Dear Stewart,
>
> I would add that much of the music under discussion is extremely
> complex rhythmically. If it is to work, it has to be played
> incisively, and exactly in time. I doubt whether viols (which have a
> similar range to the lute) would be as successful.
I'm sorry to play devil's advocate but I'm still not clear on Jon
Banks' argument that these were conceived as for lute trio. And I'm not
sure that viols would have that difficult a time of it. (Yes, the
Roellkin upper part *might* present problems but this duo is clearly
the exception in this book of trios). But from what we know of really
complicated instrumentals, these don't quite measure up. I'm thinking
of the very decorated Tandernaken in Segovia, Comme femme (the Segovia
duo based on Binchois' tenor) and the Alexander/Gyslin-duo in Perugia
1013.
The introduction states that the music "appears to predate the arrival
of the viol in Italy". Was there truly no bowed instrument that could
reach the low Gamut even w/ a descordato bass string? Or might they
have transposed it? It's hard to believe that the majority of pieces in
the Odh go so low that only a lute could perform them. Was the bowed
consort consort instrument yet to be developed there?
I was recently in a group that performed Helas que devera mon cuer
(#10) w/ text and instruments and I don't recall anyone having
difficulties w/ range or rhythms. And I don't believe the textless
circulating versions were essentially different than the vocal
original. And here, according to Howard M. Brown (A Florentine
Chansonnier) it gets interesting. He writes that this is Isaac's
reworking of F. Caron's Helas que poura devinir (#11) which was labeled
"Der seyden schwantcz" in Glogauer and even includes a text beginning
"Ave sidus clarissimum" in all voices. On the other hand, was this lute
trio so successful it spawned all these vocal reworkings?
Probably Jon Banks' book* explores this in depth and I will make a
point of searching it out at the UC library as soon as possible. For
the time being I'm still tempted to go with Michal's assessment:
'playable on lutes'. --and that a lute trio makes it sound very
acceptable as well as being a solid HIP choice.
> The complex, syncopated rhythms of this repertory, if represented as
> flags in tablature, are extremely hard to read.
I often do this and and while it has little or no historical precedent
and can be confusing to anyone not familiar w/ my style, I find that it
works acceptably. But, as you point out, for the purposes of this book
it would be ill-advised.
> Jon and Chris
> Goodwin agreed with me that publishing the pieces in staff notation
> was the only viable option. I also made the point, that if a
> lutenist wasn't up to reading from staff notation, he probably
> wasn't up to playing this music, which requires quite a high
> standard of musicianship.
I thoroughly agree here. Then, as now, there would be different lutes
available depending on occasion. It's perfectly acceptable to present
the music as most efficient sometimes and let the player decide on the
tools to convey it and its tessitura. If it were offered as a Fronimo
file instead of a book people could (and might) transpose the tab to
whatever range in tab or mensural for whatever lutes they pleased. I've
been tempted to put much of it into Fr. files but would rather confine
myself to learn to read it on a couple of different lutes for the
education.
>
> It is no coincidence that lute tablatures appeared at a time when
> lute players were trying to play more than one melodic line at a
> time. If you superimpose two or more polyphonic lines, the overall
> rhythm represented by tablature rhythm signs, becomes simpler.
Very often and even throughout the renaissance period we essentially
play very complicated 'vocal' rhythms but because they are grouped w/
the other active voices it becomes a succession of 8th or quarter
notes. If we break down Francesco we'd see that it can be mighty
complex. Ditto for chanson intabulations and other fantasias throughout
the 16th century. This is where tablature has been spoonfeeding us more
complexity than we'd care to see.
As an object lesson I intabulated one of the easier Tandernakens for
single lute and despite the monstrous fingering challange it was easier
to count than playing single lines!
> When considering what music we should play on the lute, it is worth
> bearing in mind that we shouldn't restrict ourselves to music
> notated in tablature. Music in staff notation is fair game too, even
> if, at first sight, it doesn't look like lute music.
Hear hear.
all the best,
Sean Smith
*("The Instrumental Consort Repertory of the Late Fifteenth Century")
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