Merci, Alain!
After I read your post I looked up Joe Pass (because many years ago I
had his vinyl LP "Virtuoso" and loved it) and then Wes Montgomery,
because he was one of Joe's influences. Apparently Wes played only with
his thumb! (up and down strokes). So even recent history teaches us
that music comes first, instruments and technique come second. When we
look at Piccinini or Kapsberger, or even Francesco da Milano, we can
only wonder, and speculate, and try to be better musicians. If we're
serious about studying/performing historical music, "anything goes" is
not an option, but we are really in desperate need of a realignment of
our priorities - gut strings (and no body frets) yes, playing slavishly
like some modern lute God, no!
Martin
On 07/12/2013 19:06, Alain Veylit wrote:
Actually, beyond the voice/guitar duets, the amazing opening solo
pieces by Joe Pass - to me - are very reminiscent of the style of lute
playing during the early Baroque:
* They are based on popular songs
* They mix counterpoint and passagii- like Kaspberger or Laurencini
for instance
* They mix techniques -- Joe discretely puts the pick in his mouth
and takes it out in the middle of a piece, just as lutenists would
switch thumb under and thumb over in the middle of a piece
* They make use of basso continuo technique and are
semi-improvisational in nature
* They are virtuoso pieces meant for just one guy with a not so loud
instrument to capture the attention of the audience
Granted Joe's lute is flatter and is missing a few strings, but his
passion to create his own instruments is also in keeping with
Piccinini's experimentations in lute design. So sometimes the past may
be in front of our eyes. IMO, every lute learning course should include
improvisation techniques based on the contemporary repertoire, the
inclusion of several right-hand techniques, and an emphasis that
musicality comes first. Finally, of course, it should teach each player
to develop their own style and character, because no one good player
plays like the other guys. Play your lute like Joe Pass plays his
guitar and then who will care what instrument you play...
On 12/07/2013 05:57 AM, Edward Mast wrote:
Thank you, Alain. This is music and playing/singing of the highest level.
Ned
On Dec 6, 2013, at 6:13 PM, Alain Veylit wrote:
There is much to learn about lute songs in this video: [1]http://www.youtube.com
/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZzMRwBIzLJA
Just a passing comment...
Alain
On 12/06/2013 02:23 PM, Dan Winheld wrote:
My most recent lute student originally came to me for lessons on how to play lut
e music in his beautiful Taylor steel-string guitar. Fine with me, I have a 7 st
ring, steel string guitar on which I rarely play anything but lute music (a chea
p Orpharion substitute). However, he fell so in love with the lute that he now h
as one being built and plays a rental in the meantime. We had exactly two lesson
s just on guitars. Hell, he forced me to switch over from teaching him lute musi
c on guitar to just plain old lute lessons on lute.
Brohinsky nailed it all rather well. Scheidler, the last documented professional
lute player, played the emerging classical guitar as well as the obsolescing
Ba
roque lute and bassoon. Had to make a living. So do a lot of us, still.
I believe it was Willy Nelson who once said "It's all one song"- (or maybe it's
the way he sings- :-) )
Dan
On 12/6/2013 2:05 PM, howard posner wrote:
I think you're veering a bit far from the definition of "force," but OK.
On Dec 6, 2013, at 2:00 PM, William Brohinsky [2]<[email protected]> wrote:
Ernesto said:
Generally speaking, we want to get more guitarists into the lute, not the other
way around, isn't it?
yes, someone expressed that idea.
On Fri, Dec 6, 2013 at 4:09 PM, howard posner [3]<[email protected]> wrote:
On Dec 6, 2013, at 12:52 PM, William Brohinsky [4]<[email protected]> wrote:
I have to admit to not understanding the idea that the purpose of the list or of
lutenists should be to try to force people's direction one way or the other.
I don't think anyone has actually expressed that idea.
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References
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZzMRwBIzLJA
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4. mailto:[email protected]
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