[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
Like you, David, I feel myself moving more towards the archlute, but it must be awkward reading tablature with your special tuning. Not al all. As all (?) renaissance lute players on more than one lute, I read everything below the 6th course as notes. Depending on the instrument at hand I can play a low C as 10th course, some low bass on the archlute (I don't even know which 'number' it is, I just know where the low C is) or not at all on the 6 and 8-course, so rather as open fifth course. Low E is an open course 9th (or first fret depending on tuning) on the 10-course and the first below the low F on the archlute. On the 6th course I'll have to transpose it up, as on the 8-course when I have no finger free to fret course 8. No magic involved, just habit you pick up along the way David David van Ooijen Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Http://www.davidvanooijen.nl To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
Dear Rob But now I find myself in an awkward position... 3500 Nurses to take care of, and still not happy. ;-) I'm all for the right tool for the job, too, and although less nurses, have more lutes than you do, mainly aimed at accompanying: 6-course in a', 8-course in g', 10-course in g', 10-course bass lute in d', archlute in g', theorbo in a and baroque guitar. But having no car, the money clearly went somewhere else, I'm limited to two instruments per concert, so I've become good at faking one instrument on the other. One can play beautiful theorbo continuo on a baroque guitar, albeit without the basses, and strum away on a theorbo as if it were a guitar. I play continuo on my 19th century guitar if occasion demands and 'fingerpick' chords on my archlute. If I'd have to make a choice as to what is my most versatile continuo lute, I'd say the archlute. The 10-course lacks power in the basses for bigger ensembles, though it is much more subtle and warm in smaller ones, and the theorbo can be akward in keys with many flats and in music with high or complicated bass lines, though no other instrument can come close to it's full bodied, strong and sonorous, booming sound. Actually, the bass lute in d' is very versatile, too: comes deep enough, chromatic basses, goes high enough, difficult keys no problem, loud enough, great tone, but so big! I don't last very long behind that instrument, it's great to play, but not for a whole evening. Not for me, anyway. This summer, I've given in and ordered a small archlute (61/105cm) for 440, seven double courses on the fingerboard, 7 single basses. It's the kind of do-it-all instrument I've accused others of using for everything. It's to have my 'new' archlute tuning: first six standard g'-lute tuning, 7 on the fingerboard in f (f# fretted), single basses E, Eb, D, C, B, A, G. Fit for a bit more chromatism in the basses, low enough for most (all?) solo repertoire. Conveniently small to not tire me out in an evening playing and with a small enough case to sit on the chair next to me in the airplane without too much hassle. Actually, the best advice is to get a good quality instrument. If your vihuela is better than your new archlute/10-course/whatever, you'll be using your vihuela anyway. yours, David I mentioned my new post as Musician In Residence for a medical university. From my initial feedback, I would say there are many musicians there of varying standards. I will find myself playing all sorts of music from ancient Greek to contemporary avante-garde and rock, from individuals to orchestras and choirs. Clearly I can't afford (financially) to be 'authentic' with all of these periods, and the students, most of them, wouldn't know the difference between a lyre and a Les Paul. My oud will just have to do for medieval stuff, my vihuela for 1400-1600 Renaissance lute music. I have a 19th-century guitar and some modern guitars. In short: I need a lute. But which kind? It will have to cope with Dowland songs, Italian monody, trio sonatas, continuo, Scottish lute music...and much more. Crazy, I know. I can only afford one instrument. What should it be? An archlute? A 12c lute? A liuto attiorbato? Rob To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
Like you, David, I feel myself moving more towards the archlute, but it must be awkward reading tablature with your special tuning. But you got it made just for accompaniment? Nice to be able to do that. Nice recordings! Rob To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
Rob wrote: It will have to cope with Dowland songs, Italian monody, trio sonatas, continuo, Scottish lute music...and much more. Crazy, I know. I can only afford one instrument. What should it be? An archlute? A 12c lute? A liuto attiorbato? Sounds like you've set yourself quite a challenge. At a guess I'd say a good 8 course lute would work for you for most of the types of music you're looking at teaching. I would think anything bigger, like an archlute or theorbo would be too limiting and not work so well with say Dowland or the 16th c. Italians or Germans. I would think an 8c. more versatile. It could even be used for continuo as I have used mine for that even though you don't have the range of the bass lutes or theorbos and archlutes. Regards and best of luck, Craig ___ $0 Web Hosting with up to 200MB web space, 1000 MB Transfer 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and much more. Signup at www.doteasy.com To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
