Music stands, and a furniture reference

[Gaston de Clermont]

We have a great music group, but we all use modern music stands. I'd like to use something a 14th century musician would have employed, but I'm not have a whole lot of luck figuring out what that would look like. I haven't yet found a musician depicted with music. Any advice on where to look would be appreciated.
One approach I've considered is to go with something more like a prie-dieu (a little prayer/kneeling thingie with a book support), or a lecturn like the one seen here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12254/12 ... lus049.jpg
That leads me to question the source a bit too. What do folks think of this work?:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12254/12 ... 2254-h.htm

[Thomas Powers]

"Master Pieces. Making Furniture From Paintings. Twenty Original Designs and Complete Working Instructions For Recreating Furniture That Appears in Masterpieces of World Art" (ISBN: 0713714247)
Richard Ball & Peter Campbell

Has a nice book stand that might suit your needs if a bit bulkier than a modern stand.

try ILL'ing it at the library.

Thomas

[Alcyoneus]

or a lecturn like the one seen here:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/12254/12 ... lus049.jpg

[Gaston de Clermont]

Is this easier to view?
http://picasaweb.google.com/clermont134 ... 2150866898

Thanks for the tip, Thomas. I'll have to track that book down.

[Karen Larsdatter]

Maybe something like http://www.geocities.com/lia_de_thorneg ... index.html ? You can find other styles at http://moas.atlantia.sca.org/wsnlinks/i ... catid=1161 too.

Looking through my linkspage on musicians at http://www.larsdatter.com/musicians.htm I can't find anything with a 14th century music stand. There's some later (mostly 16th century) examples of musicians looking at music-books, like The Concert (c. 1485-1495), Lady Playing a Lute (1530), Concert of Women (c. 1530-1540), and this detail from The Triumph of Death (1562).

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What group do you perform with?

[Maeryk]

Look into the Amman and Durer woodcuts. Most of the "St. Jerome" plates have a reading stand or lectern of some sort that might give you an idea to work backwards from.

[Gaston de Clermont]

Thanks of the tips and links, folks. I particularly like your page, Karen.
Peder- I play with the Bryn Gwlad Music Guild.

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Do yall just play at SCA events?

Do you want something 14th century or just something late medieval?

[Gaston de Clermont]

All the things we've done as a whole group have been SCA events. I don't think everyone in the group is quite as keen on the 14th century as I am. Any late medieval source would be a help at this point.

[earnest carruthers]

Have you sought out musical notation was written in the period? as that can give you a clue, eg in the 16thc a lot of music was written so that three or four players/singers could read the same sheet, each edge having their piece on it, saved on materials and copies.

I am not saying they did that in the 14thc, just that it would seem that there are a few ways of displaying and presenting music that might be an idea to check out. Have you contacted any of the early music societies, they would have resources to help you.

[^]

All the things we've done as a whole group have been SCA events. I don't think everyone in the group is quite as keen on the 14th century as I am. Any late medieval source would be a help at this point.

Definitely send me a PM or post on the interpretive board if yall do anything not SCA as I very much enjoy Early music and live just up the road from yall.

I'll see what I can gather up and post it later.

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I was going to show you a whole bunch but instead I'm just going to go with two illustrations that show what I would make.

I would go with a base similar to this one but not as large. It is just a simple X base.
http://ark.bnf.fr/ConsulterElementNum?O ... 90&Param=C

And then I would do the top part like this one.

http://www.wga.hu/art/h/huguet/vinzenz.jpg

[Gaston de Clermont]

Man, Peder, those images rock! That's exactly the kind of stuff I've been looking for. Can you tell me more about the first image? From the illumination style it looks like it might be 14th century, but with the eclesiastic gowns it's much tougher for me to pin down.

I was able to sniff around on the second and determine it's from the Vinzenz altar and was painted by Jaurne Huguet around 1458. Was he really Spanish? The Flemish influence in painting style the hats in the painting you linked to look right out of the low countries to me.
Thanks very much for digging those up!

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It is Français 3 and according to the BNF it is begining of the 15th century. And having just flipped through the images in it I'd say it is a reasonable dating.

Yes he was spanish. The spanish painters of the time are depending on how you want to look at it influenced or descended from the Flemish school of painting. Spanish dress of the period has many similarities to the Low Countries with a few differences and peculiarities.

[JohnParr]

I have a friend who does woodworking and would be interested in making the items if you don't have a woodworker handy... PM me and I can get you his info.

[Gaston de Clermont]

Thanks for the offer, but these designs look simple enoug that I'll probably tackle this myself. I have some walnut that might bend nicely for that funky hook. The other pieces are mostly straight lumber and simple joints.