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©Alessandro Erbetta
©Alessandro Erbetta
©Alessandro Erbetta
©Alessandro Erbetta
©Alessandro Erbetta

Michele Sangineto

  • Luthier
  • Villasanta, Italy
  • Master Artisan
Michele Sangineto Luthier
Contact
Italian
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+39 0392051439
©Alessandro Erbetta

The maker of sound

  • • Michele gives new life to ancient instruments
  • • His work is inspired by Renaissance painting
  • • He collaborates with talented musicians

As a young cabinet maker, Michele Sangineto moved to Northern Italy from Calabria. In Monza he began to teach cabinetry in the renowned Istituto d’Arte Nanni Valentini. His interest for musical instruments was sparked when he had to fix a wooden percussion. Now internationally celebrated, Michele’s work is unique: he’s specialised in traditional instruments, such as the Celtic and bardic harp, psalter, vielle, portative organ, tambourine de Béarn, rebec, gironda and other ones taken from Renaissance paintings. His organist viola from Leonardo’s Codex Atlanticus and the continuous wind stack from the Codex of Madrid are very famous. He collaborates with great musicians like Alan Stivell and Vincenzo Zitello.

Read the full interview

Works

  • ©Michele Sangineto
  • ©Michele Sangineto
  • ©Michele Sangineto
  • ©Michele Sangineto
  • ©Michele Sangineto
Photo: ©Michele Sangineto
Ribeca

This handcrafted rebec, medieval bowed string instrument, is made of poplar and spruce and decorated with golden leaf. It’s based on Gaudenzio Ferrari’s ‘The Concert of Angels’ frescoed in the dome of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Miracles in Saronno (1535). It has three gut strings.

Length 14 cm
Width 9 cm
Height 54 cm

Photo: ©Michele Sangineto
Portative organ

This handcrafted portative organ (small pipe organ) has 25 square section flue pipes. Maple and rosewood marquetry decorates the whole instrument.

Length 43 cm
Width 26 cm
Height 62 cm

Photo: ©Michele Sangineto
Memling portative organ

This handcrafted portative organ (small pipe organ) is based on Hans Memling’s Angels musicians (1480s). It has 24 flue pipes, marquetry and a brass washer identifying the builder.

Length 36 cm
Width 19 cm
Height 70.5 cm

Photo: ©Michele Sangineto
Arpa bardica

This handcrafted Bardic harp has 24 strings and diatonic tuning. The sound box is made of seven inlaid staves and marquetry decorates the whole instrument.

Length 53 cm
Width 25 cm
Height 92 cm

Photo: ©Michele Sangineto
Salterio ad arco

Totally handcrafted bowed triangular psaltery with 32 strings: each string corresponds to a note. It has the sharps and flats on the left side while the diatonic notes are on the right side. The slightly rounded sound box is made of seven inlaid staves, marquetry in maple and walnut.

Length 22 cm
Width 7 cm
Height 69 cm

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