Medieval Instrumental Music

Instruments used to accompany singing, also for dancing

·        Instrumentation would depend on available musicians and instruments

·        Instruments used included strings: (harp, vielle [predecessor to the viol: came in lots of sizes], lutes, organistrum [hurdy-gurdy - strings vibrated by turning crank]), wind instruments (shawms, recorders and transverse flutes, trumpets), organs, drums and other “percussion”

·        Instruments were characterized as loud and soft (haut and bas respectively); both types would be used together

·        In notation of instrumental music, usually only a melody is preserved; other parts totally improvised