Ralf,

On Tue, 2/25/14, R. Mattes <[email protected]> wrote:

> There is no such thing as "harmony below bass". Please, get
> all out of your Berkeley Jazz shoes, now.

No, everyone keep your shoes on, please! In fact, 17th century players 
frequently utilized the option to play "harmony below the bass" by recognizing 
chord roots and inverting them as was practical. There are even examples of 
written out lute realizations in which every single chord has been voiced in 
root position(!), which clearly shows that they understood the theoretical 
principles at work, even if they lacked a terminology to discuss them in 
today's lingo (i.e. "Berkeley Jazz shoes"). According to what we know of 17th 
century theory, players "couldn't" do this, but, well, um, they did. I noted 
one such instance from Castaldi in my last post. I discuss many more in far 
greater depth in an article I wrote for the LSA which has very frustratingly 
been in publishing limbo for several years.

Chris

Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.
Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer
www.christopherwilke.com



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