Books › The Instruments of the Modern Orchestra and Early Records of the Precursors of the Violin Family, in Two Volumes, Vol. I- Modern Orchestral Instruments, 1910 › scan 11
Scan 11
The Instruments of the Modern Orchestra and Early Records of the Precursors of the Violin Family, in Two Volumes, Vol. I- Modern Orchestral Instruments, 1910
10 lines. Read by computer on 18 September 2026, twice; the two readings disagreed in places. No printed page number was found. See the scan on archive.org.
1synonymous names for the same instrument, the cithara having been also known among the Romans as fidicula. The word guitar is derived from githara or guitra, Moorish equivalents for kithara, and fidicula was softened in Spanish to vihuela, while in French it became vielle, in Italian viol, and in German and English fiedel or fiddle. The vihuela was the Spanish name for the Latin guitar derived from the classical kithara, in contradistinction to the Moorish guitar, a pear-shaped instrument with vaulted back akin to rebab and lute. There were three kinds of vihuela in use in Spain during the Middle Ages: the vihuela de mano, with gut strings plucked by hand, which we call the Spanish guitar; the vihuela de penna, or ghttern with wire strings plucked by means of a quill, and the vihuela de arco or bowed guitar, the guitar-fiddle of the troubadours and minstrels. Thus the instrument itself, by its name no less than by its structural features, affords definite evidence of its origin. When, in addition, each step in the evolution can be graphically traced, the evidence becomes conclusive, and the derivation of the violin family from the Greek kithara is firmly established, while at the same time I feel justified in rejecting the rebab and crwth from the line of ancestors. one of two readings
2synonymous names for the same instrument, the cithara having been also known among the Romans as fidicula. The word guitar is derived from githara or guitra, Moorish equivalents for kithara, and fidicula was softened in Spanish to vihuela, while in French it became vielle, in Italian viol, and in German and English fiedel or fiddle. The vihuela was the Spanish name for the Latin guitar derived from the classical kithara, in contradistinction to the Moorish guitar, a pear-shaped instrument with vaulted back akin to rebab and lute. There were three kinds of vihuela in use in Spain during the Middle Ages: the vihuela de mano, with gut strings plucked by hand, which we call the Spanish guitar; the vihuela de penna, or gittern with wire strings plucked by means of a quill, and the vihuela de arco or bowed guitar, the guitar-fiddle of the troubadours and minstrels. Thus the instrument itself, by its name no less than by its structural features, affords definite evidence of its origin. When, in addition, each step in the evolution can be graphically traced, the evidence becomes conclusive, and the derivation of the violin family from the Greek kithara is firmly established, while at the same time I feel justified in rejecting the rebab and crwth from the line of ancestors. one of two readings
4In order to afford students the fullest opportunity of forming their own conclusions*, all the fresh evidence which came to light while the work was in the press, has been introduced, if only in the Index.
6The result of the magnificent work done by the various archæological societies in exploring and excavating the centres of the more ancient Oriental civilisations, and in rapidly publishing the reports of their finds, renders it necessary to recon- one of two readings
7The result of the magnificent work done by the various archaeological societies in exploring and excavating the centres of the more ancient Oriental civilisations, and in rapidly publishing the reports of their finds, renders it necessary to recon- one of two readings
9* This present work is based on some articles which appeared respectively in "Music" (London, 1896-8), and in the "London Musical Courier" (1897 8).
The computer misreads some letters and numbers. Where a name matters to you, read the scan.