Many thanks. This is the old 'Italian' tuning of the Renaissance cittern. So maybe this cittern tab is a lot older than Santiago's (as you suggest). This cittern version of the tune seems much more primitive. And Santiago's B section is 16 bars.
I think it may be older than generally supposed. It is very crudely copied. But I believe some of the repertoire is later than early 17th century. Re-entrant tuning on plectrum citterns always strike me as odd - though there's no doubt about it. Why would you want to set a melody line which jumps between first and fourth courses? It's not campanella, and it's just plain awkward with a plectrum. In my experience it isn't awkward at all. I borrowed the Lute Society's cittern and played through all the pieces - which mostly consist of a sequence of strummed chords and a single melodic line which splits the melody between the 4th course and the 1st and 2nd. With a plectrum this works perfectly - it is the same as altenating thumb and fingers. It seemed entirely logical to me. And when you strum the chords it doesn't matter that the lowest course isn't the 4th. As I understand the renaissance cittern has only 4-courses because the wire strings are all the same length. They pass over a bridge to the nut. Because of its limited compass having a re-entrant tuning is an advantage. If you have more low bass strings you need to have the bridge set at an angle so that these are longer than the treble ones. Monica On 25 June 2012 20:40, Monica Hall <[1]mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote: Monica What is this cittern music? So it's Spansih cittern music from the early 18th century? Yes - or possibly early 17th century. It is not dated. Do you know anything about the kind of cttern intended by the music? It has four courses and is triple stung throughout =. Bordones[3], Requintas [3 with single Bordon in middle], Segundas[3], Primas[3] It has a re-entrant tuning (Yipee!) - the 3rd course has a low octave string in between the two treble ones. The other courses are in unison. It is tuned bbb gGg dd ee and is diatonically fretted and also has partial frets at the top of the finger board. The bourdon on the 3rd course is of twisted brass. It is played with a plectrum and the music is in Italian tablature. For good measure I will send you Azucena off the list. Monica On 25 June 2012 14:38, Monica Hall <[1][2]mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk> wrote: La Azuzena = kind of flower? I can't figure out the repeats. It's A+B 3 times (A is 8 bars and B 16 bars) I played it AAB A'A'B' A''B'', for some reason or other. I just looked at the cittern version (should have done that first!) - and what I said is incorrect!!! Sorry about that. Alejandro Vera hadn't seen the cittern version. I think it is a villancico. The Copla is in two sections and each is repeated. But the last bit is the Estribillo or refrain. The estribillo is really supposed to alternate with the copla. But if that is how Murcia intended to be performed - he hasn't made it very clear. So what you are doing seems to be right. As ever in too much of a hurry Monica Stuart -- References 1. [2][3]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn0dKVUa2FY To get on or off this list see list information at [3][4]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. mailto:[5]mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk 2. [6]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn0dKVUa2FY 3. [7]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/%7Ewbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. mailto:mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk 2. mailto:mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk 3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn0dKVUa2FY 4. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/%7Ewbc/lute-admin/index.html 5. mailto:mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk 6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fn0dKVUa2FY 7. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/%7Ewbc/lute-admin/index.html