual triangles that made up the stars. Next I cut the lines so that they would appear
to interweave under and over each other. After this the whole was gold leafed three times, to get a good
finish. This was also my first experience with gilding. You can just see the blackened braces underneath
the rosettes, that strengthen both soundboard and rosette. Normally these are not visible in the darkness
of the interior. Their visibility is caused by the camera flash.
Illustration 27: Stage 6. Clamping on the side skirts. Aleyn's Organistrum
I do wish I owned a digital camera so I could have documented this more thoroughly, but only
had one on occasion. Before stage 6 above, came another two weeks of planing and scraping each side
till it was less than 3/16th of an inch thick. Jointing the two pieces that made up each skirt board so it
was of a good length. (then re-jointing it as it fell apart, twice.) Next marking and cutting all the
mortises for the key assembly. I determined those locations by taking the string length and dividing by
17.8 to find the first fret, dividing the distance from first fret to bridge by 17.8 to get the second and so
on. I had tried earlier the Pythagorean method from the Odo tract, but my results in testing were too
variable for accuracy. This was my fault, not the measurement
system.
To the right is my tail piece. I decided to go with the
trapezoidal tail with rounded corners. I first took a piece of cherry
and sawed it lengthwise to create two matching halves. Next I drew
the design on and cut that out and cleaned it up. I then glued the
halves back together after woodburning the pattern on the bottom
Illustration 28: Tail Piece.
part. Once the glue hardened I gold leafed the whole, drilled holes Aleyn's Organistrum
for tail gut and the strings, inserted grommets I purchased from a
harp making supplier and it was ready to go. The design came from what I think I am seeing on the
Ourense organistrum's tailpiece.
31
Here we find me testing the 15 key
shafts I have cut to match the mortises. I
was very relieved to find they moved
smoothly.
The piece on top is what was
intended to become the tangent box lid.
This did not happen owing to an error when
I rounded the back edge to allow it to
smoothly open. I reduced the width of the
board by 1 millimeter and this was enough
to make it far too small to fit the box.
You
can also see
the wood
burning I
did around
the edge of
the
instrument
in echo of
Ourense and
Illustration 29: Testing the keys. Aleyn's Organistrum
Compostella.
Illustration 30: Stage 6,
To the right is the installed tangent system I created. There are tangent installation. Aleyn's
195 parts to make this keyboard, not including the box it is fitted in or Organistrum
the organistrum body. Each individual tangent is made up of a pin to support the structure. On that is a
drilled dowel that fits over the pin. The dowel houses in a slit a piece of horn. Each bit of horn has a
notch in it, to allow the string it is assigned to to vibrate freely without braying off it and to accurately
catch the string. Each unit is individually adjustable for both string height and to adjust the tone of each
note it is assigned to create. If my calculations are correct, this can be tuned in either equal
32
temperament (as it is currently,) or in just temperament as the tangents have enough range of
movement. Admittedly you would want to do this well in advance, as you would be adjusting 45
individual tangents.
The keyboard is fully chromatic and has a range slightly bigger than the Compostella
instrument. Its range is B to D an octave above.
Illustration 31: Stage 7. Painting and gilding. Aleyn's Organistrum
Above you can see the Ourenze organistrum inspired painting and gilding on the sides. When
using the thin wood I did, carving is out of the question and as noted previously, we have no idea if the
carvings on the statue organistrums meant the real instrument was carved, painted or both!
Owing to allergies on the part of all the members of my family, I did not use an oil based paint
on this as may have been more correct, but a modern acrylic. The gilding is not actual gold, the price
right now is prohibitive, but “hobby” gold, which I understand to be brass. Once again, like the gut
strings, I would love to use it, but not with that kind of an expense.
Illustration 32: Stage 8. done. Aleyn's Organistrum
Finally we have the completed instrument. It only lacks its lid, which will come as time allows.
This representative of the earliest keyboards now stands as one of only a dozen organistrums that exist
in the world today. Even then, 7 are debatable as they have been reduced in size to allow one man to
play them and thus are more Symphonia than Organistrum.
Not common in period, this instrument today as the rarest instrument in the world.
The Organistrum.
