When did the lute first appear in history?

When did the lute first appear in history?

Lutes were in widespread use in Europe at least since the 13th century, and documents mention numerous early performers and composers. However, the earliest surviving lute music dates from the late 15th century.

Why was the lute popular in the Renaissance?

In the Renaissance era, the lute was the most popular instrument in the Western world. It became the symbol of the magic and power of music. The lute was the instrument of kings and queens, playing the sublime music of great composers. The lute was heard in the theatre in the incidental music of Shakespeare’s plays.

Where did the lute originate from?

Western Europe
Lute/Place of origin

Who invented the lute first?

The lute that was prominent in European popular art and music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods originated as the Arab ʿūd. This instrument was taken to Europe in the 13th century by way of Spain and by returning crusaders and is still played in Arab countries.

How much did a lute cost?

All lutes are custom made instruments, and therefore they tend to be expensive. A used Larry Brown student lute, the “standard” of the beginner’s lute world, goes for $1500 USA these days, give or take $500.

Are Guitars lutes?

The principal difference between guitars and lutes is that guitars have flat backs and lutes are rounded.

Why do Lutes have bent necks?

Lutes are hollow instruments with short necks and strings. This bend helps keep the tension on the strings and keeps the lute in tune. As with many stringed instruments, such as the guitar, autoharp, or banjo, the lute player produces sound by plucking the strings.

What kind of music was the lute song?

The term lute song is given to a music style from the late 16th century to early 17th century, late Renaissance to early Baroque, that was predominantly in England and France. Lute songs were generally in strophic form or verse repeating with a homophonic texture.

Why was the lute popular in the Middle Ages?

Lutes were popular in the Middle Ages for doing precisely that_playing one line_but at some point in the late 15th century, players began to experiment with playing more contrapuntal or chordal works. The new arm/hand position continued at first to come round the end of the instrument, using the thumb and forefinger as plectrum substitutes.

Where was the lute most popular in the Baroque?

By the eighteenth century the lute’s greatest popularity and place of development had shifted to Germany. Silvius Leopold Weiss (1687-1750) towered over all other lutenists of the Baroque with his virtuoso playing and sublime compositions.

When was the last time the lute was played?

The lute and its repertoire were never quite forgotten, however, and from the end of the nineteenth century a revival began.