Ron Andrico writes: 'This whole archlute episode brings up an important point: At some point, we have to admit that we are not trying to re-create an historical sound.'
There are a number of difficulties with this view of which the principal is that the original composer created the work with particular sounds in mind (tho' of course this might vary so that, for example, pieces could sometimes be rescored to better fit local conditions). Who are we to say the composer was wrong? The whole thrust of 'period performance' is to try and escape from the blinkered cavalier (self-centred) approach adopted in the early years of the movement and to focus on trying to achieve something closer to what the 'Old Ones' might actually have heard. Personally I'd draw the line at castrati - but accidents can happen....... MH MH -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