References
Duffin, Ross W. A Performer's Guide to Medieval Music. Indiana. Indiana University Press. 2000
Engle, Carl. Musical Instruments. London. Chapman and Hall. 1875
Gerbert, Martin, freiherr von Hornau. “Scriptores ecclesiastici de musica sacra potissimum”
(Vol. IV) Greece: San-Blasianis, 1784. Harvard digital collection, 2010.
Galpin, Francis W. Old English Instruments – their history and character. London: 2nd ed. Methuen &
Co. LTD, 1911.
Halstead, Gary R. "Woods in Use in the Middle Ages." Medievalwoodworking.com. 2001. Web. 23 Feb
2010. <http://www.medievalwoodworking.org/articles/wood.htm>.
"Keyboard instrument." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 17 Nov.
2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/315885/keyboard-instrument>.
Montagu, Jeremy. The World of Medieval & Renaissance Musical Instruments. 1st ed. New York:
Overlook Press, 1976.
Page, Christopher. Medieval Organistrum and Symphonia, 1: a Legacy from the East. The Galpin
Society Journal. 35 (March 1982) 37-44
Page, Christopher. Medieval Organistrum and Symphonia, 2: Terminology. The Galpin Society
Journal. 36 (March 1983) 71-87
Page, Christopher. Voices and Instruments of the Middle Ages. Berkeley, 1986. 150
Panum, Hortense, and Pulver, Jeffrey, The stringed instruments of the Middle Ages : their evolution
and development : a detailed and comprehensive history, with illustrations, of the evolution of the
mediaeval stringed musical instruments from their first appearance in the records of the earliest
civilisations, through their gradual development in the Greek, Roman and Christian eras down to
more recent times / from the Danish of Hortense Panum William Reeves, London : 1939
Poves, Antonio ." The organistrum in Spain - Historical Background. Web. 18 Feb 2010.
<http://www.organistrum.com/imagenes/organos7.jpg>.
Randel, don Michael. The Harvard dictionary of music. Boston. Harvard United Press. 2003
Remnant, Mary. Musical Instruments of the West. First ed. New York: St. Martin's Press Inc, 1978. 734,192.
Segerman, Ephraim. The Development of Western European Stringed Instruments. Lulu.com. 2006
Theune-Großkopf, Barbara. The Trossengen Lyre. The Proceedings of Archeology in Germany.
German language. 2004
Illustration Index
Illustration Index
Illustration 1: Guido of Azzero & Theobaldus at the monochord. 12thC. osterreichische national
bibilothek, vienna.......................................................................................................................................3
Illustration 2: The Organistrum by Martin Gerbert....................................................................................5
Illustration 3: Honnecourt-sur-l'Escaut organistrum. late 12thC...............................................................5
Illustration 4: Hortus Deliciarium. late 12th C...........................................................................................7
Illustration 5: Hunterian Psalter, circ 1170................................................................................................8
Illustration 6: Lindesey Psalter, early 13th C............................................................................................9
Illustration 7: Gerbert from Scriptores Ecclesiastici (Vol. IV)..................................................................9
Illustration 8: Gate of Paradise, Ourense Cathedral 12th C....................................................................10
Illustration 9: Gate of Butrón Ahed Cathedral 12th C.............................................................................11
Illustration 10: Gate of the Virgin de la Peña, Sepúlveda, Segovia. 12th C............................................12
Illustration 11: Gate of San Miguel de Estella, Navarra 12th C..............................................................13
Illustration 12: Gate of Santo Domingo, Soria 12th C.............................................................................14
Illustration 13: Northern Gate at the Colegiata de Toro 12th C...............................................................15
Illustration 14: de Toro in greyscale.........................................................................................................16
Illustration 15: Saint George de Boscherville, Normandy 11thC...........................................................17
Illustration 16: Saint George de Bosherville. Rouen Museum................................................................17
Illustration 17: Gate of Glory, Santiago de Compostela 12thC...............................................................18
Illustration 18: Palacio Gelmirez,Galacia 12thC.....................................................................................19
Illustration 19: Notre Dame Organistrum. Circa 1160.............................................................................20
Illustration 20: Honnecourt-sur-l'Escaut Organistrum. late 12th C.........................................................21
Illustration 21: Stage one - Aleyn's Organistrum.....................................................................................27
Illustration 22: Stage 2 - bending frame. Aleyn's Organistrum...............................................................28
Illustration 23: Steaming chest. Aleyn's Organistrum.............................................................................28
Illustration 24: Stage 4. neck box, body braces. Aleyn's Organistrum....................................................29
Illustration 25: Stage 3. Sides on. Aleyn's Organistrum..........................................................................29
Illustration 26: Stage 5. Rosettes. Aleyn's Organistrum...........................................................................29
Illustration 27: Stage 6. Clamping on the side skirts. Aleyn's Organistrum...........................................30
Illustration 28: Tail Piece. Aleyn's Organistrum.....................................................................................30
Illustration 29: Testing the keys. Aleyn's Organistrum...........................................................................31
Illustration 30: Stage 6, tangent installation. Aleyn's Organistrum.........................................................31
Illustration 31: Stage 7. Painting and gilding. Aleyn's Organistrum.......................................................32
Illustration 32: Stage 8. done. Aleyn's Organistrum...............................................................................32
Cover Illustration: Compostella Organistrum, sketch.
