[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Bondi',
>
> Stuart, I'm sorry you can't understand what I meant by "zig-zag"
> development. It's a Taoist concept that means non-
> linear, right? With no goal in mind, one is left simply with what is. Not
> so difficult to apply to cittern history, is it?
>
I don't think I can cope with a non-linear history, time's arrow being
what it is. And I think I have less of a goal in mind than you do.
Simply 'what is' (sounds like Heidegger) is that instruments - citterns,
guitars, even lutes...even harps...get (as they say these days) mashed
up from time to time. The zig-zag history just bursts the cittern
mould. Pedro, I think, sees that, and distinguishes between the cittern
and the ("english Guittar") - but on his own definitions, and as you
rightly say, the PG is an EG.
> I would have only a few issues to take up with Pedro's comments and that
> would be the rather narrow definition of
> "cittern" - there are many sizes and tunings even of the Renaissance
> instrument. Plus, I would count the PG and the EG
> as citterns. As I've said many, many times, if you take a look at
> published works for EG, you'll find many instances of
> the word "cittern" in its various forms. See my article...
>
Although it was a long time ago I spent many, many hours in the British
Library looking at everything I could find on the "english Guittar". (c.
1750-1800) I made notes on everything (badly I admit). I even got to see
Robert Spencer's library. I've seen hundreds of publications. I think I
saw the term 'cittern' only once. 'Citra', Cittra', 'Cetra' etc are
fairly common (why didn't they use the term 'cittern'?). I could make a
table easily enough of usage. But most often the instrument is referred
to as 'guitar' (sometimes 'lesser' guitar) or 'guittar'. Doc, I think
we may have disagreed on this before but I'm happy with 'no goal in
mind' - the EG is a bit of a G, maybe a bit of a lute or, even a bit of
a harp, but I don't think you are.
> Personally, I wouldn't consider the PG tuning as reentrant because of the
> octave pairs, but an arrangement of fifths and
> seconds is a common cittern. However, Pedro cites a nominal agd'e' tuning
> as standard, which is not the case: it was
> one of the tunings. Here's something to think about when thinking about
> guitars and citterns in the Renaissance
> period: if one were to swap around the fourth and second courses of a
> cittern tuned bgd'e', you'd have the top end of
> standard guitar tuning (reentrant). The arrangement on the cittern makes
> playing with a plectrum easier.
>
> The definitions Pedro gives also point to a difference in right-hand
> plucking technique (leaving aside use of the
> plectrum) - one "lute-based", the other not. This is not entirely accurate.
> Rutherfoord's tutor, for example, talks about
> thumb and index, a technique contested by Bremner, who uses it nonetheless,
> alongside a three-finger technique.
>
> Doc
>
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