I've published articles on this topic - it was indeed called "English" at the time, and several other things as well.
I play the JCB in concert regularly and have recorded it, too - it's a delight to play - both parts work well on the guittar even though the other part is for violin. Jim Tyler and Taro Takeuci have also recorded it. Definitely lots of good music there - Straube, Geminiani, Marelli, Schuman... I will now bow out of the conversation. Doc Rossi On Thu, Jan 31, 2013 at 2:07 PM, Gary R. Boye <[1][email protected]> wrote: Dear Bill, I think I can (briefly) answer your questions: There is a HUGE amount of music that survives for this instrument. If you check my web page for the 18th century and do a CTRL-F for "english guitar" there are at least 274 publications: [2]http://applications.library.appstate.edu/music/lute/C18/1700.html More of these sources now labeled "guitar" are probably for this instrument as well. The quality? It varies . . . it is an amateur instrument and much of the music is just an arrangement of a melody--a single line at the end of a publication really for piano and voice. But I must admit that the piece Rob played and his playing was disarmingly effective; hearing one of these instruments always makes me want to play one . . . There is a nice sonata by J.C. Bach: J.C. Bach c1775 Bach, Johann Christian. A sonata for the guitar with an accompaniment for a violin (London, [England]: Longman, Lukey, and Co.) [BUC] English guitar and violin in staff notation The second question is easy: to my knowledge, this instrument was NEVER called the "English guitar" in the 18th century. Always "guittar" or even "guitar" with various other spellings/other names in German and French. Gary On 1/31/2013 5:00 AM, William Samson wrote: (Semi) serious question. What music was composed for this instrument outside Scotland? - Is it any good? (- the music from outside Scotland, that is). Second question - What did they call this instrument back in the day? Specifically, was it ever called "The English Guitar"? Bill From: Rob MacKillop <[3][email protected]> To: Lute <[4][email protected]> Sent: Thursday, 31 January 2013, 8:50 Subject: [LUTE] The English Guitar I'm no fascist, so if you want to discuss the so-called English Guitar, I suggest you do so here, not in the thread of my video performance (which everyone except Martyn seems to have seen). I only ever said don't use my video thread to discuss the wider issues of the guittar. My reason for creating a separate thread is that it makes it easier for me to avoid. The reason for avoiding the discussion is that there are a few regulars here who cannot discuss anything without killing the subject for anyone who has a love for it. So, what is an English Guitar? Rob (exits stage left...) -- To get on or off this list see list information at [1][5]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. [6]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- Dr. Gary R. Boye Professor and Music Librarian Appalachian State University -- References 1. mailto:[email protected] 2. http://applications.library.appstate.edu/music/lute/C18/1700.html 3. mailto:[email protected] 4. mailto:[email protected] 5. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html 6. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
