Dear Stewart and others: I am interested in the questions posed posed by Stewart, and took advantage of insomnia to follow up - mostly for fear of seeing the topic veer toward the realm of back rubs, or observing anachronisms as they are choked by Onions. Since we have mentioned secondary sources, Tillyard's _The Elizabethan World Picture_ is still a standard reference for a basic understanding of humors, passions, the elements, etc. These are terms and concepts that inform our understanding of the form and style of old music, taking interpretations beyond what is achieved by the finger's ends. After a short search of references to music and the passions, I found an excellent article 'Marin Mersenne on Language and Music', Dean T. Mace, _Journal of Music Theory_, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Spring, 1970), pp. 2-34. The author quotes many relevant passages from Mersenne's _Harmonie Universelle_ (1634), condensed below. ===== *Only the sounds used by human beings and animals to express their passions are natural.
*Accent...is an inflexion or modification of the voice or of the word, by which one expresses the passions and affections naturally or by art. *Nature herself teaches us which accents have to be used to represent and to signify our passions and affections which are only expressed in an artificial way with the simple word or by melody, because melody and speech depend on art and instruction. But we weep, we shout, and lend certain accents to the voice and to words, without having learned to do so. Now these accents of the passions are common to men and animals who shout one way to show joy, another to show their sadness, and that is why I have said so much about the voice or tone, since it is not necessary to speak in order to make the accents. ===== Some extrapolation is necessary here, but I think 'passionate play' in music is the expression of the four basic passions; love, hate, joy and sadness, through the use of accent. Mersenne establishes four principal accents, one to express each passion, and divides each into degrees of intensity. There is much more but I must get on with my day. Best wishes, RA www.mignarda.com > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] > Subject: RE: [LUTE] Re: Squares in a Treble > Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 08:22:54 -0700 > > Thanks, Ron! And as long as you are going this direction, let me add that a > glossary of language from around that time can also be useful. For example, > C.T. Onions, _A Shakespeare Glossary_, 2nd ed., rev. (Oxford: Clarendon, > 1946-1980), under "passionate (adj.)" gives: 1 grieved, sorrowful [then > Shakespeare play references] 2 compassionate [then references]. These and > the definitions for "passion" seem to refer to the Passion of Christ. Maybe > these references are not what Hume, et al, had in mind, but they're worth > thinking about, I believe. > > Michael > > ________________________________ > > LGV Publising, Inc. > Michael Fink > [email protected] > ____________________________ > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ron Andrico [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Tuesday, April 07, 2009 3:48 AM > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Squares in a Treble > > Dear Stewart: > I think I see what you are aiming for. Having no time to do so myself > just now, I suggest a quick scan through some of the contemporary > references to the passions; Thomas Wright's _The Passions of the Minde > in Generall_, where he describes in detail how the passions rule the > humors. Of course, Burton's _Anatomy of Melancholy_ will lead you down > a rambling path to speculative answers. > Instinct and my understanding of context tells me that the reference to > passionate play means to use invention to shape the close with dynamic > contrast. > Best wishes, > Ron Andrico > www.mignarda.com > > Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 10:30:55 +0100 > > To: [email protected] > > From: [email protected] > > Subject: [LUTE] Squares in a Treble > > > > Thanks, Dana. An enjoyable tale. :-) > > > > However, I had in mind Tobias Hume, who, for the first couple of bars > of > > his viol piece called "Deth" (no. 12 in _The First Part of Ayres_ > > (London, 1605)), he wrote "Play this pashenat after every straine". > Then > > a bit further on, he cancels it out with "Play this as it stands". In > > other words, as far as Hume is concerned, there are two ways of > > performing a piece: "pashenat", and "as it stands". > > > > Elsewhere he indicates pizzicato - e.g. "your finger as before" - and > > col legno - "Drum this with the backe of your Bow". Such things are > > unfortunately rare, so I would be interested to know of similar > > indications, not just for the lute, but for other instruments too. > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Stewart. > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: 07 April 2009 00:42 > > To: Lute Net > > Subject: [LUTE] Re: Squares in a Treble > > > > On Mon, Apr 6, 2009, Stewart McCoy <[email protected]> said: > > > > > I wonder what other references there are to passionate play > > > > I am reminded of an incident from my youth, singing in a madrigal > group. > > > > > > We often began practice with a backrub chain and were all good > friends, > > many had dated each other, some were paired for later marriage. > > > > One of the young ladies with whom I was particularly friendly (tho > not > > intimate) attended straight from work, sans music, we shared mine. > She > > being short, and I being tall, she sat in my lap and held the large > > loose-leaf binder while I peered over her shoulder. All was cozy and > > comfy > > for us, and as I was singing bass, she commented on the unexpected > > physical sensation of my resonant middle pressed up to her back and > > bottom. I suppose it might have led to a serious distraction as other > > young ladies might have insisted on trying out this new experience, > but > > the director would have no more of it and insisted on more > conventional > > seating. > > -- > > Dana Emery > > > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________________ > > Rediscover Hotmail(R): Get quick friend updates right in your inbox. > [1]Check it out. -- > > References > > 1. > http://windowslive.com/RediscoverHotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_HM_Rediscove r_Upd > ates1_042009 > > > __________________________________________________________________ Rediscover Hotmail(R): Get e-mail storage that grows with you. 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