awakening of a taste for true instrumental composition is obvious, but its mechanical limitations were such that gradually it was supplanted by the viol, though it continued in some vogue till the l8th century.
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Fig. 54.—Italian Lute.
Its essential features were an oval or pear-shaped body, flat in
front and vaulted behind, strengthened within by a soundpost under
the bridge and by one or more longitudinal sound-bars,
the belly being pierced by 1-3 carefully
shaped and located soundholes and bearing the
bridge (usually placed obliquely and to one side)
to which the lower ends of the strings were
fastened; a neck of varying width and length,
with a fretted fingerboard, and a head, either
flat, curved or bent sharply back, containing the
tuning-pegs; usually about 13 strings of gut or
wire, of which the uppermost or chanterelle was
single, but the others tuned in pairs, the lower
pairs being sometimes carried off at the side of the
fingerboard and used without stopping. The
customary sizes varied greatly, from the little
'chiterna,' with but 4 strings, up to the big 'theorbo,'
'archlute' and 'chitarrone', all properly
with a double or extended neck and head and
20-24 strings. The accordatura or method of
tuning varied somewhat, with a range of 3-4
octaves or even more. The tone, produced by
twanging with the finger-tips, was incisive and
slightly nasal, but was capable of fine gradations
in skillful hands. Dexterous players got good
effects in melodies with accompaniment, in chord-sequences
and even in polyphonic passages. (The modern derivatives of
the lute are the guitar and the mandolin, the latter most
resembling it in shape.)
The viol was not yet as much valued as the lute, chiefly
because incapable of concerted effects, but its unique singing-tone
was appreciated and its possibilities were being diligently
studied. Late in the century several varieties had become distinct,
including the true violin. Brescia and Cremona in Lombardy
were already the headquarters of the best manufacture.
But the full development of viol music was delayed until the
17th century (see secs. 110-112).
The recognition of instrumental music as distinct from vocal was one of the striking advances of the 16th century. Previously, true accompaniments and all independent writing for
