Technology
and craft of early stringed instruments, c. 500-1550
Saturday, November 6, 2010 Institute
of Musical Research
University of London
Senate House
Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HU
Room G22/26
See below for directions to G22/26
This study day will focus on pragmatic features of instruments of
monoxylic (carved body) design. We will examine evidence from
extant instruments along with contemporaneous theoretical writings,
iconography, and technology, to consider the constructional details of
early instruments, and by extension, the skills of the maker and how
this craft was shared.
The study day will feature presentations and roundtable discussions by
scholars, archaeologists, musicians, and instrument builders, and will
also include a small exhibition of reconstruction instruments.
10:30-11:30, Strings and tuning
John Irving, Welcome
Justine Bayley, Brass wire finds
John Koster, String topics
Daniel Larson, Early gut strings: some practical considerations
11:30-11:45 Coffee Break
11:45-12:30, Tuning and tools
George Stevens, Notes and observations from a maker's workshop
Alice Margerum, Archaeological small finds: pens or plecta?
Michael Fleming, Woodworking tools in 16th c Oxford
12:30-1:45 Lunch Break
1:45-4:00, The craft of the medieval instrument maker
Jan-Ellen Harriman, Observations on the reproduction of the Trossingen
lyre soundboard
Graeme Lawson, Knowledge, tradition, and design: who built the earliest
medieval lyres?
Dorota Poplawska, Elblag instruments
Kate McWilliams, The Met mandora and the Vienna rebecchino: products of
a single workshop?
Lewis Jones, Surviving instruments
4:00-4:15 Coffee break
4:15-4:45 Citoles and Cetras
Marc Lewon, The Cetra, a 15th c Orpharion?
Topic discussion: citole frets
4:45-5:30: Discussion and informal exhibition of reproduction
instruments
Senate House is located directly to the north of the British Museum, in
the block surrounded by Russell Square, Montague Place, and Malet
Street. You can enter it from the east (Russell Square) or west
(Malet Street).
From the east, go to the top corner of Russell Square and walk past the
entrance to Stewart House. Continue down the dead end road
towards the archways in front of you. Once under the archways,
turn left and enter the building (the building to the right is marked
Library). Room G22 is ahead towards the coffee shop and down the
corridor on the right.
From the west, walk north on Malet Street away from the British Museum,
and turn right into the first main building entrance. There is
currently a lot of construction around this entrance. Walk past
the construction and under the archways. Turn to the right and
enter the building (the building to the left is marked Library).
Room G22 is ahead towards the coffee shop and down the corridor
on the right.