Dear Luca, Katherine has now supplied the reference:
Robert Spencer 'How to Hold a Lute: Historical Evidence from Paintings', Early Music, Vol. 3, No. 4. (Oct., 1975), pp. 352-354. In the following issue of _Early Music_ they published a follow-up letter on p. 235. To save you looking it up, it reads as follows: -o-O-o- The lute and ivory buttons It is with great interest that I read Robert Spencer's article on how to hold a lute (_EM_, October 1975), and in particular, the question of ivory buttons and catgut being used as an aid to hold the lute. Mersenne, in his _Traité des Intsrumens a Chordes (Seconde Partie de l'Harmonie Universelle_, Paris, 1637), p. 77, says: 'the lute, leaned against a table or another body, must be supported by the weight of the right arm, although one can hold it without this prop by means of two small buttons of ebony or ivory'. (Translation by R. E. Chapman, The Hague, 1957, p. 105.) Clearly, as far as Mersenne is concerned, a couple of ivory buttons are as good as a table. This seems to support Robert Spencer's theory that lutes were sometimes held in this way. It is unfortunate that in so many paintings one simply cannot see whether or not a lute is fitted with ivory buttons and catgut at the back. -o-O-o- Best wishes, Stewart McCoy. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Luca Manassero" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: "Lute Net" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 7:29 PM Subject: Re: [LUTE] Lute straps > Very, very interesting. Could you please find the reference to this > article in Early Music? > > Thank you, > > Luca > > > Stewart McCoy on 02/05/2006 18.43 wrote: > > Dear Craig and Katherine, > > > > An alternative to using a strap, which was used in the 17th Century, > > is to tie a gut string between two pegs on the body of the > > instrument. One peg is where you'd expect to see a peg, i.e. in the > > middle of the end clasp; the other peg is fixed through the middle > > rib just before the body joins the neck. The string is tied so that > > it lies flush with the middle rib, and you hook it over a button on > > your coat to stabilise the lute. It is thought that Mouton may be > > holding his lute this way in that famous picture of him. If you > > think the artist hasn't quite got it right, and the lute looks as if > > it is suspended in front of the player as if by magic, it is > > possible that it is being held in this way. There is an article by > > Robert Spencer in _Early Music_, with a picture of the back of a > > lute, showing the gut string tied between two pegs. I could look up > > the reference if you want. > > > > If you play the lute standing up, and without a strap or a piece of > > string between two pegs, you have to use your left hand to support > > the instrument. This can be satisfactory for short periods, but can > > cause irritation to the part of the hand holding the neck, > > unaccustomed to the friction involved. Barré chords are problematic, > > so you may have to tinker with the music a bit, e.g. change > > > > |\ | > > |\ | > > |\ | > > _______________a_____ > > _____f__e____|_a__||_ > > ___________d_|_c__||_ > > _____e_______|_c__||_ > > __c__________|_c__||_ > > _____________|_a__||_ > > > > to > > > > |\ | > > |\ | > > |\ | > > _____a_________a_____ > > _____a__e____|_a__||_ > > _____a_____d_|_c__||_ > > _____________|____||_ > > __c__________|____||_ > > _____________|_a__||_ > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Stewart McCoy. > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
