On Wed, May 6, 2009 at 10:38 PM, Eugene C. Braig IV <[email protected]> wrote:
> [Eugene C. Braig IV] There is no evidence that there WAS a four-course, > 'violin-tuned' mandolin type when Vivaldi was writing his mandolino or leuto . > All evidence of performance on four-course, violin-tuned mandolins of which > I'm aware--not only the wire-strung Neapolitan type, but also the wholly > gut-strung mandolino Cremonese/Bresciano--was with plectra, either of quill > (on Neapolitan types) or a shaped sliver of wood (on Cremonese types). I am . > You are right regarding the "we don't really know" regarding fingers vs. > quill on Vivaldi. However, if you're looking to do HIP Vivaldi, it almost > certainly should be on a five- or six-course, fourth-tuned instrument > ([g]-b-e'-a'-d''-g'') and at least probably with the fingers. . > plectrum on fourth-tuned instruments seems the status quo for recent > somewhat-HIP performances of Vivaldi). I see. I got 4ths tuned mixed up with 5ths tuned, scatter brain, hence my 'mandolines-for-dummies' phrase: tuned as a violin. My only excuse is I'm writing these e-mails in the breaks of a home-recording session of some Bach ... Yes, today's mandolin had 4 courses, top three nylon, bottom one overspun, tuned in 5ths like a violin. and played with a quill (goose, I think, sounded very lovely and sweet). > [Eugene C. Braig IV] Sounds yummy. If the Castaldi mentioned is > Bellerofonte, that's way before there is any evidence of violin-tuned > mandolins. For sure, but this is for an all-arrangements programme anyway. Not me playing, by the way, a theorbo pupil brought her mandolin friend. The Castaldi is obviously for tiorbino (the mother of all toy theorbos) and theorbo. The arrangements were well done, but the full chords of the theorbo could not be matched by the mandolin. The faster chord sequences could be played non-broken by the theorbo, but not by the quill. A convincing compromise was found in the end. Thank you very much, I learned a lot, and know a little bit better what to expect, what to acccept as compromise, and what I can ask for if she comes again. David - time to listen to myself now ... -- ******************************* David van Ooijen [email protected] www.davidvanooijen.nl ******************************* To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
