Wouldn't he be playing with a plectrum in that period? Looks like he's grasping something between thumb and index - but can't really see at this resolution.
> > On Sep 20, 2006, at 7:59 PM, Craig Allen wrote: > >> Greetings All, >> >> A friend sent me a link to this enggraving by Meckenem the Younger. >> >> http://www.artrenewal.org/asp/database/image.asp?id=24901 >> >> Now I have seen this engraving before but she mentioned a "lute >> stand" and upon looking more closely I see she was referring to >> something that is sticking up under the lute between the player's >> legs. Now in looking further this appears to extend below the stool >> he's sitting on and I'm not convinced it's a lute stand but instead >> a dagger on a belt. Why the player would have this in the position >> it's in is beyond me as it seems that it would be most >> uncomfortable and the hilt would tend to scratch the lute. Also he >> appears to be leaning on the table to support the lute and thus an >> additional stand might not be necessary. So I ask you all, what do >> you think it is? > > I agree with everything you say. Looks like a dagger. you can see > what could be a belt or rope that is attached to the dagger or > possibly that is the edge of his (two) pants. It looks like a loop of > string extends past the dagger case. That looks like a most > uncomfortable sitting position on that triangular stool. > > The way the artist has drawn the fingers looks a trifle exaggerated > to me. The RH pinky is really spread far from the others which appear > to be touching the belly. I tried this and it is possible, just > unusual for me. In fact it could be a position for very fast single > line playing with m and a gliding on the surface and the pinky > anchored. The left hand looks even more strained though with the > thumb making a very sharp angle at the last joint. All of his > fingers are very thin, I guess so he can fit them in the narrow > compass of the strings. I'd be tripping all the time if I had shoes > like those. :-) > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > -- http://DoctorOakroot.com - Rough-edged songs on homemade GIT-tars.
