MS ? ? ?
HWat is 'MS' ?
--- Andrew Hartig <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>
> There are actually a few (tentative) references
> to the cittern in Iberia on my site, though they may
> have been overlooked.
>
> First, there is one MS (little known) of Mexican
> provenance. It is entitled "Método de cítara,"
> and was owned (copied?) by one Sebastían de
> Aguirre. Very little is known about the MSS with
> the few existing articles about it having been
> published in Spanish. I list here what I have posted
> on my page:
>
> "The MS is mentioned briefly in Stevenson,
> Robert, Music in Mexico: A Historical Survey,
> 1952. More complete details are provided in
> Gabriel Saldívar's work, Bibliografía Mexicana de
> Musicología y Musicografía, 1991. From the few
> facsimiles in the latter volume, it appears that
> the music is for an Italian-tuned, but diatonically
> fretted cittern. "
>
> "According to the liner notes from the recording
> Aguirre, the illustrations in the MS call for a
> 4-course, triple(!)-strung cittern with a tuning
> in Aa fourth higher than the standard tuning in E.
> MS is not listed in the 2001 edition of Grove."
>
> The Aguirre recording by Los Otros, for those who
> have not heard it, is a real treat! I have
> corresponded briefly with Lee Santana (the player
> from Los Otros) about his instrument and the MS,
> but have not learned much more than what I've
> listed here. A few images of his cittern
> ("Hacha") are found in the CD booklet, but there
> is no really good close-up view. I am still
> trying to see if Lee can take some photos for
> inclusion in the site. As for the MS itself, it
> appears to be under lock and key; apparently,
> views of the MS are reserved for those with
> connections in high places...
>
>
> Second, there is a MS from the early 18th c. I
> have listed on my site the following description:
>
> "Spanish tablature with playing instructions,
> sold at Sotheby's, London, 1973. Listed in the
> 2001 edition of Grove as being item no.592 in
> catalogue 956, Maggs Bros. Ltd, London, 1974."
>
> Whether this makes it Spanish or not, I can't
> say; I don't have any further information.
>
>
> Third, in the treatise "Reglas, y advertencias"
> (c.1745) by Pablo Minguet y Yrol, there is no
> music but the old edition of Grove cites it as
> being the last known mention of diatonic fretting
> for cittern. Peter Forrester also notes that
> "Minguet y Yrol [pair] cittern chords with guitar
> alfabeto, opening up a very large potential valid
> field for accompaniment." I think there is also
> mention that the tuning was either a step or a 4th
> higher -- I can't recall.
>
>
> It's not a lot to go on, but at least it's
> something.... I welcome any more evidence that
> anyone can find.
>
> -A:
>
>
> At 02:53 AM 10/16/2006, you wrote:
> >Someone mentioned the Iberian cittern recently;
> meaning the cittern in
> >Spain and Portugal.
> >
> >I was just refreshing my memory by looking at
> Andrew's site. There
> >seems to be remarkably little evidence of cittern
> activity there: not in
> >the iconography, nor music, nor surviving
> instruments. (I'm talking
> >about the 16th-18th centuries)
> >
> >Actually, I couldn't find any references to Spain
> (despite links with
> >Italy) or Portugal at all.
> >
> >But presumably there must be something? A Spanish
> woodcut with a cittern
> >lurking in the background?
> >
> >
> >
> >To get on or off this list see list information at
>
>http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
>
>
>
>
