The Lute (photo) (audio)

Lutes are the direct descendants of the Persian and Arabian instrument called the "Ud". The ud was first introduced to the Spanish by the Moors. It spread throughout Europe and grew in popularity during the Crusades. Shaped like an

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eggplant cut in half, the more modern lute characterized by a short neck and a convex-backed body emerged during the fourteenth century. The fingerboard of a lute has frets or markings where fingers are placed. Each lute had four strings.

By the fifteenth century, the lute came to be plucked by the fingers than a plectrum. By the end of the

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fifteenth century, more strings were added totally about seven strings. By the eighteenth century, the lute was replaced with eight bass strings. In efect, it became a totally different instrument. Today, composers hardly ever use the lute. Rather they like the keyboard instead. However, during the height of it's popularity - during the Baroque period - the lute was used a lot, especially by Johann Bach.

The lute is held across the body, much like a guitar is placed when playing. A lutist places his thumb on the fingerboard and places his fingers on or in between the frets to change pitch. The strings are plucked with the right thumb, index finger, middle finger and the ring finger. Lutenists play a note as long as possible. Lute music normally never has rests in them - the lute player holds the pitch as long as the next note should be played. The lute was extremely popular during the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The popular English lute composer John Dowland produced solo lute music that is considered unsurpassed even today.