Benjamin Narvey
Thu, 01 May 2008 11:33:34 -0700
Dear any Italian spakers on this list, I'm trying to do a translation of Piccinini's remark in Chapter XXVIII of his *Intavolatura di Liuto e di Chitarronne* (1623)about how the French came down to Bologna to buy, at any price, all the lutes they could find there to the extent that there were hardly any left to be found; I can understand the overall meaning of the text, but my Italian is far too poor to allow for a proper translation - especially when one considers Piccinini's remote Tuscan-influenced writing. Could anyone lend a hand? Here is the text (apologies; some of the s's and f's will be confused as the same typeface was used for both as was the custom): "Gia molti anni sono che in Bologna, si faceuano liuti di bonta molto eccelenti o sosie l'esser fatti di forma lunga =E0 similitudine di pera, o fosse l'hauer le coste larghe, che l'vno fa dolce, e l'altro armonioso; basta che, per la lor bont=E0 crano molto stimati, & in particolare de i francesi, i quali son venuti =E0 posta a Bologna, per portarne in Francia pagandoli tutto quello che era loro domandato, talche pochissimi hora sene trouano; & oltre di cio si faccuano liuti grandissimi, che in Bologna erano molto apprezzati, per suonare in concerto con altri Liuti piccoli passiemezi, Arie, & altre simile." I'd be so grateful if anyone could lend a hand! I think this is a passage many on this list would be interested in reading. Best wishes, Benjamin -- Benjamin Narvey Luthiste: http://www.luthiste.com -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html