The British Museum Citole: New Perspectives
Stevenson Theatre,
British Museum
4-5 November, 2010
Call for Papers
The British Museum is pleased to host a symposium to highlight recent
research related to the medieval citole in its collection. This is the
first international symposium on this unique instrument, and celebrates
recent work done by scientists at the British Museum as well as
significant new research by scholars in many fields.
The British Museum citole (formerly known as the ‘Warwick Castle
gittern’) is one of a small handful of medieval stringed musical
instruments to have survived, providing an invaluable link between
iconography and reality. Equally, it is important as one of the most
extraordinary examples of craftsmanship and decorative arts from the
fourteenth century, prominently displayed in the newly renovated
medieval gallery of the Museum.
A rich post-medieval existence is indicated by an engraved silver plate
which links the instrument to Queen Elizabeth I and her favourite,
Robert Dudley. The instrument was modified into a violin, receiving a
new soundboard, fingerboard, tailpiece, peg arrangement, and other
fittings. The history of these later accretions yield valuable insights
into the violin and violin making in Britain.
By taking as its focus the single extant instrument, it is hoped that
this symposium will promote research and discussion about a number of
diverse topics. We invite participants to submit paper proposals
relating to any aspect of the British Museum citole. The following list
of topics, which is neither prescriptive nor exhaustive, may serve as
an inspiration:
Iconography and morphology of citoles
Citoles in documents and literature
Citole performance practices
The artwork on the British Museum citole
The craft of the medieval instrument builder
Stringed instruments in the medieval period: performers, producers, and
patrons
The violin fittings on the British Museum citole
Music and musical instruments of Elizabeth I
Papers should be 20 minutes in length, and the symposium will feature
time for questions as well as roundtable discussions with researchers,
makers, and players of this instrument type. Following the symposium,
publication of an edited volume of selected papers is planned.
Abstracts of 300-400 words and a brief CV should be submitted by
15
January 2010, as Word attachments to an email to the address
below. For
further information, please contact:
Naomi Speakman
Project Curator of
Medieval Collections
Department of Prehistory and Europe
British
Museum, London, WC1B 3DG
44-(0)20-7323-8467 (phone)
44-(0)20-7323-8496 (fax)
NSpeakman @ britishmuseum.org.
