Whether your string is made of gut or syntetic it has nothing to do with
tempo one can play. Each material demands different attitude when playing
(and our contemporary big stars of the lute world are the real proof of
this). Bach won't sound better or be played faster on gut because Bach
didn't write idiomaticly for this instrument and many of his pieces can be
played on any instrument. I am neither fan of syntetics nor guts. All of
them have their problems and good sides. Some will sound better in some
situations, some in others....but I am sure that at least some of the "old
guys" would use syntetics or wired strings. It's a matter of taste and
practicality too (if one has to think about concert situation). BTW, I
wonder why Arab Oud players don't use gut anymore (and they are faster then
ever!). Don't they like traditional gut tone? I always thought they are very
traditional......
Best
Jaroslaw
----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Winheld" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 5:46 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Switching between gut strings and synthetics?
Anton,
Great perspective- my 13 course B-lute is indeed almost all gut (some
low fundamental compromises, solid silver wound La Bella guitar
strings- two "d's" and one A for fundamentals on C-11, B-12, and
A-13). I follow Toyohiko Satoh's low tension specs. While not a
"virtuoso" on Baroque lute, I don't find the tension any hindrance at
all to any tempi I might launch into. My viel ton instruments are at
slightly higher tensions- about midway Satoh's specs and the tension
charts like, say, Dan Larson's- no matter gut or synthetics- no
hindrance at all to tempo, and I think the lower tension makes
ornamentation a bit more forgiving on the synthetics.
Dan
Speaking of tempi, have you heard the Ensemble 415's Opus 6 Corelli?
What I can say is - my experience is only Baroque lute.
Gut strings are very stiff and it makes it possible to manage
certain things on low tension around 2,2 - 2,5 kilos which would
never be possible on nylon. Therefore many people play very low
tensioned lutes, saying this sounds better. I think as for the tone
itself it does sound a bit better but important is to be able to
express oneself ad here the problem comes. I never heard anyone to
perform a Weiss from Dresden let us say F sharpMinor n 23 or G minor
nr 30 or any piece of this scale with trebles having low tension. I
am also talking about real tempo.
I do think that Presto is FAST! and not a baroque word which means
expression etc. Weiss met Corelly and people were well aware of real
virtuoso music. So my point is the lute is just an instrument as any
other. It has to be playable, tempos fast and it must be in tune.
My wife Anna and concentrate on Bach and Weiss mostly pieces that
are very technically demanding and there is absolutely no way to
push them to the right limit on the slopy stringing.
I do think that gut enables you to articulate better and when needed
play faster and indeed produce better contrasts. The lute with gut
is just a different instrument. Very different... It feels correct:)
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