Dear All,
Following on from the discussion about problematic voice-leading in
the theorbo music of Melii, and whether an octave-strung second
course might be the answer, I wonder if anyone has any comment about
an unusual passage in a Menuet by Losy. The piece appears in an
anthology of Czech baroque lute music: Emil Vogl (ed.), _Z
Loutnovych Tabulatur Cesk�ho Baroka_, Musica Viva Historica 40
(Prague: Editio Supraphon, 1977), page 44. The source is given as
"Kremsm�nster, ms sign. L.78". The opening bar includes an ascending
scale in campanella style, i.e. not playing successive notes on the
same course:
|\ |\
|\ |\
|\ |
| |
__________a_____h___g)______h___
____a________f____|_____f_____|_
_______g__________|___________|_
_h________________|___________|_
__________________|___________|_
__________________|___________|_
a
A similar phrase occurs at the start of the second section, but for
the little ascending scale to work you would need an octave-strung
6th course. That in itself is not unreasonable, but how exactly
should c6 be played?
1) Carry on regardless, pluck with the thumb, and hope the higher
octave gets heard enough;
2) Pluck the 6th course with the index finger to favour the upper
octave;
3) Pluck just the upper octave of the 6th course with the thumb.
|\ |\
|\ |\
|\ |
| |
___________________________________
_____________a_____|_____________|_
____a_____d________|__________d__|_
___________________|______c______|_
___________________|_____________|_
_______a___________|_____________|_
a /a //a
My feeling so far is to go for the first option, but in this
particular context the octave 6th course creates an unsatisfactory
impression of consecutive octaves, not doubling at the octave as it
normally would.
My third option is not totally zany, because if the thumb has played
the 7th course with a rest stroke (appoyando), it is possible to
roll it over the 6th course to touch just the upper octave in time
to pluck it.
Any thoughts?
Best wishes,
Stewart.
