Gittern

The gittern was a relatively small, quill-plucked, gut strung instrument, originating around the 14th century. A predecessor of the guitar, the gittern outwardly resembled the mandore, and was a relative of the lute in as much as its back was similarly rounded. However, the gittern was much smaller, and had no clear division between the body and neck. Generally its body and neck were constructed from a single piece of wood. A popular instrument with the minstrels and amateur musicians of the 14th century, the gittern eventually out-competed its rival, the citole. Soon after, its popularity began to fade, giving rise to the larger and more evocative lute.

Since the 19th century, the gittern has often been confused with the citole, mandora, and mandole. As a result of this uncertainty, many modern sources refer to gitterns as mandoras, and to citoles as gitterns. The latter error is due mainly due to the resemblance of the citole's outline to the (vihuela-shaped) guitar.

Etymology

All of the forementioned names for the gittern are derived from the Greek "kithara" via the Persian "quitara". The terms derived are the Spanish "quitarra", the Italian "chitarra"”, and the French "guitarre". The form "guiterne" stems from the confusion regarding the unrelated Latin word "quinterna", meaning fivefold. This form was the standard usage until the 16th century. The occurrence of the use of the word "guita(r)e" remained rare. Although the common use of the lute shape was displaced by the vihuela (similar to a guitar), the immediate change of name did not follow. Both "guiterne" and "guiterre" fell out of use in the 17th century.

Structure

The gittern was usually carved from one piece of timber. Occurring less rarely later in the 15th century, the back was built up from a number of thin tapered ribs joined at the edges, as was characteristic of the lute. Unlike the sharp corner joining the body to the neck seen in the lute, the gittern's body and neck always joined in a smooth curve or straight line. The sickle, or occasional gentle arc pegbox, made an angle with the neck of between 30-90 degrees. Unlike the lute, most pegboxes on gitterns ended in a carving of a human or animal head.

Most gitterns were depicted as having three or (more commonly) four courses of double strings played with a quill plectrum. Each course of strings was attached to an endpin, which was laterally inserted into the pegbox. Although there is not much direct information concerning gittern tuning, the later versions were quite possibly tuned in fourths and fifths like the mandore a few decades later. Frets were represented in a few depictions (mainly Italian), though absent in French and English depictions. Like nearly all early instruments, the gittern's sound hole was covered with a rosette (a delicate wood carving or parchment cutting).

Role in literature

The gittern was often referenced from the 14th to early 15th century, including the inventory of several courts. Charles V of France's court recorded four, including one of ivory, while the courts of Este and Ferrara recorded the hiring of gittern masters. However, the gittern was also popular with amateur musicians of every class, owing to its portability and ease of playing. Dante, referring to the structure of the gittern, said, "just as it would be blameworthy operation to make a spade of a fine sword or a goblet of a fine gittern." It was frequently recorded as being used in taverns, often for serenading. Chaucer mentions the gittern several times in the "Canterbury Tales" as being played by people who frequent taverns. During its heyday of popularity, Jean Gerson, in a French sermon, compares the four cardinal virtues to "la guiterne de quatre cordes."

History

The gittern entered Europe in the 13th century from Arab countries. It is referred to originally in French literature. From around 1270 onwards, it was continually mentioned, although it was only commonly depicted after 1300. During the 14th century, the gittern's recognition constantly increased, eventually ousting the similarly popular citole. However, the lute eventually overshadowed even the gittern's popularity in the 15th century. Soon after, the vihuela-shaped guitar began to appear and may have existed alongside the gittern, although the latter was gradually losing ground to the newer instrument. In spite of the gittern's slow fall from favor, it was referred to as late as the 18th century as a small round backed instrument, illustrating its occasional use.

External links

* [http://www.diabolus.org/guide/gittern.htm Guide to Early Instruments] - The Gittern and Citole.
* [http://www.diabolus.org/guide/guitar.htm Guide to Early Instruments] - The Guitar and Vihuela.
* [http://www.standingstones.com/engguit.html The Guitar in England]
* [http://www.musicintime.co.uk/varioushistories.htm Plucked, fretted instruments in Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Scotland]
* [http://earlymusichicago.org/businesses_gittern.htm Gittern Businesses] - Early MusiChicago
* [http://www.linguatics.com/guitar.htm The History of the Guitar in Spain]

ee also

*Cittern