medieval fiddles and vielles

August 29, 2011 at 12:56 AM ·

 What makes you think the average person here could have possibly heard or played such an instrument?

August 29, 2011 at 01:22 AM ·

Design...   these medieval instruments evoluted to the violin family.

August 29, 2011 at 03:43 AM ·

 Scott, many (I expect) of those who studied in a university music program had the opportunity to play in Collegium Musicum, where those instruments are available.   Maybe not everyone tried them...but...

August 29, 2011 at 08:10 AM ·

yes - i forgot to mention the fiddle's oval shape.  the only comparison i can make is with the ukulele:  the difference between a pineapple shaped uke and a conventional hour-glass shaped one is not as noticeable as with the medieval and modern violin models. 

for those who've never heard these instruments, here's an example of the vielle:

www.youtube.com/watch

 here's an oval shaped fiddle:

 www.youtube.com/user/domitillevigneron#p/u/7/i5Aoa2mG4cI

first time i heard these "early" instruments i was more impressed with what they weren't, rather than what they are.  they're not everyone's cup of tea but i really like their "woody" box-like tone.   

August 29, 2011 at 02:52 PM ·

Quite apart from the tone and playing of Barry Hall's vielle, which is gorgeous, what I rather like is its simple and straightforward pegging, so unlike the modern violin's pegbox.
The first tune that Barry Hall played is one that is familiar to me; we play it in my weekly English music session in a local pub. Sorry, I can't think of its name – most of us don't know the names of half the tunes we play!

August 29, 2011 at 04:55 PM ·

it's called "horse - or - horse's bransle" - staple tune in the medieval repertoire - a real toe-tapper:

www.youtube.com/watch

August 29, 2011 at 06:25 PM ·

Hi, Bill.  Not presenting myself as an expert, but we have a repro instrument my husband made which has recently been played approvingly by a couple of pros who do early music, and I have played with and next to several players of other repros.  I trust the luthiers will join in, but it seems to me that there are many features of medieval instruments that affect the tone.  Most are heavier, no matter how carefully made, especially the ones where the instrument except for the soundboard/belly is hollowed out of a single block of wood.  The shape of the soundboard (not always flat) affects the resonance and the amount of tension that can be put on the strings.  The presence or lack of a soundpost is a point of dispute; scholars argue both ways about whether they were used, last time I checked, and I think the safest thing to say is "sometimes".  But I can tell you from our little fiddle that the instrument is probably going to be louder with one than without.  Ditto on a bass bar - the stiffer, more arched bellies, with whatever it takes to keep them that way, are louder.  Gut strings make a difference too.  A flat or flattish bridge may go along with a flat belly, and there you suddenly get into alternate tunings, which may also affect the overall sound.

I think the answer is: everything.

I love the sound too!

August 29, 2011 at 06:55 PM ·

Thanks, Bill. That's the one.

September 1, 2011 at 01:00 PM ·

Another thing that struck me with Barry Hall's playing was the wonderful articulation he got with his baroque bow.

September 1, 2011 at 03:29 PM ·

You might be able to approximate the sound of Barry Hall's vielle with a modern viola (not too good!) strung with plain gut strings, the C and G being tuned up to D and A. And perhaps use a baroque bow to get his articulation.

September 1, 2011 at 04:15 PM ·

yes - and he looks like he's really enjoying it, too.

notice the bow hold - delicate and well away from the frog, alà monica huggett. 

hair on my baroque bow is not as wide as the standard bow - do you think this could account for the articulation?