How tall is a theorbo? On historical instruments, the fretted strings running to the first pegbox are generally between about 70 and 90 cm long, and the extended basses may be from 150 to almost 180 cm in length. The instrument pictured is single strung throughout – each of the 14 strings stands alone. Click to see full answer.
What are the characteristics of the theorbo?
The theorbo's solo Baroque repertoire came almost exclusively from Italy and France, with the exception of some English music written for the English theorbo, until the 21st century. The most effective and idiomatic music for the theorbo takes advantage of its two unique qualities: the diapasons and the reentrant tuning.
Who is the composer of the theorbo?
A few modern composers have begun to write new music for the theorbo; significant works have been composed by Roman Turovsky, David Loeb, Bruno Helstroffer, Thomas Bocklenberg, and Stephen Goss, who has written the only concerto for theorbo. The theorbo's primary use was as a continuo instrument.
Why was the theorbo so popular?
Owing to its gentleness and depth of sound it was considered the perfect accompaniment for the human voice. This theorbo was gradually adopted (and in most cases, nationalised) by every European country over the course of the 17th century. The first theorbo to reach England in the 17th century was destroyed at port as is was assumed to be a weapon!
Where did the theorbos come from?
Little solo music survives from England, but William Lawes and others used theorbos in chamber ensembles and opera orchestras. In France, theorbos were appreciated and used in orchestral or chamber music until the second half of the 18th century ( Nicolas Hotman, Robert de Visée ).
How big is a theorbo?
They were a standard scale length of 76 cm, which made them smaller than Italian instruments, which ranged from 85–95 cm.
Why is the theorbo so long?
The reason why it's so long is due to the gut strings that musicians used at that time. With any kind of string, in order to get a lower pitch you have to increase the thickness (diameter). For a gut string, the thicker the string the duller the sound.
What is the range of a theorbo?
The theorbo in G is tuned a tone lower than the theorbo in A. Its range is FF - g'. Some instruments will have a high a' but this is not usually very accessible. Historically, only the first six strings are fretted.
Is archlute and theorbo the same?
So, in short the primary differences between an archlute and theorbo is that the archlute maintains the traditional vieil ton of the Renaissance lute, whereas the theorbo is tuned up a note and the top one or two strings are tuned down an octave.
How do you say theorbo?
0:051:01How To Say Theorbo - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSi orbe si orbe y orden si orbe sí algo y orbe.MoreSi orbe si orbe y orden si orbe sí algo y orbe.
How do you hold a theorbo?
4:095:38Luteshop's Top Tips - Holding the lute - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe neck is angled up more from the floor. And that also gives us this is naturally this handMoreThe neck is angled up more from the floor. And that also gives us this is naturally this hand position the hand is still relaxed. The wrist is still straight.
How is a theorbo tuned?
The theorbo is tuned using re-entrant tuning. The top two strings are tuned down an octave, and this means that the highest open string is not the first but the third. Like its strings, the frets of the theorbo and those of the lute are made of sheep's gut, and are movable.
What does the word theorbo mean?
Definition of theorbo : a stringed instrument of the 17th century resembling a large lute but having an extra set of long bass strings.
How many strings has a theorbo?
theorbo, large bass lute, or archlute, used from the 16th to the 18th century for song accompaniments and for basso continuo parts. It had six to eight single strings running along the fingerboard and, alongside them, eight off-the-fingerboard bass strings, or diapasons.
How long is a lute?
Surviving Renaissance lutes range in string length from about 44 cm to around 90 cm. During this period the size of the instruments most frequently used for solo performance ranged from about 54 cm string length to around 66 cm.
How many strings does a Torban have?
In total the torban has 25 to 60 strings. During the 17th century the torban was the instrument of the Ukrainian nobility. It spread into Poland and Muscovy but remained in use until the end of the 19th century only in Ukraine.
What is a lute with a long neck?
The Theorbo is a type of European lute. The name “lute” encompasses a wide variety of plucked string instruments with long or short necks and rounded backs. Such instruments have an extensive history in many parts of the world. The Theorbo is a product of the Florentine Renaissance.