h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Lutes - A721054
Author: Gnomon - U151503

The instrument of courtly love.

An excellent and informative entry Gnomon

A couple of points
You appear to have repeated the definition of the name origin - a full description in 'The Name' section and a lesser one in 'History'

It may be of interest to mention that the lute probably played a part in the downfall of Anne Boleyn. Anne's musician and friend for several years, Mark Smeaton, was one of the first accused of adultery with the Queen and duly paid by being hung, drawn and quartered. Both he and Queen Anne were extremely accomplished lute players.

shazz

Another excellent entry from Gnomon!

I have a few notes which you might like to consider, or not, as the case may be.

Worth mentioning that the Chitarrone is a sort of equivalent of the modern double-bass in that it is as tall as a man, so has to have wire strings rather than gut.

How about mentioning the baby of the lute family, the Mandora or
Mandore?

The Harp Lute, dating from 1798 - but perhaps too modern for you?

The Vihuela or Lute Guitar could also be worth a mention.

And a compare/contrast between the lute and the mandoline might be useful.

Anyway, just some thoughts. Well done.

Nice one Gnomon and I think Belshazzar has some good suggestions on explaining the relevant ranges of the baby and granddaddy of the lute family.
My guitar teacher had a lute made for him a few years ago, I forget how many courses (I'll have another look tomorrow) but it's at least a dozen. I'm sure the lower ones are single strings and tuned to consecutive notes. Lute tablature is a nightmare to read when you're used to guitar tab because it uses letters instead of numbers to indicate which course to play. I'm assured you get used to it but it looks horrendously complicated to play from. I can also attest to how fragile they are... he broke his after a couple of weeks by ignoring instructions and tuning the strings to a proper tensioned pitch too quickly. Ooops. Not many people around who can mend them either!

Thanks for your comments!

I've made some changes and not others:

Anne Boleyn and Michael Smeaton - a nice story, but not directly related to Lute playing, so I'll leave it out. (Although the Madame Tussauds Model of Anne Boleyn has her playing the lute).

I've removed the second reference to the name Al 'Ud.

I've mentioned that the Chittarone is as tall as a man, with metal strings.

I've included a brief mention of the Mandora.

I've left out the Vihuela and the Harp Lute. They seem to be side lines.

I've included Metal Chicken's cautionary tale about tuning the lute too quickly.

With luck this will drop into my intray sometime early next week then!

shazz

I see it's been picked! Thanks, unknown scout!

Excellent! for Gnomon!

Congrats sir