----- Original Message ----- From: Martyn Hodgson
To: Lute Dmth ; A. J. Ness Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 3:49 AM Subject: Re: [LUTE] Re: RV93 - which instrument?
Yes. Bob was always very kind and also let me have a copy of this anonymous sinfonia and the two concertinos for leuto 2 violini e basso (lute part written in octave transposing treble clef for solo passages and bass clef for BC). Incidentally I don't think the sinfonia was written for mandora but for the Old tuined G leuto. <<ajn>>Thanks for writing, Martyn. I've heard the mandora explanation also. And that may be because they are tuned in fourths. But the sinfonia fits the earlier lute in fourths with a VIIth course. And those low Gs and Fs are used prominently. I think the continuo instrument for the figured bass was another such instrument (alone? or with gamba?). Now I have to take a look at the concertinos. But the mandora repertory is on the whole a much more in the "popular" mode--operatic variations, for example. It's the kind of music that gets taken over by guitar. Alas it is now very difficult to obtain copies or even access to the collection - I'm sure Bob wouldn't have approved. <<ajn>>He was so generous with his knowledge and especially in opening his magnificent library of rare music to all. His friend John Robinson, while not a collector of rare music, is carrying on Bob's spirit. He has assisted so many of us. I think his music supplements alone for the Lute Society are approaching 70 in number. <<ajn>>ajn MH --- On Tue, 4/1/11, A. J. Ness <[email protected]> wrote:From: A. J. Ness <[email protected]> Subject: [LUTE] Re: RV93 - which instrument? To: "Lute Dmth" <[email protected]>, "Martyn Hodgson" <[email protected]> Date: Tuesday, 4 January, 2011, 20:56 See below. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Martyn Hodgson" <[email protected]> To: "Lute Dmth" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 4:39 AM Subject: [LUTE] RV93 - which instrument? <<<SNIP>>>
It is much more likely that the instrument required is the 18th century Italian 'leuto' (sometimes but by no means always in its arcileuto configuration) tuned, I and others have suggested, like the old lute in a nominal G (but sometimes A); an E tuning has also been proposed - tho' this is most unlikely in view of the string length of these instruments. The general size of these instruments can be deduced from contemporary iconography and there are good early/mid 18th century Italian paintings showing lutes being played (often just 7 course instruments - perhaps even old lutes?) suggesting string lengths close to old G lutes (ie generally low/mid 60s cm). A number of these instruments survive in modern collections and often in a pristine state by makers such as Radice. As first suggested by Bob Spencer these instruments would have played from staff notation (like Dalla Casa): often using the octave transposing G2 clef but also, I suspect, also using the normal bass clef for basso continuo. Whether Vivaldi was concerned about these pieces being played on a 'baroque' ie Dm lute rather than an instrument in the old tuning I think we will never truly know (since he didn't expect modern organologists to delve into the question) but what can be said is the the one lute work which he did indisputedly conceive for the Dm lute (the double concerto with viola d'amore) RV 540 was first performed in 1740 and its fits well on the instrument - much more so than the earlier 'leuto' works. We also know that the Dm lute made surprisingly very little impression in 18th century Italy. In short, if in doubt play these works on a 7 course lute (tuned in nominal G or A) but use overwound on the lowest courses, unlike the wholly gut strings of earlier generations. Also, I suspect, they employed a significantly higher string tension than earlier generations (the extant 18th century leuto seem more robust than earlier lutes; use of nails to pluck) but then, of course, you risk damaging the instrument.............. Alternatively, if you really want to hear what contemporary audiences expected, get a special instrument made. MH
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