I agree that playing the lute standing up is a real game changer and also that modern concert conventions are the thing that stop the game being changed.... All the best Mark On Mar 18, 2014, at 12:27 AM, Christopher Wilke wrote:
> 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 > -- > To get on or off this list see list > information at > [2]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > -- > > References > > 1. mailto:[email protected] > 2. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
