Ron Andrico
Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:41:07 -0700
Dear Martin: Thanks for your response. Concerning graces, or ornaments, in the earlier repertory, I think it is justifiable if applied with discretion, based on indications in the Capirola ms. at least. For intabulations of vocal music, probably just a few rules ought to apply. First, one should not obscure the clarity of line in polyphony. Second, one should use imitative graces at points of imitation. Third, one should imagine a choral director's arched brow if the ornaments draw too much attention to themselves. Best wishes, Ron Andrico www.mignarda.com> Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:04:10 +0100> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [LUTE] Re: new piece of the month> > Dear Ron and All,> > Thanks for pointing out the cognate - I wasn't familiar with Ness 75. > It does, however, reinforce my impression that the Marsh piece is > probably an intabulation of a vocal piece, and Ness 75 is yet another > example of a piece which makes use of thematic material from a vocal or > instrumental original while not actually being an intabulation. Just > like my last piece of the month, in fact!> > One of my correspondents noticed that I played no ornaments in this > piece, and it reminded me of an issue which I have never quite got > around to bringing up, so maybe now is a good time:> > I think by now most of us are used to the idea that the large number of > ornament signs in English 17th C MSS like Board and ML reflect the style > of the time, in other words the old guys ! played lots of ornaments and > the fact that we don't is rather unHIP. It has generally been assumed > that this amount of "twiddly business" is a 17th C phenomenon and > reflects French influence. On the contrary I think lutenists like John > Johnson played lots of ornaments, it's just that they are not notated in > some of the earlier MSS (like Marsh). But what about Francesco da > Milano? There's no doubt that contemporary keyboard players (e.g. > Sancta Maria, first half 16th C) played lots of ornaments and this was a > practice which continued throughout the 16th C (another keyboardist, > Diruta, wrote an important treatise in 1594). I think lutenists > probably played lots of ornaments as well, and perhaps our modern > performances (mine included) would strike the old guys as rather bare. > We are very concerned with the notion of the lute imitating vocal music > and maintaining "pure" polyphony, but perhaps we are rather out of step > with the old guys on this one.> ! > What do you think? Perhaps we should try adding ornaments to! Francesco > and Co.? I have tried, of course, but maybe not seriously enough. Just > to clarify, by "ornaments" I mean "graces", i.e. mordents, trills, > turns, etc. played with the left hand. Of course there are many > examples of embellished pieces by Francesco and others where many notes > have been added in the form of (plucked) diminutions, etc. and that is > also something we should consider doing.> > Best wishes,> > Martin> > > Ron Andrico wrote:> > > Dear Martin & all:> > > > Thanks for posting this fantasia from the Marsh book, and I like the > > way you have repaired the funny bits. I have chosen this fantasia > > several times as a quiet interlude for communion when playing > > for church services, just repeating or extending as necessary. If it > > sounds familiar, it is a cognate of Francesco's 'Richercha Del > > medesimo', f. 37, Cavalcanti ms. Brussels (Ness 75).> > > > Best wishes,> > > > Ron Andrico> > www.mignarda.com <http://www.mignarda.com>> > > >> >> ! > > Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:00:51 +0100> > > To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: [LUTE] new piece of the month> > >> > > > > Dear All,> > >> > > In the nick of time, before April turns into May, > > there is a new piece> > > of the month: > > www.luteshop.co.uk/month/pieceofthemonth.htm> > >> > > Do let me know what > > you think - sending parcels off into cyberspace> > > sometimes feels like > > Mr Sting's message in a bottle....> > >> > > Best wishes,> > >> > > > > Martin> > >> > > P.S. I hope to make it into the 17th C next time.> > >> > > > >> > >> > >> > > To get on or off this list see list information at> > > > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html> >> >> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------> > > > Make i'm yours. Create a custom banner to support your cause. > > > > <http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/Contribute/Default.aspx?source=TXT_TAGHM_MSN_Make_IM_Yours>> > > > > _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself wherever you are. Mobilize! http://www.gowindowslive.com/Mobile/Landing/Messenger/Default.aspx?Locale=en-US?ocid=TAG_APRIL --