Fun Facts About Medieval Instruments

By Douglas Etri


Got nothing to do? I can count a lot of fun things to do this holiday. But are you willing to use the right side of your brain (creative side) instead of choosing to sit there for hours in front of your pc or tv? Do not waste the time doing idling things. Life is short and the world has many things to offer. Why not try to learn some things about medieval instruments?

You may exclaim that these unique medieval instruments are of no way interesting herein this day and times. The fact that they seem to be a group of obsolescent, outclassed and forgotten musical instruments make you think they are, and in no other way, going to be popular. Sadly, you may want to rethink this thought again because this is completely untrue. Even today, there are still several instruments dating back from the medieval times that are played along with the modern instruments. Drums for example, the fiddle and the tambourine. Or the bagpipes, the wind instrument for the poorest people back then.

Learning how to play these old-timer musical instruments would also be more fun if you can learn some little-known tidbits concerning the dark ages. Indeed, the emotional charge when you pluck the harp would be deeper knowing that these harps may have the very same ones played in the Roman catholic churches. Having these realizations would ensure us that the proliferation of these instruments would outlive the present generation, giving our future grandchildren the opportunity to also get to play with them.

Fun tidbit number one: The oldest known record share us this information-the world's oldest medieval instrument is none other than the human voice. When our European ancestors seem to be too occupied with farming and pasturing, do you think they would have enough time to make instruments? Much less think of creating music? According to known annals, Christian monks used the human voice as a tool to propagate their religion, and it is thus that Gregorian chants and hymns were propagated all throughout the Christendom.

Interesting fact number two: Have you ever wondered if the romantic tales of the court and the gallant tales of knight were true? If not, who might have the artistry to compose them so enthrallingly? They are called the troubadours and the minstrels. The troubadours are known to perform Occitan lyric poetry. The female troubadours are called trobairitz. Whereas the minstrels are servants meant to entertain the high court. In a way they are what we call "great story tellers" for they told about chivalric pursuits and courtly love, real or not.

Interesting fact number three: It is assumed that harps originated from hunter's bow. Harps are one of the few instruments permitted to be played during the Dark Ages. We should not forget the fact that the symphonies and the melodies we now have evolved from the simple hymns plucked or stroked from these unique medieval instruments. Deciding to learn more about them as well as to learn how to make music with them assures us of a incessant appreciation of these "pioneers." When buying check that you can buy them from a trusted outlet so you can have parts or repair for maintenance value whenever you need them.




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