whence the laud?

Subject: whence the laud?
From: Clean Supper
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 10:20 AM

I bought an instrument in southern Spain recently. It is called a laúd, (if that looks funny on your browser, it's the word "laud" with an accent on the "u"). It is about the size of a mandola but has 6 pairs of strings, tuned to fifths and ending on a low A (that last is a guess going on the note at a sensible tension with the strings that were on it when I bought it). I assumed it was Spanish, the book about how to play it is in Spanish (but then I bought it in Spain...). Since then I have shown it to many people, one of whom confidently identified it as a German instrument of name similar to laúd but more German. Another said with equal certainty that it is Algerian. Any ideas or knowledge?

Subject: RE: whence the laud?
From: ced2
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 11:50 AM

Sorry wrong thread, thought you were after Laud Lucan

Subject: RE: whence the laud?
From: michaelr
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 12:01 PM

The German word "Laute" meand lute and describes a more guitar-like instrument than yours.

What sort of tuners are on the laud? There's a whole family of mandolin-like instruments that have, instead of regular tuning machines, autoharp-type pegs that are tuned with a wrench. I've heard those instruments referred to as "Portuguese mandolin" or "Waldzither". Dunno if this helps.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: whence the laud?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Mar 04 - 12:05 PM

a couple seconds with google produce this:

laud -Spanish term for the lute, which was introduced to Spain by Arabs during the 13th century. Together with bandurrias and guitars, it appears in folk ensembles known as rondallas. The back of the instrument is flat, not pear-shaped as in the 'ud. In Spain the instrument is played with púa (plectrum). The laúd español appears also in Puerto Rican folk music. In Cuba a laúd with seven courses of double strings may substitute for a guitar in the accompanimental ensemble for the dance punto guajiro

Subject: RE: whence the laud?
From: Clean Supper
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 11:15 AM

Ah,
well, it isn't a lute, unless that's a more general term than the way I use it (for the things with about fifteen strings). But since laud means lute and so does laute, perhaps it is just a variety of lute. It is flat-backed and was pictured along with a bandurria in the book I got with it. So I guess it's a Spanish version of something that was once popular in all of Western Europe and made it to S. America too. Thanks everyone. Now wasn't that much more fun than if i had just searched it on the plain old internet myself?

Today I shall have a fully organic selection of couscous with pumpkin seeds and carrot, battered cauliflower, red sauce with fried tofu and mushrooms, mushy lentils with spices, steamed broccoli, slad and perhaps some chips.

Subject: RE: whence the laud?
From: clueless don
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 03:01 PM

I'll go ahead and post this without checking the facts first:

I believe that Paul Stooky (or was it Peter Yarrow? Whichever of them wrote "The Wedding Song") played (may still play) an instrument called a laud (possibly with the diacritical mark over the u) - it looked like a small twelve string guitar with a lute shaped body, and I suspect it was tuned like a guitar (possibly higher or lower than standard guitar, but with the same intervals.) I saw him playing it on one of those Peter, Paul, and Mary television specials.

I believe that Nick Appolonio (of Maine) used to make these instruments (may still do, for all I know.) Does Gordon Bok also play one?

Don

Subject: RE: whence the laud?
From: Clean Supper
Date: 09 Mar 04 - 03:14 PM

I tune mine like a guitar aswell. It's ADGCEA (so it's up a fourth) but yes, the intervals are the same. I've been looking for about a year for a small instrument a bit like a guitar but with shorter neck and doubled strings and I was very interested in some 5-pair mandolaesque things I saw in Brighton but I didn't have any money. in Spain I saw these. The first one I asked about was 2800 euros but mine was 110. I am interested to learn the real instrument but for now while I'm travelling, it's my mini guitar that I can play tunes on too (when I've learnt them all in the new keys...)

Subject: RE: whence the laud?
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 10 Mar 04 - 09:29 AM

Who is Lord Loocan.
eric