Stuart, I'd be grateful to know yr evidence fr 'light' tension strings on the 'English' guitar. In particular, have you measured actual strings which can be reasonably dated to the 18thC or you aware of anyone else doing so? I had previously, perhaps on insufficient evidence, thought the contrary: that stringing tension was relatively high compared to, say, the earlier cittern. Further, the instruments I'd inspected and handled (quite some years ago) all seemed fairly robust and well placed to withstand such higher tensions. Do we know anything of the stringing tension of contemporary 18thC German instruments (eg Waldzithers)? Regarding playing technique on the 'English' guitar, I had also thought the use of some form of plectrum was the usual, if not exclusive, practice. Certainly much of the music I recall looking at seemed set down for plectrum play eg generally single lines, thirds or with close (ie on adjacent strings/courses) chords. For example Zuckert's 'Six Sonatas Opera seconda' (London 1769) which I have before me. About Ann Ford's instructions: which Ann Ford is this? Have you her dates? Finally, thank you for rekindling my interest in the instrument: I'll dig out some stuff and have a strum................. regards.
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > From: James A Stimson > Date: 2005/03/03 Thu PM 07:47:36 GMT > To: doc rossi > CC: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Fwd: Re: waldzither] > > > > > > Dear Doc: > And now you raise another question: Why did the cittern change from an > instrument with a very shallow body, tapering to the tailpiece, to a much > deeper body of uniform depth. How did that change affect the quality of > sound and its projection? What was the musical purpose behind that change? > Cheers, > Jim I keep replying to individuals rather than the list! I've got the hang of it now, I hope. The change from thin-bodied citterns to fat-bodied citterns reflect (I think) the move from plectrum play to fingerstyle technique. Playford suggestion of fingerstyle play in the seventeenth century is unique or very rare. Playing a Renaissance cittern with fingers, and nail-less fingers wouldn't project at all. The guitar (English guitar, or I8th century British cittern) was a very lightly constructed instrument with light tension wires. Also they were played without nails. Ann Ford, in her Instructions says: 'strike closely to the tip, close to the nail.' The Bremner instructions say that the player must press the fingers into the strings. Another source says something to the effect that a Chinese mandarin could not play well until he had pared his nails. The deeper body and the fingerstyle play could be described as more guitar-like. And these instruments were often (surprisingly, erroneously, some might say) as guitars - in Britain and France and Portugal. Stuart ----------------------------------------- Email sent from www.ntlworld.com virus-checked using mcAfee(R) Software visit www.ntlworld.com/security for more information To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com --
