Dear David,
Sorry for writing without giving any numbers, but I thought all this toy
theorbo discussion is pointless. There are just instruments of different
sizes. Comparing to the flute familly, I wouldn't call piccolo flute a toy
flute. Even the smallest instrument can be a concert instrument. What makes
an instrument a toy is a faulty construction. Like a full size badly
constructed, non resonant, awfull action guitar could be a toy guitar. Which
means it's an instrument for non proffesional use. Small theorbo can be a
very proffesional instrument. The term "scaled-down toy versions" introduced
Lynda Sayce in her very interesting essay
http://theorbo.com/Theorbo/Bigtheorbo.htm on purpose, to stress the
necessity of using big instruments in an ensamble (in order to be heard).
This however doesn't mean that there is no place in proffesional music
making for smaller instruments.
Concerning the tunings, I think that Stewart McCoy wrote a very
comprehensive email in which he cited Maces opinions.
Regards
Jaroslaw
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Rastall" <dlu...@verizon.net>
To: "lute-cs.dartmouth.edu Net" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 6:11 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Straight Answer Please
The current topic under discussion of "toy" theorbos has failed so
far to answer the one question without which there is no basis for
discussion at all, namely, what size does a theorbo have to be so
that it can no longer be called a "toy" theorbo? I request a
straight answer, please: no letters in the body of the answer except
cm following some numbers.
David R
dlu...@verizon.net
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