Carry on and happy listening. Sounds like today's mandolin was a compromise-strung Neapolitan instrument. (Not many modern players like the contrast in tone or tactile texture of brass on the inner two courses.)
Best, Eugene > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of David van Ooijen > Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2009 4:55 PM > To: lutelist > Subject: [LUTE] Re: baroque mandolin picking > > 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
