[LUTE] Re: Ornamental Lutes

[theoj89294]

In the mid '80s, I was hired to play renaissance lute at some company's holiday 
party, and I was instructed to show up in costume (I had recently done a 
Twelfth Night in costume - and yes, there were tights). I arrived at the 
address and entered a large crowded party room with a disc jockey, sound system 
above 100 decibels pounding away the cheesiest disco, black lights, mirror 
ball; the works. I found the organizer and told her that there must have been 
some misunderstanding. She told the, no - she wanted me to dance around the 
dance floor with my lute and pretend like I was playing (my mind was quickly 
filled with images of a drunken reveler smashing into my lute and scattering 
splinters of wood across the parquet dance floor). Instead, I quietly packed up 
and left through the backdoor. Unexpectedly and to my pleasant surprise, I 
received my check for the entire agreed amount a week later. trj



-----Original Message-----
From: Edward Chrysogonus Yong <edward.y...@gmail.com>
To: Lute List List <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Sun, Mar 16, 2014 7:54 am
Subject: [LUTE] Ornamental Lutes


dear collective wisdom,

so i was asked to play continuo for a Händel Concerto Grosso and spent some 
time 
working it out. at the first rehearsal i discover that the continuo line is 
also 
being played by 3 violoncelli, an electronic harpsichord, and a double bass all 
'playing out'. 

all of these are modern instruments, played aggressively by players more 
accustomed to symphonic music. full chords on my large archlute and twiddling 
nonstop means i am audible to the celli and to the conductor. the tutti violins 
on the other side of the semicircle have said they can't really hear me, so i 
wonder if i'd even be heard by the audience.

i'm sure other lute players have done gigs like this, so what does one do in 
situations where one's lute seems largely ornamental? do i just make sure i 
look 
pretty?

Edward

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