About

Situated on the banks of the River Thames below inspiring hills and woodland, Cittern Press is a publishing business based in the Oxfordshire countryside.

Specialising in researching, arranging and publishing music in printed music books – the repertoire dating from the medieval period to the end of the eighteenth century.

Established by Robin Alexander Lucas and launched in 2020, the first titles published by Cittern Press are a series of printed music books for modern cittern, mandolin, octave mandola and bouzouki, including a six volume anthology, Musick’s Delight on the Modern Cittern. This will be followed by the Banquet of Music series, focusing on specific periods and themes, and will include several additional tunings for the instruments not included in Musick’s Delight.

For recorder, launched in 2025, is Pan’s Musical Companion for Alto (Treble) Recorder and other Melody Instruments. Period specific, the first volume being MEDIEVAL, followed by RENAISSANCE, SEVENTEENTH CENTURY and EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

Cittern Press have also produce printed maps of historic and inspiring landscapes, and, like the music books, they are thoughtfully produced and beautifully designed. The first map published is a Map of Wittenham Clumps and Little Wittenham Wood showing footpaths and archaeological features. Together with the poem ‘The Money Pit – or – The Sinodun Hoard’.

ROBIN ALEXANDER LUCAS is an Independent Historical Researcher. He read Modern History at the University of Oxford, and has worked extensively in various fields of history and historical objects for over thirty years, including music, antiques, eighteenth-century fashion and historical design. In May 2024 he was elected an Associate Fellow of the Royal Historical Society in recognition of his contribution to History. He is a member of the Independent Society of Musicians, and has been playing the mandolin family of instruments, including the modern cittern, for over twenty years; he also plays the recorder, and on occasion – the Renaissance lute and Renaissance cittern. Present research interests include popular music-making from the Medieval period to the end of the eighteenth century. Pan’s Musical Companion for Alto (Treble) Recorder: Medieval – is his fifth book.