Well - you may not wish to discuss it further - but the more I look at the
instrument the odder it seems to be. In particular the ribs seem to curve
inwards so that the back is wider than the front/table and it has a very
shallow body. This is more characteristic of the violin. The violin does
in fact have the ribs inset so that both the back and front overhang them by
a very small amount.
There are some obvious differences if you compare it to the illustrations if
the 4-course guitars in the Morlaye and Phalese books and the peg boxes are
different in both of them.
It is always a good idea to consider other alternative explanations however
unlikely they may seem to be.
Monica
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alexander Batov" <alexander.ba...@vihuelademano.com>
To: "Monica Hall" <mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk>
Cc: "Lutelist" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 7:31 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: 4 course guitar in Italy
Surprised by your suggestion ...? I'm not quite sure how to describe it if
somebody would call a rat a guinea pig, that sort of surprise ... Anyway,
as regards to your interpretation, I've already said what I wanted to say.
I'm afraid I've got no time to carry on with it in your vein of thought
any further: you may next take an 'iffy-looking' flute for a bow or
something etc. It's just not worth it for me, sorry about that.
Alexander
On 29/01/2013 17:32, Monica Hall wrote:
Well thanks for the enlarged image - but it doesn't give us a clearer
picture of the instrument - for example we can't see the sound holes or
the
bridge. In fact it is not entirely clear whether it is the front of back
view of the
instrument.
It also seems to bear very little resemblance to Stradivarius guitars
from
the late 17th century if that is relevant.
If we are talking the middle of the 16th century it could be any sort of
experimental viol. As far as the shape is concerned it's not that
different
from the shape of a violin. The lirone has the pegs stuck through the
head
like the 5-course guitar and so do some bowed medieval instruments. As
we
all know the vihuela could be bowed or plucked and possible
iillustrations
it are variable in shape.
Another thing which occurs to me is - has the carving been restored at
any
time?. It looks in pretty good nick if it has been there for 450 years.
The problem with all these artifacts is that it is difficult to know
whether
they are still in their original state and for that matter how accurate a
representation of the instrument it was in the first place.
It would be interesting to know what other instruments are illustrated on
the frieze if that is what it is. Why of all things should the sculptor
have chosen a 4-course guitar? The two wind instruments look a bit iffy
to me.
By all means let's have a vote on it - but I wouldn't stake my life on it
being a 4-course guitar. Or a 4-course chitarra.
It is easy to jump to conclusions - it obviously hadn't occured to you to
consider other possible identities since you are so suprised by my
suggestion.
Monica
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