Of the musical instruments played nowadays, psalteries have one of the longest histories. Dating back to around 2000BC, they are mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. In all their forms they have an established reputation in music internationally.
The ancient Greeks take the credit for inventing the psaltery. It resides in the zither family of instruments, and it is somewhat like a harp. It was transported to the Middle East from ancient Greece, and from there to Europe. By the medieval age, it was found everywhere in Europe. Today it is found in even more places, and handmade versions are on offer to the music market.
The psaltery is a stringed instrument. It comprises a hollow body made of wood, and the strings are positioned along one face of the body. The body's shape is roughly triangular. The arrangement of the strings is important because the shorter strings provide the bass notes while the longer ones give the higher tones. At one end of the body the strings are attached to the tuning pins, which make tuning possible. The psaltery has gone through many variations in design over time, but the same principle of resonating strings always applies.
There are several types of psaltery. Some of them are played by plucking the strings, either with the fingers or a plectrum, and these are probably the oldest kind. Then there are those that are more percussive and are struck, and lastly there is the bowed variety which is played with a bow, much like a violin. The bowed kind is the most recent development, having appeared during the twentieth century, while the plucked version is thousands of years old.
There are numerous historical references to the psaltery. Starting with depictions of it in ancient Greek art, there are also several Bible passages that refer to a stringed instrument that is most likely to have been the psaltery. As an example, there is this passage in the book of Psalms: 'Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.' (Psalms 92:3, taken from the King James Version. Note that the word psaltery is used even though it is not absolutely clear that this is what the original Bible text is referring to.)
There is a theory that psalteries were brought to Europe from the Middle East by the crusaders. Be that as it may, the instrument was an acceptable pastime for ladies of the royal court, and it can be seen in artwork dating from the medieval period in Europe. In time, it began to be associated with the development of other instruments such as the harpsichord and the dulcimer.
The effect of the psaltery on European music should not be underestimated. It is said to have had an influence in the development of the modern piano, and this makes sense given that both instruments rely on percussive striking of strings to produce sound. Not everyone agrees with this outlook, however. The psaltery is also thought to have been the inspiration for modern notated sheet music.
Ancient instruments and their sounds have a distinct mythical attraction for present-day listeners. Listening to these instruments, for example psalteries, one travels back in time to a distant place and age. Even though the present time is one of thundering bass beats and computerized music equipment, it is always interesting to take a look back in history to where music came from initially.
The ancient Greeks take the credit for inventing the psaltery. It resides in the zither family of instruments, and it is somewhat like a harp. It was transported to the Middle East from ancient Greece, and from there to Europe. By the medieval age, it was found everywhere in Europe. Today it is found in even more places, and handmade versions are on offer to the music market.
The psaltery is a stringed instrument. It comprises a hollow body made of wood, and the strings are positioned along one face of the body. The body's shape is roughly triangular. The arrangement of the strings is important because the shorter strings provide the bass notes while the longer ones give the higher tones. At one end of the body the strings are attached to the tuning pins, which make tuning possible. The psaltery has gone through many variations in design over time, but the same principle of resonating strings always applies.
There are several types of psaltery. Some of them are played by plucking the strings, either with the fingers or a plectrum, and these are probably the oldest kind. Then there are those that are more percussive and are struck, and lastly there is the bowed variety which is played with a bow, much like a violin. The bowed kind is the most recent development, having appeared during the twentieth century, while the plucked version is thousands of years old.
There are numerous historical references to the psaltery. Starting with depictions of it in ancient Greek art, there are also several Bible passages that refer to a stringed instrument that is most likely to have been the psaltery. As an example, there is this passage in the book of Psalms: 'Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.' (Psalms 92:3, taken from the King James Version. Note that the word psaltery is used even though it is not absolutely clear that this is what the original Bible text is referring to.)
There is a theory that psalteries were brought to Europe from the Middle East by the crusaders. Be that as it may, the instrument was an acceptable pastime for ladies of the royal court, and it can be seen in artwork dating from the medieval period in Europe. In time, it began to be associated with the development of other instruments such as the harpsichord and the dulcimer.
The effect of the psaltery on European music should not be underestimated. It is said to have had an influence in the development of the modern piano, and this makes sense given that both instruments rely on percussive striking of strings to produce sound. Not everyone agrees with this outlook, however. The psaltery is also thought to have been the inspiration for modern notated sheet music.
Ancient instruments and their sounds have a distinct mythical attraction for present-day listeners. Listening to these instruments, for example psalteries, one travels back in time to a distant place and age. Even though the present time is one of thundering bass beats and computerized music equipment, it is always interesting to take a look back in history to where music came from initially.
