I found it really interesting to view three versions of the same Nigra Sum from the 1610 Vespers. I deliberately did not look at any before performing it, because it is too tempting to borrow the really good riffs. Even though Monteverdi left no particular instructions for the piece, it has become some of an urban legend in the Theorbo world, a little moment in the sun before the darkness of the thundering herds of Mordor descend. Oooops wrong piece. But in any case, what is kind of cool, really very cool, is that all three versions use different orchestrations, different ornaments, different techniques, different playing styles, arpeggiation, stringing, frets, tastini, and so on. All three theorbos are in a different tuning, so all of the chords look different. Not to mention two are playing right handed instead of the proper left handed (joke, joke) Even more remarkable is that harmonization of the largely unfigured bass is different as well. Different chords. Different suspensions. If I had to do it over again I would borrow mucho! (with permission, of course) Numbers 1 and 3 are in tastini meantone.
Three Vespers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94-NIURkU8I http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRUEFcWJ7Js http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUqdpFYTatI To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
