> I assume the book in question is Tyler and Sparks
> discussion of the mandoline; unfortunately I have not
> had the opportunity to read it. However, if previous
> works by Tyler could serve as a reference, I would
> indeed be careful about what is stated there.
No - its the new book - "The guitar and its music from the renaissnce to the
classical era. "
Unfortunately many of the sources which are described and used as a basis
for determining thesize and tuning of the 4-course guitar are probably for
the 4-course mandora/mandola often referred to as "chitarra" in Italian
sources. They are not therefore relevant.
It seems to me that there just isn't sufficient evidence to reach
conclusions about the size or tuning of the instrument. One can't even be
sure which instrument is being referred to by terms such as "chitarra",
"guitarra".
I would agree that when Bermudo says that a guitar is like a vihuela without
the 1st and 6th courses he is referring to the intervals between the courses
and not their pitch.
Nevertheless, the standard 6-course vihuela, like the lute, seems to have
been tuned in G or A, whatever that meant in terms of actual pitch at the
time -
g c f a d g or
a d g b e a
If you remove the 1st and 6th courses possible tunings for the guitar
results which would probably be compatible with it's being slightly, but not
a lot smaller then a vihuela (however big that may have been...) If you then
add a 5th course you end up with the two standard nominal pitches for the
5-course guitar found throughout the 17th century.
Just a (speculative) thought!
I've read your article and - recently - your splendid dissertation.
Monica
>
> Regarding the vihuela-guitar question, I have gathered
> from the discusion here that little is known about
> this rather polemic issue, and indeed there is much
> that could and should be said but, instead of
> burdening the readers on the list, I would refer those
> interested to the article I have already mentioned on
> previous communications:
>
> "The Vihuela and the Guitar in Sixteenth-Century
> Spain: a critical appraisal of some of the existing
> evidence", The Lute, vol. XXX, 1990, pp 3-24.
>
> With my best regards,
> Yours,
> Antonio
>
>
> --- Monica Hall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> escribi�:
> > I would treat anything said on this subject in this
> > book with considerable
> > caution! Quite a lot of what is said about the
> > 4-course guitar isn't
> > accurate and several of the Italian sources, such as
> > Cerreto, Barberiis etc.
> > probably refer to the mandola/mandora.
> >
> > Antonio will probably have a lot more to say about
> > that.
> >
> > Monica
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Eugene C. Braig IV <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2004 5:16 PM
> > Subject: Re: vihuela as guitar
> >
> >
> > > Tyler & Sparks (2002) conclusively state that "the
> > guitar and vihuela were
> > > considered as two distinct instruments in 16th-c.
> > Spain." The evolution
> > of
> > > vihuela in Spain and Viola in Italy is usually
> > placed as a subset of
> > proper
> > > lutes. The topic is still touchy and I believe
> > the distinction blurred a
> > > bit as the proper vihuela fell from popularity at
> > the end of the 16th c.
> > > and the guitar gained popularity.
> > >
> > >
> > > At 03:50 AM 9/16/2004, bill kilpatrick wrote:
> > > >a little late in the discussion but:
> > > >
> > > >- wouldn't a definition of vihuela and guitar be
> > > >useful?
> > > >
> > > >- is definition possible?
> > > >
> > > >- weren't the terms synonymus as used in the 16th
> > > >cent.?
> > > >
> > > >what i understand so far is:
> > > >
> > > >- 5c. means vihuela and 6c. guitar.
> > > >
> > > >- the placement of sound hole, bout configuration
> > and
> > > >proportion doesn't seem to matter much in making
> > the
> > > >distinction.
> > > >
> > > >please correct me if i wrong.
> > > >
> > > >cheers - bill
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > To get on or off this list see list information at
> > >
> >
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> >
> >
> >
> > To get on or off this list see list information at
> >
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> >
>
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