It's a notation to use the middle finger. The [ " ] is the cipher used
to signify two dots.
NV was surrounded by 9 and 10 -course lutes by that time and many
(most?) players would have been using thumb-out for the larger bridged
lutes. The 10-c doesn't make the thumb-under of older players at the
time impossible but the next generation were certainly leaning towards
thumb-out.
Sean
On Dec 31, 2008, at 6:32 AM, Susanne Herre wrote:
Dear Lutenists,
I just played Vallet. He uses this sign " II " very often. I'm
wondering if it means to play with the thumb or the middle finger.
Is
there already a change in playing technique on the 10
course-lute (running passages perhaps to be played as alternation of
middle finger and index finger) or is it still the way you would
play a
lute with six or seven courses (alternation of thumb and index
finger)?
I'm just wondering because I can't see the reason why he should
still
write which finger the player should use if this is the way the
lutenists already played more than 100 years before Vallets pieces.
A great year 2009 for everyone!
Susanne
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