In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> David Fenton writes:But I believe the tunings on the typical 3-string Viennese basses of the time was not the same as our modern conbrabasses.
Do you have evidence that 4- and 5-string instruments were not available? This part requires a virtuoso, and he probably owned an instrument that would not be typical of an orchestral bass section. I shall see whether tuning a 3-string in fifths, with the bottom string on G (needed in measure 56), would work. The top E in 60 would then be close to the end of the fingerboard on the A string. I will check later whether that would be feasible.
Don't forget that it's entirely possible that contrabass fingerboards were shorter then, just as violin and cello fingerboards were.
John
-- John & Susie Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
