Hi Michael: Interesting observation about this conversion. I trust your judgment and opinion on this issue as a builder. However you might want to brace yourself for an onslaught from one of the members of this list with whom I had a debate about a year ago over whether or not a seven course Lute could be converted to a thirteen course Lute. It was his opinion that it could not, even though I sited the studies done by Lundberg that asserts that this was a common practice. I guess the debate arose after someone new to the Lute asked whether or not this could be done, I said it could, he said it could not.
Vance Wood. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Thames" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "G.R. Crona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "lute list" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Ed Durbrow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 6:35 PM Subject: Re: Iconography (was:The Right Hand Revisited) > Interesting concerning smaller lutes. This summer I was in Boston and drew > up plans of the Berr lute which has been converted to a 13 course baroque > lute. However it is smaller than the Frei #34. > Stephen Barbber says it was converted from an 11 course to a 13 course, > which shows he devoted no time to seriously studying and analyzing the Berr, > which he claims to have done. It most certainly started it's life as a 7 or > 8 course lute. I think it is a welcome addition to the pre Baroque lutes. > Michael Thames > Luthier > www.ThamesClassicalGuitars.com > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ed Durbrow" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "G.R. Crona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "lute list" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, November 21, 2003 7:46 PM > Subject: Re: Iconography (was:The Right Hand Revisited) > > > > >that's why I downloaded Alfonso's collection, although it took ages on my > > >old messerschmidt PC. (It's an old Siemens =]) > > > > But at least those Messerschmidt PCs are nice and compact. :-) > > > > >What a good idea and fine collection Alfonso! Together with the pictures > > >McFeely's posted, it's excellent reference. > > > > Speaking of which, I couldn't figure out how to download McFeely's > > pictures in one swoop. Everything else is in PDF. > > > > >I thought I had a theory about all those impossible stretches you > sometimes > > >encounter in the 1500's repertoire, that perhaps those old masters played > on > > >"small lutes", what we today would call A-lutes, and that is why we have > > >such difficulties with doing justice to their music on today's 60 cm. + > > >lutes? > > > > > >PS. Wish I had a teeny-weeny 6 or 7 course A-lute! Anyone who has > > >experienced one? > > > > I'm so glad you mentioned this. I just bought a WONDERFUL John > > Rollins alto lute with a string length of 51cm. That was precisely > > the thought that went through my mind as I read through stuff. It all > > made sense! Of course the pics, as far as I know in my shallow > > browsing, don't support the widespread use. In fact, sometimes they > > often have huge lutes, but there is a lot that doesn't make sense in > > the lute world and iconography. I hope others will chime in on this > > thread. > > cheers, > > -- > > Ed Durbrow > > Saitama, Japan > > http://www9.plala.or.jp/edurbrow/ > > > > > > >
