Dear Christopher, You asked for observations on yr performance, and you are certainly brave to ask for comments, here are mine:
You clearly have the necessary technical ability and virtuosity to play plucked instruments (as we know from your lute recordings). However, I really don't think we should transfer modern flamenco guitar strumming techniques and percussive effects onto the period instrument. This isn't saying that old instruments were necessarily softer or less able to be passionate and rhetorical - I think it's simply saying that the evidence (to take just one example from the instructions etc, index finger strums seem pretty common - rather than whole hand as modern rasguado) points to a more refined manner of play. There also seems evidence for strumming up to the neck/body joint - but when plucking to do so closer to the bridge - this produces a more homogeneous strum sound with less mettallic edge. Regarding modern flamenco, as far as I'm aware (and I'm really no expert in this area) the guitar was introduced into the form fairly late: after singing, clapping and dancing had been around on their own for a large number of years. I believe Julian Arcas (or a contemporary) was the first player to introduce the modern guitar into flamenco in around 1860 - and it then became established during flamenco's high point, say roughly 1870-1910. So there was really no unbroken tradition (or of 'development') linking this later flamenco strummed style with the earlier one of De Murcia et al. Finally, we do have examples of orchestrated Fandangos from the 18th century (eg Rameau, Gluck, Bocherini, Mozart) and whilst these are certainly rythmic I wouldn't say they exhibit the wild abandon of modern guitar flamenco. Indeed, they seem to be rather grand stately pieces - perhaps these are more useful models. De Murcia himself also has something to say about requiring refined playing and less wild abandon.................. regards Martyn --- On Wed, 13/2/13, Christopher Wilke <[email protected]> wrote: From: Christopher Wilke <[email protected]> Subject: [LUTE] Baroque Guitar Video To: "lutelist" <[email protected]> Date: Wednesday, 13 February, 2013, 19:03 Hello all, I've posted a new video of a live performance of me playing Santiago de Murcia's "Fandango" on baroque guitar. I've incorporated some improvisation into the piece. This represents the first time I've been able to muster up the courage to do it in front of other people. Your thoughts are most welcome. The link is: [1]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3v56-03ajU Chris Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A. Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer www.christopherwilke.com -- To get on or off this list see list information at [2]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3v56-03ajU 2. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
