Mandora

Mandora or gallichon generally refers to a bass lute from the 1700s, with a vibrating string length of 72 centimeters or greater, used in Germany and Bohemia.

[3] James Tyler pointed out in his book The Early Mandolin that the word mandora was rarely encountered before the 18th century.

[4] The gallichone, as it was better known,[4] was a type of 6 or 8-course bass lute (possibly a descendant of the guiterne and/or chitarra italiana[5]) used, mainly for basso continuo, in Germany, Austria and Bohemia particularly during the 18th and early 19th centuries.

The mandora often had only 6 courses, resulting in a simpler technique than the complex and difficult 13-course lute, so was more suitable for amateur players.

However, on German-made instruments, the first course (highest in pitch) is usually single (a chanterelle) and often has its own separate raised peg rider/holder attached to the pegbox.

Examples are found in museums in Berlin, Claremont (California), Copenhagen, Edinburgh, The Hague, Leipzig, Milan, Munich and Paris, New York and St. Petersburg.

In the 18th century, mandora was the name of a six-course lute instrument of about 70 cm string length, tuned high-to-low d' - a - f - c - G - F or e' - b - g - d - A - E (rarely with two or three additional bass courses).

The sources do mention some composers' names; Duke Clement of Bavaria, Placidus von Camerloher [de], Johann Paul Schiffelholz, Joseph (Josef) Michael Zink, Andrea Mayr, Giuseppe Antonio Brescianello and others.