Sean,
You're right - lutes were often supported by a table. This may have even
been so in a large ensemble. Strings sat at long tables sitting across from one
another rather in a line facing the audience. Lutes may have as well.
It is more common in iconography, however, to see the lute/theorbo player
standing, using a strap, to the rear of the group. This is really excellent
since the sound of the instrument will literally project above the other
instruments. In addition to being more easily heard, it is space saving as the
neck can project out over the heads of the other players. (Just tell them to be
careful when getting up at the end of the show!) It was not unusual for the
plucker to read from sheet music on the keyboard, looking over the player's
shoulder.
The few of times I've stood for a performance, I've received great feedback
regarding the projection of the theorbo. In truth, I have actually found it
difficult to convince directors to allow me to stand. It apparently breaks some
unspoken modern concert convention that only soloists or featured performers
may stand (other than those who must do so by necessity, such as bassists or
percussionists).
Chris
Dr. Christopher Wilke D.M.A.
Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer
www.christopherwilke.com
--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 3/17/14, Sean Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
Subject: [LUTE] Re: Ornamental Lutes
To: "lute" <[email protected]>
Date: Monday, March 17, 2014, 2:22 PM
Don't discount,
too, the usefulness of a table. It
_does_ help in the
forward projection and, moreover, in the
ringing of the basses.
When a string vibrates, the lute absorbs
that vibration in a contrary
motion. No matter how you pluck the string
it will want to vibrate in
whatever direction _it_ wants.
Naturally, it will dissipate upwards
and downwards where there are no flat
surfaces/"soundboards" (or
audience besides the player).
If we eliminate that up-down possibility
by setting the corner of the
lute on a table we will eliminate one axis
of vibratory dissipation. Of
course setting it on the endpin w/ the
strings pointing straight up
won't work but as the strings approach
horizontal to the ground that
up-down vibration axis disappears. The
lute can only vibrate toward the
audience and back. Even for mult-headed
lutes (read: top heavy), as
long as the body is moving only
forward/backward the effect has to be
there.
As an experiment I played half a solo
concert on a table and and the
second half off and took note of the
comments. It was noticable.
There's absolutely no reason this couldn't
be transferable to a
continuo theorbo situation.
I've heard speculation about what kind of
table would sound the best
but I don't believe that enters
significantly into the equation though
I can't discount it entirely (I'm open to
doing the experiment again on
a solid post vs. a custom-built resonant
table). It's about eliminating
unuseful vibration dissipation and
redirecting it toward your
audience.
Sean
On Mar 17, 2014, at 10:49 AM, Christopher
Wilke wrote:
Howard,
--------------------------------------------
On Mon, 3/17/14, howard posner <[1][email protected]>
wrote:
You play continuo, dont worry about
it, and relax knowing
there isnt any pressure on you to
carry the part...
About once a year on this list I
have occasion to remind
someone that playing continuo isnt
like playing a lute
concerto. It isnt necessarily
about being heard as
a distinct, identifiable
sound. Youre part of the
mix.
...it doesnt 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
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