It seems to me that a lot of the controversy over this set of recordings is centered around how good Mr. North plays; which seems to imply that no one can play this good using historical methods. I know, no one has said that specifically, but there seems to be an undertow to that effect; thumb out, thumb in, moving the right hand up and down the length of the strings at the rose, and a floating pinky. Something to think about at the least.
Vance Wood. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bruno Correia" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: "lute-cs.dartmouth.edu" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 11:57 AM Subject: [LUTE] Re: Nigel on YouTube > David, what I meant by bending of the last joint is exactly what you said. > The finger does not remain bended but rather in a flexible state when in > touch with the strings. In classical guitar it is maintained straight when > plucking, however, I've seen people bending it ocasionally. > > > 2007/7/17, David Tayler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: >> >> I think it is interesting that when we actually hear someone playing >> historically, we wonder if it is. >> As for bending the last joint of the finger, that is a tricky >> question. If you grab and bend the last joint, >> you often will make a scratchy sound; if the joint is flexible and >> bends slightly backwards, yielding to the thread of pressure from the >> finger, wrist, and arm, you can strike both strings with no fear of >> the dreaded buzz. >> That said, there are many ways to strike a string, or groups of strings. >> Lotta reverb on that video :) beautiful playing. >> >> dt >> >> >> At 09:26 AM 7/16/2007, you wrote: >> >The question of nails just arose because I felt the sound was extremely >> >focused, almost as if he was playing on a single string with nails. >> >Also, >> if >> >you notice his right hand, the fingers are been used as in classical >> guitar >> >technique where you don't bend the last joint. That's how I started out >> >playing, but soon as I cut the nails I had to bend the last joint to be >> able >> >to grab both strings together. >> > >> > >> > >> > >> >2007/7/16, David <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: >> > > >> > > On Jul 16, 2007, at 8:02 AM, Andrew Gibbs wrote: >> > > >> > > > Not that I'm in any position to be questioning Nigel North's >> > > > technique but shouldn't these pieces be played thumb-under, little >> > > > finger on the soundboard and with the right hand closer to the >> bridge? >> > > >> > > The little finger can still anchor the RH even though the hand >> > > changes position, horizontally or vertically. >> > > >> > > Conventional wisdom seems to have it that thumb-out is okay for >> > > Dowland because he was most probably playing thumb-out towards the >> > > end of the 16th century. >> > > >> > > I noticed on those clips that NN's right hand thumb does slip behind >> > > his fingers occasionally. He seems to be playing with that kind of >> > > hybrid technique that more or less leaves the fingers more or less >> > > where they are for either thumb-out or thumb-under. That method >> > > doesn't require much change in RH position to bring the thumb over >> > > the fingers instead of behind them. In fact, as long as the thumb is >> > > busy playing bass notes the question of thumb under/out doesn't >> > > arise. >> > > >> > > We seem to have two different sets of iconography: artists' >> > > impressions in old paintings and modern-day photographic, as well as >> > > actual visual, evidence. Past and present iconographies don't always >> > > show the same thumb-out position. Most lutenists I've seen in live >> > > performance, in video's, in photo's accompanying CD notes or on >> > > personal websites, play Baroque music with this hybrid technique, and >> > > not in the more severe style depicted in the old paintings. >> > > >> > > Apparently thumb-under is not recommended for playing Baroque music, >> > > but possibly might be acceptable if said Baroque music is played on a >> > > renaissance lute. So is the Earl of Derby's Galliard renaissance or >> > > Baroque? I dunno, it's very confusing. Does it really matter that >> > > much... ;-) >> > > >> > > DR >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > > To get on or off this list see list information at >> > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >> > > >> > >> >-- >> >> >> > > -- > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.476 / Virus Database: 269.10.8/904 - Release Date: 7/16/2007 > 5:42 PM > >
