3-string rebec

Also called rabel, rebab, rebeca, rabeba or rubeba.

The rebec is a stringed instrument of medieval origin, played with a bow. Its name comes from the Arabic ‘rebab’, a similar instrument used in Andalusian music. It is believed that the rabel came to Europe via Spain during the time of the Reconquista, when there was an intense cultural exchange between Muslims and Christians.

Medieval rabels were commonly used by troubadours and minstrels to accompany songs and epic narratives. Their size and shape varied considerably, and they could have from two to four strings. The soundboard was typically made of wood and its shape was narrow and elongated, although more rounded variants are also found.

The rebec is usually small in size, making it portable and suitable for itinerant musicians. The soundboard can be of various shapes, but is generally elongated and narrow in body. The instrument may have one or several strings originally made of gut. In our case this rabel has 3 strings. The tuning of the rabel varies according to the region and the musical repertoire, which makes it very versatile.

Today, the rabel is still an important instrument in the traditional music of several regions of Spain, especially in the north, in areas such as Cantabria, Asturias and the Basque Country. In these areas, the rabel is central to the performance of folk music and is used to accompany traditional songs and dances.

In Cantabria, for example, the rabel is used to play coplas. In Asturias, the rabel accompanies the prima dance. In the Basque Country, the rabel is less common, but it is still used in some cultural events and festivals.

Outside Spain, the rabel has found its place in folk music and in the European early music scene, where musicians and ensembles seek to recreate the sounds and musical styles of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. There is also a growing appreciation of traditional instruments in contemporary music, which has led some musicians to incorporate the rabel into modern compositions, thus fusing the old with the new.