That's very intriguing to hear, Hector. The Dalza book is nothing but
catchy, easily digested melodies --again, in a good way. The
strambotti, as you describe them, perhaps may have influenced the
Italian song away from the Burgundian yoke that made Spinacino so
serious (lovely as they are). It's very fortunate that Petrucci
published exactly that set of lute books (including the frottole).
[Reminds me of the 70's: Prog rock giving way to New Wave]
Dalza doesn't seem to have any problem at all with parallel 5ths, 4ths
and octaves either or inversions either and that's why, when you start
to disregard those 'laws' the guitar starts to work very nicely. I
could easily imagine a lute dance band of multiple lutes of different
sizes (playing the alla Ferrarese or alla Venetiana) with a guitar or
two strengthening the inner harmonies and rhythm. On the dance floor,
what are people really paying attention to?
The scordatura of two lower courses in the one Ferrarese "suite" is
very interesting, too. He sets it in a group where there are already
similar pieces --though shorter-- in again Bb (w/out scordatura) and C
and F but, to my eye, it's the template from which the others are
taken. If we think of different lute sizes for a trio playing to a
common tonic we could simply use Pacalono's lute trio. Ditto, the
Venetiana tunings where we get the additional tonics of G and D and
here you can build two different Pacalono trios. Here, the one suite in
Bb the Piva is very difficult [for none-O'dette humanoids] to play at
the speed of the other Pivas with its constant 6-course chords. If you
take the chords out and give them to, say, a guitar it gets very easy
very quickly. Could these be shorthand duets?
The pieces, unfortunately want considerable editing but it would have
been far easier for them having had the dance forms well defined in
front of them, unlike us.
I'm certain there is much more than meets the eye to Dalza, both in his
dance forms and his origins. Is he really Italian? All the dances are
grouped together except the Caldibi Castiglian(o)which is given the
prominant position of very first piece. Could this be a hint to his
origin? His given name is Joanambrozio. Is there a place name of Alza
in the sense of d'Alza? The Calata on 46r is much like a Romanesca and
isn't that dissimilar to Valderrabano's in style --another Spanish
connection? And of course, all those Calatas ala spagnolas.
Back to Fronimo...
Sean
On Jan 19, 2013, at 2:34 PM, Hector wrote:
There are Calatas in the Thibault MS (BN, Paris, Res. Vmd. Ms. 27) and
I believe they are mentioned in 15th c. writings (cannot remember
where). The calata de strabotti is probably based on a popular melody
(a strambotto). Strabotti are very simple and archaic... in a good way.
They are full of parallel fifths and other 'archaisms', and some have
great melodies. I believe the texts that survive (I think it is 8 lines
per strambotto) are just a theme from which many more verses were
improvised. They are very much connected to the oral tradition.
Best,
Hector
On 19 Jan 2013, at 22:22, Monica Hall wrote:
Yes - there is no Italian repertoire for the renaissance guitar at
all
really. It would be nice to have one - so keep building.
Another interesting thing is that as far as I have been able to
discover
there are no other calatas except Dalza's in the 16th century - does
anyone
know of any? - but
the calata re-surfaces in some early 17th century Italian guitar
books - notably
those of Montesardo and Costanzo.
Monica
----- Original Message ----- From: "Sean Smith"
<[1][email protected]>
To: "lute" <[2][email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2013 6:08 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Calata de Strombotti
Thanks, Monica. You've saved me search through HMB at any rate.
I suspect it's one of the strombotti/ frottole somewhere in the
Tromboncino intabulations as are Poi che'l ciel and Poi che volse
but he
doesn't do us the favor of naming it. It's certainly set up like a
frottole w/ its two sections and light approach.
While there are just _so_ many it is fun to search through them.
Btw,
I've been setting some for lute and/or ren. guitar and they can fit
very
nicely. It's a shame we don't have any extant guitar repertory from
the
time so I've been trying to build one.
Sean
On Jan 19, 2013, at 9:39 AM, Monica Hall wrote:
Well - Brown doesn't seem to say anything about it but my Harvard
Dictionary of Music describes the Strambotto thus-
A verse form popular among Italian improvisers in the 15th century
and
taken over into the repertory of the frottola. It consists of a
single
stanza of eight hendecasyllabic lines etc.........Musical settings
often
have only two phrases each repeated four times in alternation....a
separate phrase for the final couplet may be included...
Perhaps Dalza's Calata is in the form of a strambotto...The Calata
is an
early 16th century dance form.
Hope that information is of some use.
Monica
----- Original Message ----- From: "Sean Smith"
<[3][email protected]>
To: "lute" <[4][email protected]>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2013 5:13 PM
Subject: [LUTE] Calata de Strombotti
Dear folks,
In Dalza on 44v there's a Calata de strombotti. Could anyone tell me
which strombotti this is? I'm afraid I don't have HMBrown's
Instrumental
Music before 1600 which would probably tell me.
My appreciation in advance,
Sean
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