Martin Shepherd
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:30:52 -0700
Dear Daniel,Thanks for your comments. I would just remind everyone that although the 10-fret, 9c lute may have been de rigueur by 1610, most of Dowland's solo music was composed before 1600, when such lutes were perhaps only just beginning to appear (Francisque's book of 1600, and Dowland's Lachrimae of 1604). One could make a very good case for an 8-fret, 7c lute for nearly all of Dowland's solo music.
The reason lutemakers have not been making lutes with 10-fret necks is probably that everyone (until recently) has wanted a lute of about 60cm which can be tuned to G at modern pitch, and there are no historical lute bodies that small. That in itself is interesting, and suggests that longer string lengths were common. Lutes of about 67cm seem to have been very common, but those which survive with their original necks are still 8-fret lutes. If you really want a 10-fret neck you have to combine a relatively small body with a relatively long string length, and this takes you into territory where it is less easy to say that your lute is based on a historical original.
Best wishes, Martin Daniel Winheld wrote:
Thank you Rob for the heads-up on Martin's timely reminder of just what lutes Dowland used- ESPECIALLY the 10 fret, 9-course w/ doubled 1st. This information has been readily available to all of us- luthiers, players, scholars, since 1958, when Schott & Co. first re-published the "Varietie" in staff transcription & tab facsimile. Ever since I got my copy, (unthinkable eons ago), a part of me has always been annoyed at the lack of 10 fret, 9 course, double-1st "Late Dowland" model lutes in builder's line ups (with 10 course option, as the French nation hath added one course the more). I suppose the lack of such actual lutes amongst the remaining historical specimens?Practically speaking, having once owned a lute (my first) that had 9 courses, having D still as the 8th course made fingering some bass notes possible (a 7th fret "A" in a Robert Johnson fantasy being the most potent example) which wouldn't be possible- for me- with 10 courses- but then anyone playing the lute parts in the Lachrimae will notice how much less re-tuning of the basses is required if 10 courses are available. Sometimes the 9th is at low "C", sometimes up to "D", and the 8th can be Eb, E, or D. So still the eternal question for the poor, out-of-time 21st century lute student- which damned lute model do I get THIS time?I also have always thought Dowland's explanation of the unison 6th course, and no implication that it applied to lower basses, perfectly clear- yet where else could the idea arise that unison 6ths were mainly an English phenomenon but from a sloppy reading of Dowland?Luthier, Martin Shepherd, has contributed a thought-provoking essay on Dowland's lutes (which also touches on string lengths, pitches, etc) to the John Dowland website. I'm sure Martin would be very happy to answer any questions you have after reading it. Please use this discussion group for your questions, so that we can all read the correspondence. Other contributions very welcome. A thousand thanks to Martin for his continued contributions to the site. A few other performers and researchers have promised material for later in the year. Rob MacKillop
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