Rebec

The rebec, and Rebek, Rubeba, is a forerunner of today's violin and probably came in the Middle Ages through Spain to Central Europe. Your name goes like the numerous stringed instruments between North Africa and Southeast Asia back to the Arabic root rbb. The shape is similar to the Afghan Rubab necked lute, but differs from the Turkish spit sounds rebab. The rebec the 16th and 17th century is without frets.

Number of strings and tuning

The number of strings varies between one and five, three of the most common variant. Often, they are tuned in fifths eg, d 'a' e "., The tonal range is usually in the soprano or treble. There were approximately in the 17th century, larger individuals, so that there were pieces of Rebec - Konsorts similar as violas.

Form

The body is usually pear-shaped, but may also be flat and similar to a violin.

Use

That the rebec was said to be an instrument of the higher classes and thus only " lording to dance " minstrels, is a common prejudice that arises from the reception history of the instrument in the 20th century. The opposite is the case: the music theorist of the 15th century John Tinctoris are the rebec precedence over other instruments of his time and suggests that it be used only for sacred music, which, inter alia, indicating that it must have been at least very common and accepted in higher layers.

Name or design related instruments

• Rababa, one-to two-stringed boxy fiddle in the Arab folk music
• Rabeca, four-stringed violin Portuguese origin in Brazil
• Robeke, also mbeka, one-stringed lute string the Indonesian island of Flores
• Called Kemençe in the Black Sea region, including Lyra
• Gadulka in Bulgaria
• Dran- nye or Dramyin in the Himalayan Region
• Qanbus in Yemen