Subject: Re: [LUTE] Re: 6th course on 'baroque' lute [was "Gut strings"]
Foscarini corrente
On 21/11/2011 14:09, Monica Hall wrote:
I asked because I have been comparing Foscarini's arrangements of lute
works by Gaultier with the originals. He sticks very close to the
original (making allowances for the absence of a 6th course and the
fact
that the 3rd course on the lute is a semitone lower). However, on the
guitar the 4th and 5th courses are in octaves and in some ways this
distorts the part writing.
Which of the Foscarini pieces are Gaultier lute pieces?
Actually one piece is by Gaultier and two by Mesangeau
Corrente francese con le sue parte doppie (p. 42) = [Ennemond Gaultier]
(GB-Cfm Ms. Mus. 689, fol. 37r(a))
Corrente francese (p. 54(a)) = René Mesangeau (CZ-Pnm IV.G.18, fol. 70v)
Seconda corrente francese (p. 54(b)) = René Mesangeau, Courante (CZ-Pnm
IV.G.18, fol. 69v-70r)
Monica
Thanks. And (of course, I suppose) these turn out to be in Foscarini's
lute style - punteado, no strumming. The two Corrente on p.54 have almost
no issues: there are bar lines , the notes add up. Most unusually for
Foscarini, you can just pick up an instrument and play! (Rather than spend
hours on a speculative reconstruction)
The Gaultier corrente on p.42 has a few more issues than the ones on p.54.
Did Gaultier write the divisions too? Presumably you could make a fairly
definitive playing version using the Gaultier original as a guide?
Stuart
Yes - it does include the divisions. It depends what you mean by a
definitive playing version. I did a parallel transcription of this
courante and Fosco's piece is almost identical with Gaultier. Of course
Gaultier has 6 courses and also at least 4 open diapasons but the latter
are used only at cadences.
I think it very likely that most of the pieces in lute style are actually
arrangements of lute pieces by other composers. (The ciaccona in Book 5 is
by Piccinini). He has probably arranged them from a printed source - which
would explain why they are accurately notated on the whole with bar lines
etc.Also his earlier Libro Secondo is mostly borrowed from Colonna. Quite
possibly even some of the pieces in mixed style are not by Fosco either.
So really he is a plagiarist par excellence.
The Sarabanda Francese on p.51 is a version of the Sarabanda found on p. 44
of Corbetta's "Varii scherzi di sonate" (1648).
Nobody has so far said whether Gaultier used octave stringing on the 4th and
5th courses. Do we know?
I wonder how many people are know about this manuscript in a private
collection in San Ginesio which includes music by Foscarini and Valdambrini.
Monica
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