Archcittern

Archcittern (Fr.: archicistre, cistrethéorbe; Ger.: Erzcister, Cistertheorbe; It.: archicetera), bass cittern in use chiefly in France and Germany during the 18th c., but also known in the 17th c., patterned on the theorbo, with 2 pegboxes for on-board and off-board strings. Praetorius describes one of 12 courses. Most surviving specimens are Fr., from the late 18th c. and have gut strings. A typical tuning was A0 B0 c♯0 d0 d♯0/e0 a0 c♯1 e1 a1 c♯2 e2. Ca. 1 m. (40 in.) long. Cf. bijuga cither…