I agree with Craig except that I would make it a 10c. Only two extra courses, but then you have the C. What books to take on a desert isle? Wonderful to contemplate. Good luck, too! Merry Christmas to all. Sandy - Original Message - From: Craig Allen [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: lute@cs.dartmouth.edu Sent: Monday, December 19, 2005 1:33 PM Subject: [LUTE] Re: The one and only lute Rob wrote: It will have to cope with Dowland songs, Italian monody, trio sonatas, continuo, Scottish lute music...and much more. Crazy, I know. I can only afford one instrument. What should it be? An archlute? A 12c lute? A liuto attiorbato? Sounds like you've set yourself quite a challenge. At a guess I'd say a good 8 course lute would work for you for most of the types of music you're looking at teaching. I would think anything bigger, like an archlute or theorbo would be too limiting and not work so well with say Dowland or the 16th c. Italians or Germans. I would think an 8c. more versatile. It could even be used for continuo as I have used mine for that even though you don't have the range of the bass lutes or theorbos and archlutes. Regards and best of luck, Craig ___ $0 Web Hosting with up to 200MB web space, 1000 MB Transfer 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and much more. Signup at www.doteasy.com To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
It will have to cope with Dowland songs, Italian monody, trio sonatas, continuo, Scottish lute music...and much more. Crazy, I know. I can only afford one instrument. What should it be? An archlute? A 12c lute? A liuto attiorbato? Sounds like you've set yourself quite a challenge. At a guess I'd say a good 8 course lute would work for you for most of the types of music you're looking at teaching. just for the sake of argument, why not a ten-course lute, then? With any lute of more than six courses you'll have crossed the borderline from renaissance to baroque, anyway. An 8c isn't any closer to 16th century renaissance lute music than a 10c lute, at least in terms of musically conceptualized construction. And, after all, 8c lutes flourished for only some ten years, or so I've been told. What's more, with a 10c you'll have the full bass register for continuo. BTW, a singer and me recently tried some Dowland songs on 10- and 11c lutes (playing from grand staff, with quite a few bass notes played down an octave), and it worked quite well, I must say. All the best, Mathias -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
What's more, with a 10c you'll have the full bass register for continuo. Yes, but not the strength in the bass that an archlute would have. Is it possible to have eight courses on the fingerboard of an archlute? Most of them seem to be 6 or 7 courses. How many fretboard courses are required by Meli and Piccinnini (I've probably spelt his name wrong...)? Should their music be on an archlute or a liuto attiorbato? Rob To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
Rob, I've used a ten course for years as my main do-everything instrument. True, the bass is not as strong as on an archlute, but you do have the additional advantage that all of the notes down to C (or lower if you tune it that way) are chromatic. From my experience, the bass notes on an extended neck instrument sound best only with very small groups anyway - i.e. you + a singer or one other instrument. You can play everything from Spinacino up to some early French baroque music on a 10c.Plus, its a heck of a lot more compact than an archlute! Chris --- Rob MacKillop [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: What's more, with a 10c you'll have the full bass register for continuo. Yes, but not the strength in the bass that an archlute would have. Is it possible to have eight courses on the fingerboard of an archlute? Most of them seem to be 6 or 7 courses. How many fretboard courses are required by Meli and Piccinnini (I've probably spelt his name wrong...)? Should their music be on an archlute or a liuto attiorbato? Rob To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html __ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
It will have to cope with Dowland songs, Italian monody, trio sonatas, continuo, Scottish lute music...and much more. Crazy, I know. I can only afford one instrument. What should it be? An archlute? A 12c lute? A liuto attiorbato? Sounds like you've set yourself quite a challenge. At a guess I'd say a good 8 course lute would work for you for most of the types of music you're looking at teaching. just for the sake of argument, why not a ten-course lute, then? With any lute of more than six courses you'll have crossed the borderline from renaissance to baroque, anyway. An 8c isn't any closer to 16th century renaissance lute music than a 10c lute, at least in terms of musically conceptualized construction. And, after all, 8c lutes flourished for only some ten years, or so I've been told. What's more, with a 10c you'll have the full bass register for continuo. BTW, a singer and me recently tried some Dowland songs on 10- and 11c lutes (playing from grand staff, with quite a few bass notes played down an octave), and it worked quite well, I must say. All the best, Mathias -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[LUTE] Re: The one and only lute
It will have to cope with Dowland songs, Italian monody, trio sonatas, continuo, Scottish lute music...and much more. Crazy, I know. I can only afford one instrument. What should it be? An archlute? A 12c lute? A liuto attiorbato? Sounds like you've set yourself quite a challenge. At a guess I'd say a good 8 course lute would work for you for most of the types of music you're looking at teaching. just for the sake of argument, why not a ten-course lute, then? With any lute of more than six courses you'll have crossed the borderline from renaissance to baroque, anyway. An 8c isn't any closer to 16th century renaissance lute music than a 10c lute, at least in terms of musically conceptualized construction. And, after all, 8c lutes flourished for only some ten years, or so I've been told. What's more, with a 10c you'll have the full bass register for continuo. BTW, a singer and me recently tried some Dowland songs on 10- and 11c lutes (playing from grand staff, with quite a few bass notes played down an octave), and it worked quite well, I must say. All the best, Mathias -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
