Scheitholt

The Scheitholt or logs is a historic stringed instrument and an early precursor to today zither. It is one of the Bordunzithern.

Origin and Distribution

The Scheitholt was a further development of an already known from the ancient instrument similar article, the monochord, one covered with only one string, narrow wooden box. Scheitholt originally denoted in logs felled firewood. But at least since the 16th century, the instrument was so named probably because it had a similar shape or size. However, there exist a variety of other, mostly local names for the instrument. Nationally, it was known under the name Hummel. In the Bavarian-Austrian space can the Scheitholt evidence already in the 14th century. In France it is mostly called Épinette des Vosges, because it occurs only in an extremely small area of ​​southeastern Romanesque- Lorraine High Vosges. Most French people do not know this local music instrument and its name. It is not excluded that the Scheitholt was introduced by German and Saxon miners or by charcoal burners and glassmakers from the Alpine countries in the Vosges in the wake of Immigrations.

Most likely it comes from Asia Minor or the Caucasus. As part of the migration of peoples then it came to the West in the Alpine region. The Scheitholt in the German language has been described in detail for the first time by Michael Praetorius. The instrument also found in German folk groups again after observing it as Appalachian Dulcimer back from the USA to Europe. The pleasing hourglass shape has been known since 1870 in Kentucky.

Log Holte and bumblebees were played in the Alpine regions, in southern Germany, northern Germany, in the Saxon Erzgebirge and in Upper Lusatia to the 19th century. In some regions of Norway, the langeleik still belongs to the original folk music tradition.

Description

The Scheitholt consisted of a long narrow wooden box, at the head end was a simple eddy board and which was initially covered with two or three strings. These strings were often made alongside brass also from simple materials such as animal hair, dried intestines or waxed flax. A fingerboard in the usual sense was not available, under the strings wires were in the wood admitted as frets. From the 16th and 17th centuries, the log Holte had then three to four strings. In the further development of the sound body was enlarged and glued a separate fingerboard. From the Scheitholt arose with the change of form in the mid- 18th century, the scratching or zither zither Scherr.

Play

The Scheitholt was played similar to today zither. It has to placed horizontally on a table or on the thigh, the left hand stroked with a stick along the strings while the thumb and forefinger of the right hand directly or with a horn or wooden stick or quill cracks the strings. Individual strings functioned as drone.

Literature and websites

• Cultural Department of the City of Munich (ed.): The Tyrolean raffele and the Allgäu Scherr zither, September 1990
• Andreas Michel: Scheitholt and early forms of the scratch zither.
• Sound sample mp3 file
• Andreas Sumerauer: illustration, description and dimensions of the instrument by Praetorius