Bells & Motley Instrumentarium, page 1

Bells & Motley Instrumentarium, page 1
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TWO MEDIEVAL FIDDLES, designed, built, and played by John Bromka. Design is based on Medieval iconographical prototypes.

FIDDLES: FINISHED and IN PROGRESS. Next to this finished medieval fiddle, John has another in progress, along with a display of tools used in the building process.

3-HOLE PIPE & TABOR DRUM. Frequently appears in paintings of Medieval dancers, especially outdoor celebrations & ceremonial dances. There are many different styles of one-handed pipes and tabor drums found across Europe.

Four different types of one-handed TABOR PIPES: Three holed pipes from England, low and high octaves; Provencal galoubet; Catalan flaviole.

FOUR HISTORIC TABOR DRUMS. These historic tabor drums are skin headed, rope tensioned. Three of them are enhanced by gut snares.

TWO CITTERNS: The top cittern is in modern Irish-style; the bottom, English/Italian 16th c. style. Both made by John, citterns have undergone many forms over the centuries. At its most basic definition, the word describes a flat-backed, pear-shaped instrument of European origin.

JOHN PLAYING HURDY GURDY: The hurdy gurdy was invented in a monastery in France over 1000 years ago. John is playing on an instrument he built in 16th style (when the idea was already 500 years old!)

HURDY GURDY OPENED: Inside the box is a row of little tangents, which act like fingers to change the vibrating length of two of the strings. Each string that does not pass through the box plays a single note, or drone. The wheel is coated from rosin, and normally covered with a guard - very important to keep curious fingers from touching the wheel and disturbing the bed of rosin. Built by John.

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