Thanks for this Rob,
I'm not sure a precise knowledge of the particular pitch is a neces=
sary
here: cannot we assume that, like with lutes, the first course
of guitars were pitched as high (or at least not too far off) as they
co= uld
reasonably bear. This then determines the relative stress levels be=
tween
the courses and, in particular, the degree of inharmonic= ity
(and acceptability) of the lowest pitched course.
Some have suggested guitars were strung so that the firsts were very
much less highly stressed than those on the lute a= nd I guess a
nominal pitch of e' (or d') for the first with string lengths= from
mid
60s to low 70s might reasonably allow this across a wide= range of
possible pitches. I know of no hard evidence on historic guitar string
<= /P>
stresses - does anybody?
Martyn
PS I've 'returned' by hand as Wayne suggested - perhaps this will
elimin= ate
the errant =3D signs!
> wrote:
From: Rob MacKillop <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>= ;
Subject: Re: [VIHUELA] Sanz and the High G
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] co.uk
Cc: "Vihuela" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Friday, 25= April, 2008, 10:15 AM
Sorry, two corrections:
1. The guitar is from mid-18th not 17th century - at least according t=
o the catalogue
2. I do know how to spell anonymous!
Rob
2008/4/25 Rob MacKillop <[EMAIL PROTECTED] il.com>:
Hi Martyn,
A 'deliterious effect in the bass', maybe, but there is no bass below =
the g, at least in Sanz's specified tuning. So, no, Martyn, I did not =
use modern bass strings. Another important factor is that Sanz do= es
not mention pitch - we have no idea what pitch he used. Some argue=
that Roman pitch was around 392, others say it was nearer 460. We don't
kn= ow his string length. We don't know if he used different sizes and
pitches = of guitars. We cannot assume that all his works are for the
same instrument= . All we have to go on is the music, and what we can
read into it.
The recording with the high octave g was done 5 years or so ago o= n an
original anonimous guitar from mid-17thC France (it is thought) with a=
short string length (can't recall the exact length). It was entirely
strun= g in gut, tuned to around 392, no bourdons, therefore no bass.
The high g d= id not break, and although unplayed is still, I believe,
on the instrument.= It is housed in the collection of Edinburgh
University.
So, at a lower pitch and no bass register, it might well be possible t=
o have a high octave on the third. How long it would last when
regularly pl= ayed has not been tested by me.
However, I don't want to be seen to be advocating the tuning as I am n=
ot one who thinks that Sanz only makes sense with it. I repeat that I
am ha= ppy playing works which leap up and down octaves, and see it as
part of the= charm and uniqueness of the instrument. But it is worth
mentioning that a)= the tuning with a high ''g'' is possible (nominal
g, of course), and b) th= at the particular piece 'fuga 1' seems to be
'happiest' (if you will allow = me that term) with this tuning. But
mainly my stance is that 'I don't know'= .
Rob
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