| Collector Edition
Roman Kithara of Pluto (11 strings) – Kithara of Giorgio Sancristoforo
5,400.00 €
The Roman Kithara of Pluto is a premium musical instrument worthy of professional musicians and collectors. It was designed by the Italian virtuoso ancient kithara player Giorgio Sancristoforo and masterfully handcrafted in Greece by the Master luthiers of LUTHIEROS.
Its design was inspired by the Music of the Spheres, a concept that emerged in ancient Greece with Pythagoras and Plato and was then explored further by various composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including Johan Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Karlheinz Stockhausen. The kithara's tuning pegs are decorated with the symbols of the planets starting from Earth and Moon, and ending up to Neptune and Pluto. The procession of the planets on the pegs resembles the Ptolemaic model of the universe, formulated by the Alexandrian astronomer and mathematician around 150 CE.
"Every string is a planet, and every planet has a sound. That is at least what the ancient Greeks have said thousands of years ago," Giorgio explains. "The same concept was developed further by scientists too, such as Kepler!"
The LUTHIEROS Roman Kithara has 11 strings, a dark majestic color with imposing white roses, and an impressive bright sound. It is a great instrument for professional musicians willing to awe their audience and ideal for studio recordings and live events. It is also a marvelous artifact both in terms of appearance and sound, making it a great choice for collectors.
Due to its 11 strings, it gives more than a full octave, making it an ideal instrument for anyone willing to focus on the ancient musical heritage. What's more, with the use of harmonics and other advanced playing techniques, the Roman Kithara of Pluto can produce dozens of more notes including sharps!
5,400.00 €
Endorsed by the Best
Great performers using LUTHIEROS Roman Kithara of Pluto
^ Giorgio Sancristoforo, an Italian virtuoso kithara player, talks about his idea of a dream musical instrument that became true.
Historic Accuracy & Playability
It's not a battle. It's about finding the right balance.
^ The Mundane Monochord, inspired by Pythagoras' Music of the Spheres, is part of the work De Musica Mundana (1618) by Robert Fludd, a prominent English Paracelsian physician with both scientific and occult interests. In this book, he describes his theories of music and its relationship with the universe.
< The Mundane Monochord, inspired by Pythagoras' Music of the Spheres, is part of the work De Musica Mundana (1618) by Robert Fludd, a prominent English Paracelsian physician with both scientific and occult interests. In this book, he describes his theories of music and its relationship with the universe.
Bringing Ancient Artifacts Back to Life
The ancient Greek philosophers, including Plato and Pythagoras, developed the idea of the Music of the Spheres. This very idea reverberated among musicians through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance and can be found even in the Quadrivium, the liberal arts education developed by medieval scholars.
"Combining the stars, the planets, and the music has a long tradition," Giorgio Sancristoforo explains, "it began with ancient Greece and continued up to the European 20th century with contemporary music composers. Many composers created music thinking of the Music of the Planets, such as Monteverdi, Gesualdo Da Venosa, Johan Sebastian Bach, and even Mozart, up to Schoenberg and then Stockhausen." According to Giorgio, all of the above had the same idea that the music of human beings is not but a reflection of the music of the universe.
To handcraft premium ancient replicas with a focus to the modern musician, you have to research a lot, analyze hundreds of ancient depictions, build a lot of prototypes, test them with great musicians, etc.
And all of these, to conclude to meaningful compromises that have to be made, that are both deeply justified and make sense in terms of usability/playability. All in all, our ultimate goal is to serve the modern musician, and to bring ancient artifacts back to life as fully functional musical instruments.
Manufactured at the premises of the ancient Europos (Northern Greece) by a family of musicians and luthiers, LUTHIEROS Roman Kithara of Pluto is made exclusively using natural materials available during the antiquity. All parts are made of quality wood with great musicality, while the plectrum is manufactured by wood.
This ancient artifact was evolved to become a modern musical instrument ready to be used by both amateur and professional musicians. For all the minor (but very important) alterations, top-notch technologies were used during the prototyping phase (such as 3d Modeling and rapid prototyping) as part of University-based research by members of LUTHIEROS family. Key collaborations include the International Hellenic University and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
References
Koumartzis et al. (2015). A New Music Instrument from Ancient Times: Modern Reconstruction of the Greek Lyre of Hermes using 3D Laser Scanning, Advanced Computer Aided Design and Audio Analysis. Journal of New Music Research. 44. 324-346.
