I have never really studied this in detail. First of all the date. In the description at the beginning of the ms. it says 17th century with the date 1635 after the name Isabel Langhenhove. I'm not sure if that is actually the date of the ms. Jim Tyler says mid-17th century and that seems a bit more likely especially as it includes some gavottes and at least one bourree which are more associated with Louis XIV and Lully - but I am not an expert on these things. It is interesting that it is in French tablature because early French sources are few and far between.It uses Italian strumming symbols rather than the French system of putting note values on the stave. The earliest dated sources of this kind of notation are the Dupille mss.(F- Psg ms. res. 2344/2349 and 2351). One of these is dated 1649. So Langhenhove might be slightly earlier. I am not quite sure what you mean by the !Y! shape attached to the first line. The longer stroke marks followed by a dot are dotted quarter notes and the florid x symbol may be the complementary 8th note. The music looks rather sketchy but is in what we (or I) refer to as "mixed" style - it combines strummed chords (most of which are the same as those represented by alfabeto in Italian sources) with plucked lute style passages. But it is a manuscript and possibly just a sort of aide memoire for the player. It is very difficult to judge these things for quality because the player may have elaborated on what is actually written. Hope that is helpful. Monica
----Original Message---- From: [email protected] Date: 01/09/2016 16:28 To: "LutList"<[email protected]> Subj: [LUTE] Re: Baroque guitar tablature Hi Monica, Thank you for your science - the sequence seems to be : vertical dash with dot followed by the x, i.e. "|. x". The 'Y' shape is attached to the first line, which I guess might mean some indication of strumming? I just picked a random piece in the MS as an example -- it happens to be a saraband on p.205 of the microfilm - this may or may not correspond to anything outside the microfilm copy... What is the overall quality of the music in that "Langhenhove" MS? It is dated 1635, which makes it fairly early but the notation seems to me very established and fluent. Alain On 09/01/2016 04:36 AM, [email protected] wrote: > Yes - I think the rather florid looking x or slash at the top of the > stave is a quaver or eighth note. Should complement the dotted strokes. > The small x is an appoggiatura or upper note trill. > MOnica > > ----Original Message---- > From: [email protected] > Date: 01/09/2016 9:07 > To: "[email protected]"<[email protected]>, > <[email protected]> > Cc: "LutList"<[email protected]> > Subj: Re: [LUTE] Re: Baroque guitar tablature > > Probably the page is 62v - the numbering of the scans on the page is > quite misleading. > > The x in this case probably mean an eigthth strum. That fits with > understanding the |. as a punctated strum. > In the manuscript there also seems to be a "x" for an appogiatura or > mordent from above. > > Best regards > Markus > > > Am 01.09.2016 um 10:43 schrieb [email protected]: >> Can't actually access the page you have given. However I have a copy >> of the ms. >> >> The vertical dasshes below and above the highest line indicate the >> strumming. Down from the line is a bass to treble stroke and up from >> the line is a treble to bass stroke. >> The open courses should be included in the chords provided that they >> belong to the basic triad. They don't include the "As" unless this > is >> essential to make sense. >> A dot after a stroke may indicate that it is a dotted note - but I >> can't see which specific piece you are referring to. >> An x is usually a descending appoggiatura from the note above. >> Oblique dashes below the stave usually mean that the chord is to be >> sustained. >> If you can tell me the page number or the title of the specific > pieces >> I might be able to shed a bit more light. >> BEst >> Monica >> ----Original Message---- >> From: [email protected] >> Date: 01/09/2016 8:05 >> To: "Lute List"<[email protected]> >> Subj: [LUTE] Re: Baroque guitar tablature >> >> I am hoping someone can help me understand some of the symbols on > this >> piece of Baroque guitar tablature - maybe Monica? >> Here is a facsimile copy: >> [1]http://signtracks.com/facsimiles/Guitar/Baroque/Langhenhove/319_page >> _0205.jpg >> 1 ) Small vertical dashes above the first line: I understand this > is >> an >> indication of strumming with the hand from the bottom up - or is > it >> the >> other way? >> 2) The dots after a vertical dash - like this "|." : is that a >> dotted >> (invisible) flag value -- or a bar line -- or? >> 3) the 'x' - often following the dotted dash mentioned above: a >> shake >> or mordent??? If so it looks a little far away from its note... >> 4) the 'y' that looks like the 'x' described above but more like a >> 'y' >> (or a 'v') and bigger: ???? >> 5) Oblique dashes on the first and/or 5th line: no idea what these >> are... >> I am also kind of wondering if open strings are not sort of > implied >> within a chord ... >> Any help on any of the above appreciated. To me, it looks like >> pretty >> amazing short-hand from someone who knew the instrument extremely >> well... >> Alain >> -- >> >> References >> >> 1. >> http://signtracks.com/facsimiles/Guitar/Baroque/Langhenhove/319_page_0205.jpg >> >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >> >> >> >
