The ''angélique'' (French, from Italian ''angelica'') is a plucked string instrument of the

lute A lute ( or ) is any plucked string instrument with a neck (music), neck and a deep round back enclosing a hollow cavity, usually with a sound hole or opening in the body. It may be either fretted or unfretted. More specifically, the term "lu ...

family of the baroque era. It combines features of the

, the

harp The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orchestras or ...

, and the theorbo. It shares the form of its pear-shaped body as well as its vibrating string length of 54 to 70 cm with the lute. Differing from the lute, the 16 string angelica was single-strung like a theorbo, with which it shares its extended neck with a second peg box, bearing six bass strings.

Overview

The angelica was tuned diatonically, like a harp: C – E – F – G – A – B – c – d – e – f – g – a – b – c' – d' – e'. That range is the same as that of the French or lesser theorbo, but the latter differs in that its tuning is reentrant: C – D – E – F – G – A – B – c – d – g – c' – e'– a – d'. The

diatonic Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are used to characterize scales. The terms are also applied to musical instruments, intervals, chords, notes, musical styles, and kinds of harmony. They are very often used as a pair ...

tuning limited its compass, but produced a full and clear tone by the increased use of open strings. Little surviving music for the angelica as well as few surviving instruments indicate that the angelica flourished during the second half of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th centuries. Some authors claim that the angelica was invented in England. But that claim is based on the misinterpretation of its name (M. H. Fuhrmann, Musicalischer Trichter, Frankfurt/Spree 1706, p. 91). James Talbot correctly interpreted angelica as "angel lute" because of its lovely sound (ms. Oxford 532, 1685–1701). Organologist Emil Vogl suggested the instrument may have been named after the French musician Angélique Paulet. Music for the angelica is notated in French

tablature Tablature (or tab for short) is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering or the location of the played notes rather than musical pitches. Tablature is common for fretted stringed instruments such as the guitar, lute or vihuel ...

, with the designation of bass courses varying according to respective authors. The Ukrainian

Torban The torban (, also ''teorban'' or ''Ukrainian theorbo'') is a Ukrainian musical instrument that combines the features of the Baroque lute with those of the psaltery. The Тorban differs from the more common European bass lute known as the theo ...

is a descendant of the Angélique.

Bibliography

*Jakob Kremberg, ''Musicalische Gemüths-Ergoetzung oder Arien ...'' (Dresden: 1689), in Tabulature *Adalbert Quadt (Hg.), ''Gitarrenmusik des 16-18. Jahrhunderts 2, nach Tabulaturen für Colascione, Mandora und Angelica'', (Leipzig: 1971) *Hans Radtke (Hg.), ''Ausgewählte Stücke aus einer Angelica- und Gitarrentabulatur, Musik Alter Meister Heft 17'', (Graz: 1967) *

Praetorius Praetorius, Prätorius, Prætorius was the name of several musicians and scholars in Germany. In 16th and 17th century Germany it became a fashion for educated people named "Schulze," "Schultheiß," or "Richter (disambiguation), Richter" (which mea ...

, ''Theatrum instrumentorum'' *L. Brugmans, ''Le séjour de Christian Huygens à Paris'' (Paris,1935), 151 *F. Lesure: 'The angélique in 1653', ''GSJ'', vi (1953), 111–12 *F. Lesure: 'Les luthistes parisiens à l'époque de Louis XIII', ''Le luth et sa musique'' (Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1957), 222–3 *M. Prynne: 'James Talbot's Manuscript: IV: Plucked Strings – the Lute Family', ''GSJ'', xiv (1961), 52–68 *E. Pohlmann, ''Laute, Theorbe, Chitarrone: die Instrumente, ihre Musik und Literatur von 1500 bis zur Gegenwart'' (Bremen, 1968, 5/1982), 394–7 *E. Vogl: 'Die Angelika und ihre Musik', ''HV'', xi (1974), 356–71 *G. Hellwig, ''Joachim Tielke: ein Hamburger Lauten- und Violenmacher der Barockzeit'' (Frankfurt, 1980), 304–5 *F. und B. Hellwig, ''Joachim Tielke. Kunstvolle Musikinstrumente des Barock'' (Berlin/München, 2011), 108–111, 123-8 *C. Meyer and M. Rollin, ''Oeuvres de Gumprecht'' (Paris, 1993), xvii

References

{{Authority control String instruments Necked bowl lutes Lutes Early musical instruments Baroque instruments