Images unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of wiki-commons and are free of copyright
Image marked Aleyn's Organistrum are by Aleyn Wykington.
Icon
Body
Neck
Soundboard
Wheel
Tailpiece
Hortus
Shallow 8
Straight neck. ½ body length
Featureless
None shown
Inverse fan
Hunterian
Shallow 8 with secondary arcs
between bouts coming to ½
main arc width
Narrowing. carved/painted cover with
zigzag. Cover extends in a “teardrop” over
the centre of the peghead.
Slit holes either side of strings, “D”
hole forward of slits centred with flat
between the slits.
None shown
Straight
Lindesey
Shallow 8 with secondary arc
between bouts that are almost
as wide as the main body arcs.
Straight
Four “D” holes, once centred in each
bout on either side of the strings.
Within
secondary
arcs. Most of
body width in
size.
None shown
Gerbert
Medium depth 8
Narrowing, 1 ½ times the length of the
body.
Two round holes, centred in upper
bouts
2/3 up lower
bouts
Straight
Ourense
Medium depth 8. winding
interlock on sides. Side
thickness 1/3 to ½ maximum
body width Purple and gold
Parallel sides. ¾ body length. Box design
on sides along edges. Some gilding.
Cover shows same pattern as body sides,
purple and some indication of gold.
Dots along bout edged with two
layers of zig zag patterning within.
Could be a complex rosette.
¾ up lower
Trapezoid, narrow to tail,
bout, nearly at wide to bridge.
bout joins.
Butron
Narrow 8, pierced by a small
hole in each bout. Thickness
1/3 to ¼ body width.
Short stub
Four “D” holes centered in each bout
on either side of the strings
Unable to
determine
Virgin de la Pena
Medium 8. upper bout smaller Very short. Neck section is 2/3 the length of 6 holes total. Drilled round type. 4
than lower bout in width. Body the body.
larger ones, centred one per bout. 2
thickness ¼ max bout width
smaller centered either side of strings
at bout joins.
San Miguel
shallow 8 with narrow side
arcs. Thickness unknown.
Decorated with pillars and
arches.
Same length as body. Shows no peghead
nor is there room for one given the
positioning of the last key.
Unknown due to angle of photograph. Half way up
lower bout.
Covered by hand
Santo Domingo
Narrow 8. with elliptical side
arcs. Thickness ¼ to 1/3 max
width
½ total body length. Any peghead has
eroded off.
4 “D” holes. One in each of the side
bouts with flat close to string(s)
Not shown
Narrow oval
De Toro
Shallow 8 with small side arcs.
Thickness is 1/3 body width.
Sides are decorated with two
lines and circles in between
them.
1 ½ times body length. Sides slightly taller
than body width. Appears to be decorated
with large circles connected by lines at the
centre point. A line goes around the entire
neck / string box. String box begins partway
out on the neck, rather than at the body join.
Lid shows “compass flower” carving and
piercing.
Drilled piercings trace the edge of
each bout. Another line of larger holes
follows the first closer to the center
line of the instrument.
Located at the
edge of the
lower bouts
and the side
arc
Narrowing trapezoid with
rounded corners. Some drill
work is in evidence. Tied
over the tail in some manner.
Means of this eroded.
Boscherville
Narrow 8.
Average width. Length impossible to
determine from photo, seems to be some
2/3 length of body in sketch.
