Thanks for the information. The lute world is indeed deliciously, um, intricate? complicated? something good.
On 11/14/06, Sean Smith <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > >>> > >>>> Well, if that's the ca > >>>> se, why use tablature? Really. Is there any other > >>>> reason? > > Dear Jim, > > Stewart's point, I think, was that intabulation showed a specific > arrangement that fit the specific tuning of the common lute. If there > was common practice that 99% of the players played, say, lutes in G and > ren tuning, then mensural would be fine (as is the case for modern > guitar for the last few centuries). > > But it wasn't like this. Lutes, while mostly standardized in intervals, > came in a variety of different lengths and top strings, subsequently, > ran the gam-ut from, well, gamma to ut. > > By offering the mass market of those players a one-system-fits-all > "tab" system, one could mindlessly play that new Spinacino or Attagnant > on your bass, tenor or treble lutes. It was a system that worked well > enough that no one needed to change it over the next couple centuries > --even though lutes did occasionally standardize at G ...and d-minor > ..etc. > > It was easy to transcribe, both by hand and in print. It allowed the > individual to transmit his own fingerings and provided a diagram that > was easily absorbed by the brain at speed for those weak of harmonic > education. I don't know which of these benefits I appreciate most, > really. > > For the cittern it was especially helpful with all the different > tunings and fretting schedules. > > If you would like to see some counter-examples of what printed chords > looked like (and how 'effortlessly' they would have been read and > printed) take a look at Tobia Hume's chordal work for the bass viol in > the middle section of his 1605 book. It seems have taken a while for > this to become feasible and even then doesn't seem to have caught on in > the lute world. > > My apologies to Stewart for jumping in like this. I'm hoping to save > him a little retyping. ;^) > > all the best, > Sean Smith > >>>> > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > --
