Soundclip: "Oh Tannenbaum", from our c.d. Christmas Around the Hearth.
Prices:
Psaltery $295.00
Includes: Instrument, bow, cake of rosin (for the bow), tuning wrench, and instruction book.
Bowed Psaltery
These instruments have a beautiful, haunting tone that calls to mind the courtly music of the medieval era. They
are also among the easiest instruments to play!
Although there are several conflicting versions of history for this instrument,
some sources indicate the Bowed Psaltery was invented sometime around 600 years ago.
These instruments have a wonderful, lilting
sound that hangs in the air. They are played with a bow, one string at a time, and are easy enough that even a beginner will
be sounding out tunes in no time.
It has 32 strings, starting at middle C and goes up 2 1/2 octaves to G. It is fully chromatic,
the right side of the instrument is like the white keys of the piano, the left side is the sharps & flats. All hardwood
construction, except the soundboard, which is usually either Spruce or Cedar.
We have two models- our standard model (as pictured
in the upper-left) and our 'court' psaltery. The custom Court Psaltery has all the features of our standard model,
with the addition of decorative inlay around the edge of the soundboard, and more!