mandora

Mandora is a plucked string instrument in the lute family that appeared in European music from the 17th to the early 18th century. The term has been used for several related instruments, and its exact meaning varied by region and period. In many Italian and German sources, mandora denotes a bass or long-neck lute used to accompany singing and continuo, while other descriptions present it as a specific type with an especially long neck, larger body, and additional bass courses positioned between the standard lute and the theorbo.

Construction and range: Mandoras typically feature a longer neck and extra string courses beyond a solo lute, enabling a deeper bass range. The number of courses and the precise tuning varied; some instruments were essentially lutes outfitted with several extra strings and an extended pegbox. The instrument produced a robust bass line within chamber and continuo textures.

Context and repertoire: Mandoras were used in court and chamber music across Italy, Germany, and other parts of Europe. They appeared in ensembles with voice and other plucked instruments and in continuo groups. Surviving music notations for mandora include solo pieces and continuo parts, sometimes labeled as lute or mandora in manuscripts and prints.

Decline and revival: After the Baroque era, the mandora fell from common use as instrument families stabilized and terminology shifted. In modern early-music practice, makers reconstruct mandoras based on historical descriptions, and performers use them to realize Baroque lute and continuo repertoire with a timbre closer to the period than modern guitars.

Related instruments: The mandora is closely related to the theorbo and archlute, and some sources distinguish it as a bass member of the lute family.