I think it came into use with the Venetian lutenists from 1500 or
so. Obviously you can't use rest strokes when you're playing thumb-
index diminutions, and you don't want to be damping the string
directly below your thumb if it's supposed to be sounding, but as a
general rule I think that wherever possible rest-stroke was the
default way to strike a bass string with your thumb right from the
beginning.
Nobody knows what Dowland did. Is it so important?
DR
On Jan 18, 2010, at 4:31 PM, [email protected] wrote:
I'm curious as to when it is thought the rest stroke for the
thumb came
into common use. Was it commonly used on the Renaissance lute?
Do we
think Dowland used it early, or late, or at all in his career?
Thanks,
Ned
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