Hi all, I too seem to have had a copy of Renbourn's early recordings. This lead me to discover subsequently "real" lute music. A couple of years back I tried to arrange a few pieces by Renbourn for lute. The results - cleaned up a tad - are to be found at http://www.cbsr.ucr.edu/wlkfiles/Publications/Unicorn/Unicorn.xml
Note: this is an xml document, and some browsers may not like it... Alain At 03:05 PM 8/29/2004, Nancy Carlin wrote: >I'm another one that's a big fan of John Renbourne. I remember years ago=20 >when I was first playing the lute, at the time when there were relatively=20 >few lute LPs available, that his music was wonderful. He seemed to really= >=20 >understand the spirit behind the music I think some of his "variations" on= >=20 >lute pieces are wonderful additions to lute repertoire, even if they are=20 >played on guitar. > >As the result of several conversations at the seminar in Cleveland, the LSA= >=20 >has plans, and I'm told the agreement of John Renbourne, to publish some of= >=20 >his music. This won't happen right away as we have several other=20 >interesting articles, interviews and music collections already in line for= >=20 >future Quarterlies. In fact, the next Quarterly is in the final stages=20 >now and will have a long, interesting interview with Paul O'Dette in=20 >it. He talks about things like how he plays so fast, his practice=20 >techniques, future recording plans and what he thinks are the great=20 >un-solved, yet-to-be-research lute questions. > >Nancy Carlin > > > >Dear James, > >John Renbourn was an early inspiration for me too, and also > >for several other people in the lute world that I know of. > >John, of course, has always acknowledged that his versions > >of early music are very much his own reworking of the originals. > >As a former steel string guitarist myself, sometimes performing in > >the same venues, I have met him a few times over the years > >and know that he does have a real interest in lute music > >and respects those who play the lute in a historically > >accurate manner. In my mind there is no conflict between > >his approach to playing and authentic performance, only choice. > > > >What troubles me is the thought that being "historically accurate" > >is somehow limiting. My take on historical accuracy is to work within > >the same frame of reference that musicians used in the past. That includes > >making my own intabulations, my own performing editions from > >original sources, writing my own divisions to original tunes and so on. > >That is exactly what Renaissance players did, and it's completely > >in keeping with the spirit of the time for us to do the same. The scope > >for personal creativity is vast! > > > >Best wishes, > > > >Denys > > > > > > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2004 7:37 PM > >Subject: Re: HIP, etc. > > > > > > > > > > Hi Bill and all, > > > > > > A very un HIP album by John Renbourn turned me on to early music, way > >back > > > in 1972. It was called "Sir John-a-lot, of Merry England's Musick > >Thing", > > > or something like that. I think the story was that he'd been reading > >"Sir > > > Gawain and the Green Knight, and was inspired to do an album. He= > played > >his own > > > setting of Byrd's Earl of Salibury's pavan, a medieval Trotto and > > > Saltarello, and some of his own pieces in "early" style; all on steel > >string acoustic > > > and electric guitars. Then of course Julian Bream's (most decidedly > >un-HIP, > > > at least regarding technique and instrument) lute albums, especially= > with > >his > > > consort, were very inspirational. > > > Maybe we should issue little HIP cards for performers to keep in= > their > > > wallets, so they can prove to people they're hearing a "certified" > >correct > > > musical experience. :) I try to study and learn all I can about > >Renaissance and > > > Baroque music, but one of the things most exciting about it to me is > >there is > > > no "one way" to play it; unlike much modern classical music where the > > > composer gives so many directions about interpretation. > > > I prefer to hear a proper lute, played properly, with proper strings > >and > > > proper technique; but I do miss the creative music making of Bream and > > > Renbourn sometimes. > > > > > > Sincerely, > > > > > > James > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > >Nancy Carlin Associates >P.O. Box 6499 >Concord, CA 94524 USA >phone 925/686-5800 fax 925/680-2582 >web site - www.nancycarlinassociates.com > >Representing: >FROM WALES - Robin Huw Bowen, Crasdant, Telyneg with Robin Huw Bowen & Eiry= >=20 >Palfrey, Sian James, Rhes Ganol, Neil & Meg Browning"s Never Mind the Bocs= >=20 >& Carreg Lafar, FROM CORNWALL - Dalla, FROM ENGLAND - The City Waites, Jez= >=20 >Lowe, & Jez Lowe FROM FRANCE - Gabriel Yacoub, FROM=20 >DENMARK - Ph=F8nix > >Administrator THE LUTE SOCIETY OF AMERICA >web site - http://LuteSocietyofAmerica.org > >--
