Howard, -------------------------------------------- On Mon, 3/17/14, howard posner <[email protected]> wrote:
> You play continuo, don’t worry about it, and relax knowing > there isn’t any pressure on you to carry the part... > About once a year on this list I have occasion to remind > someone that playing continuo isn’t like playing a lute > concerto. It isn’t necessarily about being heard as > a distinct, identifiable sound. You’re part of the > mix. > ...it doesn’t matter at all what you play, just do your best, enjoy the show > and > chalk it up to practice time. Just like closing your eyes, clicking your heels together and repeating, "there's no place like home... there's no place like home... " won't magically transport you someplace warm and safe, repeatedly offering the same conjecture about the lute's role in an ensemble won't make it true. There is no historical evidence implying that plucked continuo players didn't want or expect to be heard even in large groups. On the contrary, Weiss writes, "I have adapted one of my instruments for accompaniment in the orchestra and church. It has the size, length, power and resonance of the veritable theorbo and has the same effect, only the tuning is different... [The archlute and theorbo] are ordinarily played with the nails and produce in close proximity a coarse, harsh sound." Period performers didn't select powerful, resonant instruments which they then played with nails, producing an intentionally penetrating tone color, only to become a subordinate "part of the mix." Certainly they were "heard as a distinct, identifiable sound." Something is deeply flawed with an ideology that allows one to actually feel comfortable writing, "it doesn't matter at all what you play... chalk it up to practice time" in a serious musical discussion. Personally, I think the "composite sound" line of reasoning is just a cop-out for players unwilling to explore the resources of the instrument beyond the tender touch that sounds so dreamily ethereal and wistfully antiquated when practicing alone in the still privacy of a small room. If, however, one plays close to the bridge - as written and iconographic sources very explicitly demonstrate - the tone will project. This takes some work, as it's not simply a matter of clawing at the strings forcefully. With practice, it is possible to create a tone that is both robust and distinct even in large ensembles. Chris -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
