This may be an attempt to coat with wax and smooth over the hairy bits of an old and frayed thread, but the idea of playing individual components of the same course is of interest to me, whether to bring out octaves for voice leading or to downplay the unwanted thud of a bass that otherwise sounds indelicate in context. I refer to the video below of a very sensitive rendition of Spinacino's setting of Josquin's "Adieu mes amours," a perennial favorite in our household. The lutenist, while playing with imagination, a secure touch and with great delicacy, seems to consistently skip the lowest member of the sixth course. I would be prepared to accept that this was a conscious choice so as to avoid overpowering what appears to be a unison-strung sixth course. Any thoughts? [1]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOphOD16DCc I also have to add that the bits of rubato used in her interpretation, while expressive and individualistic, are not necessary. Josquin provided all the necessary ebb and flow in his phrase structure without added time shifts, as can be heard in our adaptation for solo voice and lute: [2]https://mignarda.bandcamp.com/track/adieu-mes-amours?v=xOphOD16DCc I'm routinely frustrated to hear interpretations of music from this era that demonstrate a lack of understanding of the importance of pulse. Dalza's setting of Bart Tromboncino's "Poi che volse" is one of the most frequently misunderstood pieces when performed as a lute solo - nearly everyone misses the enjambment of the end of the first phrase with the beginning of the repeat. Singing the frottola helps immensely and one sees how stretching a bit yet remaining true to the pulse results in an interpretation that even meets the stringent standards of our manager. [3]https://mignarda.bandcamp.com/track/poi-che-volse-la-mia-stella Sorry if this seems like a plug. I'm just trying to demonstrate that pulse is very important - a fact that seems to have escaped those who came to the lute via Segovia. RA > Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 09:03:54 +0000 > To: [email protected] > CC: [email protected] > From: [email protected] > Subject: [LUTE] Re: 16th century tuning and stringing > > > > The voice-leading implies the stringing. One example that comes readily > > to mind is the third measure of Up Merry Mates from A Pilgrimes Solace. > > The lute part has in the bass (the only moving line), starting on the open > > fifth course, C-D-E-F# leading to this chord: > > > > __e__ > > __a__ > > _____ > > _____ > > _____ > > __a__ > > > > Dowland could have included the G on the fourth course without making it > > difficult to play. His not doing so means either that he didnt care that > > the bass line dropped a seventh for no good reason, or that he assumed > > octave stringing on the sixth course, supplying the middle G. > > My two pennyworth - surely the bass line is going to drop a 7th anyway as > the previous four notes on the 5th course will be doubled in the octave > above if it is octave strung. Why put the G on the 6th course anyway if it > is readily available on the 4th. > > What you will have with octave stringing is > > c' d' e' f#' > c d e f# g > G > > You could argue that the 5th course was in unisons and the 6th course > re-entrant on that basis. > > The voice leading does not necessarily imply the stringing. These > idiocycracies are inherant in the instrument. Skips of a 7th are common in > baroque guitar music and are perfectly acceptable. > Unless I have misunderstood what you are saying..... > Monica > > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > >
-- References 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOphOD16DCc 2. https://mignarda.bandcamp.com/track/adieu-mes-amours?v=xOphOD16DCc 3. https://mignarda.bandcamp.com/track/poi-che-volse-la-mia-stella
