Renaissance options

[jarhead122]

Hi there,
The music department at my college (George Fox University) is considering setting up a Renaissance ensemble for next year. I've been asked to do some research about possible stringed instruments that would qualify as Renaissance. We have a few mandolin players here, so the goal would be to find an instrument tuned in fifths that maintaining the authenticity of the era. Any ideas? I was thinking cittern, but are there any shorter scale options? Thanks!

Jared

[John Goodin]

If you haven't discovered Andrew Hartig's renaissance cittern site you might want to take a look at it.

http://cittern.theaterofmusic.com/

It's full of fascinating information and suggestions.

John G.

[Alex of the North]

That's an interesting website, but I have to say, the traditional tuning of a cittern makes no sense to me: e-d-g-b but tuned re-entrant with a high e? That would really confuse me. How about one of these orpharions? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orpharion

[David Westwick]

[quote=Alex of the North,Feb. 07 2007, 20:02]That's an interesting website, but I have to say, the traditional tuning of a cittern makes no sense to me: e-d-g-b but tuned re-entrant with a high e?

Yes, given it's re-entrant tuning the cittern would probably be better suited to a Banjo or Ukelele player.

[jarhead122]

Are orpharions/lutes ever tuned in fifths? I guess that's my main concern. Trying to learn weird new (old) tuning configurations. Somewhere I heard that cittern was tuned in fifths with just an extra course.

[David Westwick]

Are orpharions/lutes ever tuned in fifths? I guess that's my main concern. Trying to learn weird new (old) tuning configurations. Somewhere I heard that cittern was tuned in fifths with just an extra course.

The "standard" tuning for a 6-course Renaissaince lute is in fourths, with a major third between the 3rd and 4th courses (i.e. right down the middle of the fingerboard). Generally the outside strings are either g (gcfadg) or a (adgbea). Once you get above 6 courses, all bets are off, although the upper 6 courses will probably retain the usual tuning.

[Eugene]

Straight 5ths on plucked things are relatively new. You could go with mandore; that was sometimes tuned in a combination of 5ths and 4ths to arrive at something like a-d'-a'-d"-a" or g-c'-g'-c"-g". Rob MacKillop (1998. The flowers of the forest. Greentrax, CDTRAX 155) and Ronn McFarlane (1990. The Scottish lute. Dorian Recordings, DOR-90129) have recorded mandore solos to great effect, and there is a fair amount of mandore tastefully (perhaps delightfully) incorporated into broken consort by the Broadside Band (1980/1992. Airs populaires Anglais du XVII siecle. Harmonia Mundi, HMA 1901039).

...Or you could play mandolins and simply acknowledge that they aren't quite like renaissance-era instruments.

[jarhead122]

...Or you could play mandolins and simply acknowledge that they aren't quite like renaissance-era instruments.

I was afraid of this. #Oh well, it might be the best option.