[CITTERN] Re: Instruments

[Damien Delgrossi]

Rays and sharks are different but they come from the same family.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Forrester" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Andrew Hartig" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: "cittern" <cittern@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Saturday, May 10, 2008 9:26 AM
Subject: [CITTERN] Re: Instruments


on 10/5/08 2:39 am, Andrew Hartig at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


I know the topic of "what constitutes an instrument as being a
cittern" came up some time ago and was discussed in detail. A search
of the archives should bring it up. One of the arguments came down to
one of shared tuning vs. shared shape vs. perceived fulfillment of a
particular role, etc.

One thing I thought I might offer to this is a realization that
finally dawned on me (but others may have mentioned before): At least
for citterns of the 16th / early 17th century, they are all (or
nearly all?) united by a common tuning of the top 3 courses, namely
(from low to high) an interval of a fifth followed by a second. The
varying factor then becomes the tuning of the other courses. This
really helps to simplify the differences (or point out the
commonality) of "Italian," "French," hexachord, "Toppel Cythar," and
Virchi's tuning. Thought of in this way, there is really much less to
have to learn in order to switch between the various instruments and 
tunings.

If one pursues common tuning as the root of family relation, then
instruments like the saz might be considered to be related through
the use of an interval of a second between the first two courses (at
least in some tunings?).

Andrew


At 11:14 PM 5/6/2008, Damien Delgrossi wrote:
Good Morning ,

I have a question, an organologic one. I hope you'll can answer or
give an idea to open a debate. Can we considere Turkish Saz,
Bouzouki (greek, not the Irish one), Syro-Lebanese Buzuk, Napolitan
Colascione, Cretan Laouto... as Citterns?

Have a good day,

I hope this discussion will interested many citternfriends,

Damien









To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html



Yes, except for Spain where Minguet y Yrol have a second and a fourth - 
e',
d', a .  For a chromatic cittern (with guitar alfabeto equivalents) - they
dismiss the partially fretted cittern as defective.

It is surely better to regard them as different animals with particular
similarities - like cats and dogs?

Peter.