4 “D” holes, centred within each bout None shown
on either side of the strings.
Present, but very hard to tell
type from image.
Half way from Present, but very hard to tell
tail to end of
type from image and erosion.
lower bout
Elongate tear drop
Icon
Body
Neck
Soundboard
Wheel
Tailpiece
Compostela
8 with small side arcs.
1 ¼ times the length of the body. It shows a
lid of interlaced carving. Lattice rather than
knotwork. The dots continue around the lid
edge. Lid begins at neck/body junction.
A highly elaborate rosette covers the
upper bout and is very definitely
pierced. Bottom bout is pierced with 4
triangles placed at 90' from each other
on either side of the string line. The
triangle apexes are point in to the
centre and have a dot above each. A
series of dots traces around the edge
of each bout.
Front of the
wheel is in
line with the
juncture of the
arcs and the
lower bouts.
Trapezoidal, large end
towards the bridge. It is
either pierced, carved or
painted.
Palacio Gelmirez
Figure 8, narrower at top than
bottom.
Remains equal to length of body. Likely
longer before damage occurred.
4 – 6 pointed stars located one per
bout on either side of strings.
Centred on
side arcs
None shown
Notre Dame
Elongated oval.
String cover begins at body junction. Cover Pierced with two 4 pointed starts, 2/3
has scalloped edge on body side. It has
up the body on either side of the
holes at the top where the tuning pegs show strings
through. 2/3 length of body
1/3 up the
Integral tail / crank exit in
body from the animalistic carving.
tail
Honnecourt
Pear shaped
None.
½ way up the Visible, but impossible to
body from tail. gain useful data from
Icon
Bridge
Not visible
Keys
Peghead
Strings
Hortus
None shown
None shown on Landsberg, lines that might Round. Strings fan out from nut
be tangents are on the Bastard copy
Hunterian
None shown
Pulled type tangents
Round with keys quartering it, top and 3
sides.
L. there is a protruding block
into which the crank seems to
go that could be a bearing
block or decoration.
Lindesey
None shown
On instrument left side. Insufficient detail
to tell type
Obscured by player's hand
Insufficient
detail to see.
Looks like 1,
could be more
L. there is a protruding block
into which the crank seems to
go that could be a bearing
block or decoration.
Gerbert
Present, seen from above, shape Turned rotating bridges. 8
unknown
Round
3, narrowing
to the nut
L with ball end
Ourense
Arc type
Unknown from all known photo
angles
3
L
Square back, pull type tangents. 7
3
Crank
L shaped
Icon
Bridge
Keys
Peghead
Strings
Crank
Butron
Too eroded for data.
None. Seems to be played on a fingerboard Too eroded for detail. Seems to be
on the upper bouts.
attached to a small stub neck.
3
lost
Virgin de la Pena
Too eroded for data.
None shown. From hand positions it uses a Rounded square. Shows two string
push tangent system of the modern type.
pegs
2
lost
San Miguel
1/3 up from tail. Appears flat in
photograph.
Hand positions indicate modern tangent
system. Hands obscure key number.
None to be seen. Pegs could be
anchored over end of box, 90' to
strings.
unknown
L. very deep. Twice body
width.
Santo Domingo
None shown
None shown. Could be erosion or could
have been finger fretted.
Eroded away
1
Can not determine
De Toro
Located 2/3 statue's finger
width behind the wheel
Do not exit the back of the string box.
Position of left hand indicated pulled type.
None visible
unknown
missing
Boscherville
None shown
On left/player side only. Type
indeterminate.
None visible
3
L
Compostela
Located two statue fingers
behind the wheel.
12 keys played from the back, hands
indicate pulled. This is indicative of a
chromatic scale, not diatonic.
None visible
3
L
Palacio Gelmirez
None shown
11 to 13. chromatic. pull
missing
3
lost
Notre Dame
None shown
6 on upper side. Short.
3 keys visible. May be one more
beneath hands
4. two large
on outsides,
two narrow
and close
together on
the inside.
lost
Honnecourt
Located 1/3 up from the tail
None. From the steep angle they were
fretted like a bowed lyre.
Shape unknown due to erosion and
photograph angle. 5 pegs in head
5, based on
pegs in head
lost

The Organistrum - Aleyn`s Instruments

Transcription

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