Alain Veylit <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said: > Roman, > I have many friends in the sciences and I have always loved the titles > of scientific articles for their sheer poetic impact.
One title on my shelf, "The making of the Broads" (a large tidal marsh in England). > Also, one of the > most important set of publications of lute music was produced directly > by the French CNRS (Centre National de Recherche Scientifique). Wouldn CNRS be best compared to our now crippled (if not defunct) National Endowment for the Arts? Our NEA died its death because of what must have been a deliberate confrontation with USA conservatives over such matters as their perception of US public TV and Radio as being leftist; and the NEA support for certain artists who work with risque subject matter; Yes, i know art generally probes the edges of our morality, and I wouldnt have that any other way, but there are certain political realitys one must consider. > Most people in the > US wouldn't see much of a problem with a shrinking number of foreign > graduates in the US, but few people know that over 70% of post-doctoral > positions in the sciences are filled in by foreign graduates. perhaps because of that huge influx of Asian students during the 1990's. > BTW, has anyone noticed that while 50% of the repertoire in the 16th > century is religious Sacred music is where a composer was expected to do his best work, it was where one earned respect. > Do I see too strong a link between the > lute and the scientific revolution of the first part of the 17th > century? A stronger one exists to the inventino of printing, it was the humanist hunger for copys of greek and latin texts that began the Renaissance, printing made it possible to supply that hunger. Printing also scared the powerful institutions of the day, especially the church. The lute gave those who could afford it (many men, but not every man) a portable instrument which did not anoy most neighbors, even when played poorly; an instrument capable of harmony, tho not as capable as a clavier or an organ, still, it did the job well enough. When the guitar and the cittern were available they proved cheaper, and supplanted the lute as the poor-mans accompanyment. I suspect most of the wealthy philosophers were taught lute early, perhaps also some keyboard instrument, but lutes were easier to come by being more portable and less expensive. I doubt the lute itself has much to do with engendering a philosophical bent, rather one with such a bent is more likely to find pleasure in the lute and its charms. > If so, this could be an interesting point to figure out how the > 17th century brain was wired, and even possibly have consequences on the > performance style... Consider the parody masses of the 15th and 16th c, Isaac's Missa la Basse Danza for example, so many had secular themes artfully woven into exquisite sacred music. Rather like a mass today on the theme of 'Maria' from west-side story. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
