Liuteria Toscana

This medieval fiddle (vielle) is made by Italian luthier Roberto Montagna. It is based on a study of the fresco by Andrea Bonaiuti, made in 1365, of the Cappellone degli Spagnoli in Santa Maria Novella, Firenze. It is made exclusively with Italian wood. The soundboard is Italian spruce from Val di Fiemme inlaid with maple and pear, the ribs and back are pear, the neck is solid pearwood, the fingerboard is pear and maple, the button and pegs are maple and the tailpiece is hand-carved in maple. Vibrating String Length: 358mm Maximum Length of Instrument: 640mm Maximum Width of Instrument: 205mm Maximum Hight of Instrument: 90mm Width of Nut: 30mm Length of Fingerboard: 225mm About Roberto Montagna Roberto Montagna was born in Montagnana in 1981. Son of a musician father, he also developed a passion for music. In 2007 he made the acquaintance of an artisan carpenter and after he had learned the rudiments of carpentry, he began the project of building a guitar for himself. He realised he had a passion for building and at this point he began a personal study of stringed instruments. He met Maestro Fabio Chiari in 2009 and soon became a pupil in his workshop. In 2014 he graduated from the Tuscany School of Violin Making where he received recognition from his research on Quality of Sound. Today Roberto runs his own workshop making classical string instruments as well as medieval instruments.

This medieval fiddle (vielle or lira) is made by Italian master luthier Fabio Chiari. Its design is inspired by an instrument made by Leonardo da Vinci around 1500. Unfortunately none of da Vinci's drawings or writings about his instrument have survived, but it is mentioned by Giorgio Vasari in his “ Lives of the Most Excellent Painters and Sculptors ”. Contemporaneous reports by Vasari and others describe da Vinci giving the Duke of Milan a silver lira shaped like a horse’s skull, with a very resonant sound. Later hypotheses suggest that Leonardo had made an in-depth study of equine anatomy and, having examined the shape of the skull, he tried using it as the sound box for a lira. This medieval fiddle is the result of Chiari's research into da Vinci's lira. The shape of the body adds to the resonance of the instrument. It has been made exclusively with Italian woods including maple, pearwood and poplar.

This medieval fiddle (or vielle) by Fabio Chiari is based on fiddles from around the 12th century. It has been designed from writings and iconography from the time, as no instruments have survived that can be copied. This instrument has been made exclusively from Italian woods: maple, willow and poplar. The vielle was one of the main instruments in the medieval period. It was played by both amateurs and professional musicians, including at court and in noble households.

This medieval fiddle (or vielle) by Fabio Chiari is based on fiddles from around the 12th century. It has been designed from writings and iconography from the time, as no instruments have survived that can be copied. This instrument has been made exclusively from Italian woods: maple, willow and white poplar. Vibrating String Length: 360mm Maximum Length of Instrument: 640mm Maximum Width of Instrument: 218mm Maximum Hight of Instrument: 128mm Width of Nut: 38mm Length of Fingerboard: 216mm

This rebec (ribeca) is hand-crated by Italian luthier Roberto Montagna. The design is based on a 13th century model. Montagna has made this rebec exclusively from Italian wood: the s oundboard is Val di Fiemme spruce, the body of the instrument is black poplar, the fingerboard and tailpiece is cherry and the button and pegs are jujube. About the rebec The rebec originated around the 10th century and was used throughout the medieval period until the early Renaissance. It started as a courtly instrument, but throughout the centuries its appeal to the courtly class lessened and it became more of a "rustic" instrument. The rebec is typically depicted as having 3 strings, however variants are known to have had between 2 and 5 strings. We know from various sources that the rebec was usually tuned in 5ths, though less is known about the pitches. The sound is described in all sources as high pitched, and often compared to a woman's voice. By 1545, Agricola gives the pitches as G, d, a - the same as the bottom three strings of a violin. Other sources give the pitches as d, a, e - the same as the top three strings of a violin. About Roberto Montagna Roberto Montagna was born in Montagnana in 1981. Son of a musician father, he also developed a passion for music. In 2007 he made the acquaintance of an artisan carpenter and after he had learned the rudiments of carpentry, he began the project of building a guitar for himself. He realised he had a passion for building and at this point he began a personal study of stringed instruments. He met Maestro Fabio Chiari in 2009 and soon became a pupil in his workshop. In 2014 he graduated from the Tuscany School of Violin Making where he received recognition from his research on Quality of Sound. Today Roberto runs his own workshop making classical string instruments as well as medieval instruments.

A rebec after 12th century instruments by Italian master luthier Fabio Chiari. This instrument is made exclusively with Italian woods including maple, willow and poplar. About the rebec The rebec originated around the 10th century and was used throughout the medieval period until the early Renaissance. It started as a courtly instrument, but throughout the centuries its appeal to the courtly class lessened and it became more of a "rustic" instrument. The rebec is typically depicted as having 3 strings, however variants are known to have had between 2 and 5 strings. We know from various sources that the rebec was usually tuned in 5ths, though less is known about the pitches. The sound is described in all sources as high pitched, and often compared to a woman's voice. By 1545, Agricola gives the pitches as G, d, a - the same as the bottom three strings of a violin. Other sources give the pitches as d, a, e - the same as the top three strings of a violin.

This rebec (ribeca) is hand-crated by Italian luthier Roberto Montagna. The design is based on a 13th century model. Montagna has made this rebec exclusively from Italian wood: the s oundboard is Val di Fiemme spruce, the body of the instrument is black poplar, the fingerboard and tailpiece is cherry and the button and pegs are jujube. About the rebec The rebec originated around the 10th century and was used throughout the medieval period until the early Renaissance. It started as a courtly instrument, but throughout the centuries its appeal to the courtly class lessened and it became more of a "rustic" instrument. The rebec is typically depicted as having 3 strings, however variants are known to have had between 2 and 5 strings. We know from various sources that the rebec was usually tuned in 5ths, though less is known about the pitches. The sound is described in all sources as high pitched, and often compared to a woman's voice. By 1545, Agricola gives the pitches as G, d, a - the same as the bottom three strings of a violin. Other sources give the pitches as d, a, e - the same as the top three strings of a violin. About Roberto Montagna Roberto Montagna was born in Montagnana in 1981. Son of a musician father, he also developed a passion for music. In 2007 he made the acquaintance of an artisan carpenter and after he had learned the rudiments of carpentry, he began the project of building a guitar for himself. He realised he had a passion for building and at this point he began a personal study of stringed instruments. He met Maestro Fabio Chiari in 2009 and soon became a pupil in his workshop. In 2014 he graduated from the Tuscany School of Violin Making where he received recognition from his research on Quality of Sound. Today Roberto runs his own workshop making classical string instruments as well as medieval instruments.

Ribeca (Soprano Rebec) by Fabio Chiari from Liuteria Toscana Workshops Liuteria Toscana is a group of luthiers based in Florence that produces and provides quality instruments like the violin, viola, cello, double bass, medieval and renaissance instruments, such as the rebec, medieval fiddle, baroque and even classical instruments. All instruments are carefully produced by hand with patience, commitment and guaranteed quality of sound, combined with the use of only Italian woods. Inspired by the great masters of the past, studying their models and interpreting them accordingly with great passion. Why not visit The Early Music Shop and try these instruments for yourselves..!