Guy, after my admittedly limited experience with the serpent, I'm ready
to buy that theory! I have a friend who grows historical roses based
entirely on her interest in their provenance. If it's an ungainly
shrub blooming some lurid shade of puce every six and a half years, and
produces nothing but thorns, thrips, and blackspot all the rest, but
it's got a great story, she has to have it. I felt the same about the
poor serpent. Of course it's fascinating, but...
And Monica, I'd forgotten about that Paul McCreesh recording, but now
you mention it, I seem to remember our little schola giggling about how
the Gabrielli Consort - one of our idols - needed to get a fresh pitch
between every movement...and they probably had time to actually
practice. (Yes, of course we understood what they were doing.
Sometimes sight reading late into the night in an unheated cathedral
produces giddiness.)
Okay, I'll leave you all to discuss the lute.
-Donna
-----Original Message-----
> From:Monica Hall
> In Spain in the 16th century the bajon was used to accompany chant
although
> what it seems to have been used for was to sound the appropriate
pitch note
> of each section so as to keep the singers on pitch. I think the
plainchant
> on Paul McCreech's recording of Victoria's Requiem is done in that
way.
> From: Guy Smith
>
> Given how difficult the serpent is to play at pitch, it might well
have been
> the other way around for serpent:-)
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References
1. http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/
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