Medieval fiddle
Medieval bowed string instrument, a forerunner of the violin.
What it means
The medieval fiddle, in German “Fidel,” is a medieval bowed string instrument and one of the forerunners of the violin. It was played throughout Europe from the 10th to the 15th century and had an oval or figure-eight body, several strings, and was played with a bow. Depending on region and time it was held at the chest, on the shoulder, or on the knee.
Musical use
In the Middle Ages the fiddle accompanied song and dance, was played by minstrels as well as in courtly settings, and appears in numerous pictorial representations. Its construction later passed into the family of viols and violins; besides the fiddle, other bowed instruments such as the rebec are counted among the ancestors of the violin.
The medieval fiddle should be distinguished from today's fiddle, the folk style of violin playing in, for instance, Ireland and the United States, which means the same instrument as the violin, and from the hurdy-gurdy, which was also called a “lyre” but is sounded by a wheel instead of a bow.
Performance practice
When you hear or play fiddle music, listen for the drone: often an open string sounds along with the bowed melody string. Play with light bow pressure and little vibrato, since the sound of the medieval fiddle is plain and rich in overtones.