Benjamin, and all,
I'm sure you will get some advice from others concerning historical
strings, on ren. and early baroque lutes.
However, I would like to throw a wrench into the works by sharing this
corespondence I recieved today from Klaus Martius, concerning late Baroque
lutes. Some fairly clear evidence. Also, the fact that the Brunner was made
in 1765, the same time when first classical guitar, with single strings
(Wound metal on silk) started to appear. It would be almost unimaginable
that these late baroque lutenist's didn't use overspun basses. Also, when
you take into account the different bracing and arching to accomodate this
new inovation ( wound basses)
So, all of us who use overspun basses on baroque lutes can sleep easier
now, knowing that there is historical
evedence pointing to there use.
>From Klaus......
Michael,
3) I have no observation about wound strings in the base, but I am pretty
sure they used wound strings since you find it on the pegs, where the
woundings have left their traces pressed into the wood (how old those
pressed in features are I dont know).
2) When we took off the bridge of the Widhalm (MIR 903) there was a rather
clear arching a long the bridge, following the top arching continu(e?)ing
the arching of the fingerboard and the upper block. It also was very clear
to see it on the lower end of the lute, looking from the endclasp along with
the instrument. You are the first person to agree with this observation of
Ian Watchorn (who used to work at the GNM twenty years ago). I never found
this arching again that clear. In most the cases you cant say anything about
that in terms of distortion round the bridge area
Michael Thames
www.ThamesClassicalGuitars.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Benjamin Narvey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, February 26, 2005 5:21 AM
Subject: Minikins, Catlins, Lyons, Pistoys, Gimped...
> Hello Lutenetters!
>
> After about one year of experimenting with gut, I've come to realise that,
> actually, I know precious little detail about the historical types of
strings
> mentioned above, and just how they relate (and indeed, if they do!) to the
> modern gut strings with the same titles. Does anybody out there know?
(ahem,
> ahem, Mimmo, are you still out there? Martin???)
>
> I realise the question of stringing really is the $64,000 question (if
indeed,
> I have the sum right - the game show offered some significant remuneration
at
> any rate), and that the poverty of knowledge about such historical types
is
> perhaps the most pressing lacuna concerning historical performance on the
lute
> to date. I have read Mace and Varietie, amongst other historical sources,
that
> deal with stringing in order to better understand what was going on then -
but
> I find the information I have been able to glean lacking in precision.
What
> soures are today's stringmakers reading? Am I missing something? I have
also
> visited various stringmaking sites such as Gamut and Aquila - but here too
I
> find the description of historical string types to be lacking, as too is
the
> clarity between the historical types and their modern appellative heirs.
>
> So, if anyone could tell me (that is, if it is known/or at least what is
> known) about these historical types and their modern equivalents I'd be
well
> pleased! I'm sure that if anyone knows, anyone will be on this list!
>
> All best!
>
> Benjamin
>
>
>
> To get on or off this list see list information at
> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
