le 10.1.2004 15:42, Monica Hall � [EMAIL PROTECTED] a �crit�: > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Stewart McCoy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: Lute Net <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 11:14 AM > Subject: Double 1st (HIP message included) > > >> Dear Jon, >> >> Yes, I think you still haven't grasped the fundamental point about >> the tuning of theorbos, and it is causing you no end of confusion. >> Forget the long neck. The long neck is a complete red herring. A >> theorbo is simply a lute with the first course (or first two >> courses) tuned an octave lower. That's all it is. Nothing else >> matters apart from the tuning. >> >> If you have a renaissance lute in G, with its first course tuned to >> the G above middle C, you have a lute. >> >> If you take off the first course, replace it with a thicker string, >> and tune it down an octave to the G below middle C, you have a >> theorbo. Same instrument, but different tuning. >> >> Where I think you are getting confused, is that you are imagining >> adding a string to the lute, which is an octave higher than the G >> above middle C, instead of an octave lower. >> >> It is true that theorbos generally had giraffe necks with an extra >> pegbox stuck on the end, and it is that feature which results in >> phrases like "liuto attiorbato" (theorboed lute). People associated >> the word "theorbo" with long necks and extra pegboxes.
The word "theorbe" is a strange word in french however, and I never read a satisfying etymology of it. Italian readers here can maybe help with a meaning to give to the word "tiorba". Has it something to do with the idea of "re-entrant" tuning ? Philippe I think >> you're doing the same, but it's causing you no end of confusion. >> It's the re-entrant tuning which defines the theorbo, not the long >> neck. >> >> Just for the record, if you have a lute with a long neck and extra >> pegbox, and it keeps its lute tuning (G above middle C), you have an >> archlute. >> >> If you have the same lute with a long neck, and you re-tune the >> first course (to G below middle C), you have a theorbo. >> >> I hope that helps. If you still have a copy of my message "Double >> 1st (HIP message included)" on 7th January, do have another look at >> it, and see if you understand it differently now. >> >> Best wishes, >> >> Stewart. >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Jon Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; >> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Cc: "Lute Net" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 7:15 AM >> Subject: Re: Double 1st (HIP message included) >> >> >>> Gentlemen, I am confused. >>> >>> And I'm not embarrassed by my confusion, the number of instruments >> with >>> different names in the registry of lutes is a bit daunting. I am >> aware that >>> guitars, violins and cellos - and all sorts of other similar >> instruments are >>> categorized as lutes, and made by Luthiers. But within the close >> family >>> there are the citterns, the mandolas and the modern mandolin - >> although the >>> latter is quite different when played in the Appalachians. >>> >>> So what is a Theorbo, I know it is a lute with extra bass strings >> that are >>> longer than than the base length of the instrument (perhaps on a >> swan neck - >>> see, I do learn some things here <g>). Could there be a small >> Theorbo, >>> perhaps we could call it a "tenor Theorbo" with a shorter base >> length such >>> that one could "octave" the first and second courses and yet be >> within the >>> breaking pitch? Or does that instrument have a different name? >>> >>> I don't present argument, I merely ask the question so I can >> better >>> understand the conversation. One could easily design a smaller >> instrument >>> with a 1st course an octave above the g that is normal, and then >> octave that >>> g' as g. It would have a quite different timbre, but it may have >> been done. >>> The low courses, of course, would yet be tenor, but it is an >> interesting >>> thought. >>> >>> Enough, it seems to come down to nomenclature - and the differing >> attitudes >>> as to what is properly a lute. >>> >>> Best, Jon >>> >>> PS, a bass and a tenor can sing the same song in the same key, the >> timbre >>> may be different, but each is singing the music as he feels it. >> I'm sure the >>> "Old Ones" would have enjoyed the variations on their compositions >> that come >>> with the change of pitch and voice. >> >> >> >> >> >> > >