Maas, M. & McIntosh Snyder, J. (1989). Stringed Instruments of Ancient Greece, New Haven.
Various authors (2012). Greek Musical Instruments: Research in visual and written sources (2000 B.C. - 2000 A.D.), Teloglion Foundation, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
West, M.L. (1992). Ancient Greek Music, Clarendon Press.
Our research is featured in major media:
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Superior strings
Every instrument handcrafted by LUTHIEROS is shipped with sugarcane strings, mindfully sanctioned to match the needs of our ancient-inspired musical instruments by the world-renowned “Aquila Corde Armoniche.” We choose sugarcane strings as a default due to their soothing sound, and durability.
Additionally, you can order our Premium Gut Strings here, explicitly produced for LUTHIEROS musical instruments in collaboration with top string manufacturers around Europe.
A pack of extras
Including a wooden plectrum, along with extra small gifts to say "thank you" for making our family's dream possible!
All You Need to Know
An exclusive book featuring ancient & modern melodies, all you need to know about the ancient Greek modes, a glimpse into ancient Greek music theory with Aristoxenus, information about the role of the lyre in Classical Greece, how it came to be a universal symbol of music and much more about the ancient lyre by professors and scholars! A premium publication and a must-have introduction to the lyre world.
Ancient music album
A music album featuring some of the most talented performers around the world, with authentic ancient melodies and modern compositions.
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"All of these beautiful lyres, lovingly hand-crafted by Luthieros are indeed, divine artifacts, reintroduced into the modern world… " - Michael Levy, a world-renowned lyre player. Read his extended review here.
"Electric guitars are very often provided with vibrato, tremolo or whammy bars. That concept was in fact invented by the ancient Greeks twenty four hundred years ago. Kithara was a musical instrument very popular during the Golden Age of Ancient Greece. This is a reproduction that was made by the Greek master luthier Anastasios Koumartizis of Luthieros Music Instruments." - Peter Pringle, a professional Canadian musician, and well-known ancient instruments player. Watch his extended video review here.
"Can't be happier with my lyre! Learning how to play this amazing piece of art! The lyre has amazing finishes and you can feel it's made with love and skilfull hands." - Jaume Gual Bennàssar, Balearic Islands, Spain (verified review through Etsy.com).
Our family is world-renowned for its dedication, love and care. Here are some amazing reviews concerning our whole product range!
"It’s handcrafted with such care and the materials are fine and well chosen. It arrived to us safely all the way from Greece and we were able to track it all the way so we always knew what was happening." - Rachel Loeb, Los Angeles, U.S.A. (verified review through Etsy.com).
"Amazing company! I was very skeptical about ordering an instrument online but it was packaged very safely and arrived in such a timely manner! Luthieros also has some of the best communication skills I've ever encountered with a company, I had many questions that were all answered with great detail shortly after I asked them." - Batherus Batherus, New York, U.S.A. (verified review through Etsy.com).
"The Koumartzis familia have been making replicas of ancient Greek instruments for many years, used by famous lyre players. They also contribute to their musical passions through research and collaborations." - Ancient History Encyclopedia. Read the extended tribute here.
"My ancient Kithara, handcrafted by Luthieros Music Instruments, is for me a very interesting challenge. As an instrument is both old and new. It carries a history of many centuries and at the same time_ it is a very modern challenge that requires a creative approach to musical archetypes. After many experiments […] I discover that this instrument has but many extensions and features that are not noticeable at first glance. The construction is both sturdy and thin, and made of quality woods, which are eclectic, stylish and durable." - Ross Daly, a professional world musician of Irish descent.
"Absolutely fantastic! A truly wonderfully crafted instrument. I can’t put it down. It feels wonderful to play and is transporting me back in time." - Sarah Tilsley, West Sussex, U.K. (verified review through Etsy.com).
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Beautifully designed to the detail
An impressive black / deep red color with many small details that add up to a premium product: color-coordinated features, ancient-inspired embroidery, top-quality zippers, and clippers, breathable back, extra reinforced straps, water-resistant and dust-proof materials.
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Roman Kithara of Pluto (11 strings) – Kithara of Giorgio Sancristoforo
5,400.00 €
