Calcastrum

Abstract

Paulus Paulirinus de Praga writes about musical instruments in the chapter Musica instrumentalis of his treatise Liber viginti artium (ca 1459–61). For many of them he used names which are rare or completely unknown from any other period sources. Sometimes he writes about a known instrument using a name for it current for quite different instruments. Calcastrum is one of them. From its description it is possible to compare it with other period instruments in Middle Europe and assume that Paulus Paulirinus is describing an instrument known by organologists of 20th c entury a s a psaltery-harp, harp-psaltery or double-resonator harp. This assumption is aided by the described shape of the instrument (plus trigonale quam quadrangulare), the use of gut strings (cordas nervales) as well as the way of playing the instrument (cum digittis cordas tangens). The manner of holding the instrument when playing is possible to compare with other chordophones (neckless) in the medieval Czech regions (these instruments were held with strings running parallel to the axis of the player’s body). By eliminating instruments used in Middle Europe in the middle of 15th century it is possible to come to the conclusion that Paulus Paulirinus describes the psaltery-harp using the name calcastrum.