Psalteries are one of the oldest musical instruments still in use. Dating back roughly 4000 years, they have been in use since the time of the Old Testament in the Bible. They have played a long and distinguished role in the history of humankind.
The psaltery was invented by the ancient Greeks and is much like a harp or zither in its design. From Greece, its use spread into the Middle East, and then Europe, so that during the medieval era it was to be found all over Europe. Nowadays it is available in other areas as well, and there is a sub-industry of manufacturing handmade instruments.
A psaltery is a stringed instrument consisting of a hollow wooden body with the strings attached to one side. The body is typically triangular in shape and the strings are attached along its sides and to one end. At the end of attachment they are secured to tuning pins, which are rotated to achieve the right note. The design of the psaltery has changed substantially over time but the basic principle, namely plucked or bowed strings, has remained the same.
There is also variation in terms of playing style. Plucking with the fingers or a plectrum is one style, while there is also percussive striking (which is the same way that a piano produces sound; see below). The most recent addition is the bowed (stroked) version, which is played like a violin, using a bow. The bowed variety appeared in the 1900s century, while the plucked one is thousands of years old.
The history books make frequently mention the psaltery. The ancient Greeks depicted it in their art and the Bible refers to it on several occasions. The obvious example is the Book of Psalms: 'Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.' (Psalms 108:2, an excerpt from the King James Version. There is no conclusive proof, however, that the word as used here is actually referring to the psaltery, since the original text's meaning has been lost.)
There is a theory that psalteries were brought to Europe from the Middle East by the crusaders. Be that as it may, the instrument was an acceptable pastime for ladies of the royal court, and it can be seen in artwork dating from the medieval period in Europe. In time, it began to be associated with the development of other instruments such as the harpsichord and the dulcimer.
In fact, the psaltery is thought to be the forerunner of the piano, since it relies on the same principle to produce sound. Not everyone may agree with this theory, but the psaltery has played an important role in the development of music nonetheless. It is also linked to the invention of sheet music notation.
There is a certain mystical appeal in listening to ancient instruments like psalteries. Their music is like a journey through time to a distant era, now long gone. In an age of loud electronic music and cutting-edge sound technology, it is refreshing to be able to observe the earliest instruments displaying the most basic musical principles, and to wonder at how it all began thousands of years ago.
The psaltery was invented by the ancient Greeks and is much like a harp or zither in its design. From Greece, its use spread into the Middle East, and then Europe, so that during the medieval era it was to be found all over Europe. Nowadays it is available in other areas as well, and there is a sub-industry of manufacturing handmade instruments.
A psaltery is a stringed instrument consisting of a hollow wooden body with the strings attached to one side. The body is typically triangular in shape and the strings are attached along its sides and to one end. At the end of attachment they are secured to tuning pins, which are rotated to achieve the right note. The design of the psaltery has changed substantially over time but the basic principle, namely plucked or bowed strings, has remained the same.
There is also variation in terms of playing style. Plucking with the fingers or a plectrum is one style, while there is also percussive striking (which is the same way that a piano produces sound; see below). The most recent addition is the bowed (stroked) version, which is played like a violin, using a bow. The bowed variety appeared in the 1900s century, while the plucked one is thousands of years old.
The history books make frequently mention the psaltery. The ancient Greeks depicted it in their art and the Bible refers to it on several occasions. The obvious example is the Book of Psalms: 'Awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.' (Psalms 108:2, an excerpt from the King James Version. There is no conclusive proof, however, that the word as used here is actually referring to the psaltery, since the original text's meaning has been lost.)
There is a theory that psalteries were brought to Europe from the Middle East by the crusaders. Be that as it may, the instrument was an acceptable pastime for ladies of the royal court, and it can be seen in artwork dating from the medieval period in Europe. In time, it began to be associated with the development of other instruments such as the harpsichord and the dulcimer.
In fact, the psaltery is thought to be the forerunner of the piano, since it relies on the same principle to produce sound. Not everyone may agree with this theory, but the psaltery has played an important role in the development of music nonetheless. It is also linked to the invention of sheet music notation.
There is a certain mystical appeal in listening to ancient instruments like psalteries. Their music is like a journey through time to a distant era, now long gone. In an age of loud electronic music and cutting-edge sound technology, it is refreshing to be able to observe the earliest instruments displaying the most basic musical principles, and to wonder at how it all began thousands of years ago.
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