Ed & all, Actually, the bit about proportions was more of a personal statement. The Venere is somewhere in between some of the very slender Maler lutes and other far more rotund shapes, which I like. The practical demands of playing with others usually means one has a lute good for g at a=415 or 440, or both. If I could afford lutes strictly for solo (or ensembles who actually play at 392), I'd always favor ~67cm at an F or E.
They are harder in terms of getting your hands around them, but far more generous in feedback, and forgiving of mistakes, in my experience. I can let loose a note faster on a big lute and still count on it to ring, and if I miss it outright (happens too often, at least live), it isn't noticeable. Conversely, I've performed on a 53cm alto lute, which is easy for the stretches, but very negatively (and sometimes embarassingly) accentuates any notes where you dare miss its smaller "sweet spot." And of course, to keep it singing, especially on polyphonic pieces, holding each note long enough to keep the lute ringing feels a bit like a game of chicken. So don't admire the feats of strength too much! I just find that to a point, big lutes give back more than they demand. My penny's worth. Cheers, tom -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
