Dear Stephen,

As Howard Posner rightly pointed out, Pisador's pavan is based upon "La gamba" 
tenor and it is definitely in triple time. This is not the only case where 
triple-time pieces are notated in what seems to be a duple time notation in 
Spanish sources, Mudarra's galliard being the first example that spings to 
mind, but there is a further consideration that we should reflect upon: the 
normal white mensural notation for voices used certain mensuration signs that 
we could interpret in modern (and anachronical) terms as belonging to either 
duple or triple time, but the barring in the tablature does not carry a similar 
implication. The only function of the said bars is to provide a frame of 
reference for a regular pulse, not to define a series of accents. Thus, a 
transcription into modern notation should take into account the internal 
structure of the piece and not the external frame, otherwise it would be a 
misrepresentation. In this particular case the
 transcription in triple time is correct and proper.

With best wishes,
Antonio

----- Original Message ----
From: Stephen Kenyon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Sunday, 13 April, 2008 8:04:07 AM
Subject: [LUTE] Pavana

Greetings.  I notice the Pisador vihuela Pavana muy llana para taner is 
notated in triple time in the Schott guitar edition, which says that the 
original was given in duple.  Normally pavans are duple, but looking at 
it it does seem to insist on being triple (or is that just knowing it so 
long in triple?).

Three questions pertain:
- should this piece really be in triple time?
- if so how does it end up in triple: is it a function of its being from 
an earlier time than many pavans we are used to?
- is there an implication for tempo, eg should it be quicker than the 
stately progress we think of for the standard duple pavan?

Umpteen thankings,


Stephen




To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html





      ___________________________________________________________ 
Yahoo! For Good helps you make a difference  

http://uk.promotions.yahoo.com/forgood/


Reply via email to