I haven't done the statistics, but was under the impression that De Visée asks for thumb, index and middle only, that means no ring finger. See the sources for fingerings.
David ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Nigel Solomon" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Lute Net" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 11:36 PM Subject: [LUTE] Re: theorbo > Nigel, > > > I'm going to leave the "virtually the same > instrument" part out of the question for the moment. > The whole debate over double vs. single string as well > as Italian vs. French performance practice could get > ugly. > > I use the essentially the same technique for > Castaldi, Pittoni, Hurel and de Visee. What I do is > basically thumb-over using thumb-index-middle maybe > 75-80% of the time. The re-entrant tuning of the > theorbo means that I use the ring finger more > frequently on theorbo than, say, baroque lute. > > We know that Kapsberger did not use the right > hand ring finger at all since he planted it along with > the little finger on the top. He also uses the % sign > - meaning some variation of individually-fingered (as > opposed to strummed or raked) arpeggio depending on > the number and disposition of notes in the chord - on > all chords with more than three notes. He does this > even on four-note chords that could easily have been > blocked using the ring finger. I make a real effort > not use the ring finger in Kapsberger's music because > I find that it has a huge effect on the interpretation > and sound of the music. I don't remember what > Piccinini specifies, but the three-finger approach > seems to work pretty well for everything I've played > by him, too. > > In general, other than the case of Kapsberger, I > try not to be too pedantic about it. I think right > hand fingering for theorbo needs to be the most > flexible and indiosyncratic approaches to a lute > instrument - just look at how many times you end up > using the index or even ring finger on the strong > beat! > > > Chris > > > --- Nigel Solomon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> I have been following the thread of how lute >> technique changed over the >> years to suit new instruments and fashion. Does this >> mean we should not >> use the same right hand technique to play the >> theorbo (chitaronne) >> pieces by Piccinini as for De Viséé over a century >> later, even though >> virtually the same instrument is being played? >> >> Nigel >> >> >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >> > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > > >