CHAPTER 3: History to 1800 > Early Renaissance - 15th century

Illustrations - 8 of 15

fig.25: Dulcimer of type 0.4, but with parallel saddles BN1760 Fr. 25528, fo. 85v. Five single courses?

The fourth group has the shape of the familiar stromento di porco (39) which may be considered as a sort of trapezium with partly convex sides; the latter reflect at least in part the exponential curve produced by the vibrating lengths needed to produce a scale from strings of equal thickness (mass) and tension.

fig.27: 'Those who made the psalter': musicians at the court of René II of Lorraine, Bibl. de l'Arsenal A55/375

Here there are three examples, again French and played by ladies (figs. 25, 27, 28) - a correlation between elaborated shapes and female players, but based on a tiny sample, of course.

Two of them have a number of strings which is immediately feasible - 8 and 15 - and are shown in fairly convincing detail for the period.

The Lorraine doulcemelle (?) (fig. 27) is particularly interesting in having two completely separate groups of strings, arranged so that they do not in fact use the curved shape of the sound box; instead, the saddles form two oblongs, the short sides of which are joined by a curve to give the 'pig's snout' shape.