Dear Lute netters,
as some of you might recall I recently decided to get a new instrument.
My first idea was to have a copy made of the Sellas E 545 theorbo in
Paris,
but since my principal aim with this instrument was to use it for Basso
Continuo,
I discussed with my lute maker Lars Jönsson to use a bigger body than
the Sellas original,
with less frets (8 tied gut frets + 2 body frets) but hopefully more
sound. We went for one of the biggest bodies
out there, a Buechenberg model, but we kept the exact dimensions and
string setups
from the E 545, i.e. 6x2 @ 890mm for the fingerboard, and 8x2 @1300mm
for the diapasons.
I ´ve only had it for a month, but already have had the opportunity to
use it in concert a couple of times.
My experiences so far (these are all of course personal, and in
comparison with my previous theorbo, which was a Tiffenbrucker 870/1650
by the same maker), in these first steps in trying to learn to play
this new therbo, can be summarized:
It takes longer to tune it than a single strung instrument, but when
tuned it is just as stable
It is not quieter because of the double courses
It has a very penetrating sound quality
One must be much more careful in hitting the strings vertically with
the left hand to avoid inconsistencies in intonation
The ability to intonate a plucked note with alteration of the left hand
pressure and l.h. horizontal movement is improved
Playing long slurred tirades is more tiring than on a single strung
theorbo
890 mm feels big with double courses, but even with my relatively small
hands, is no problem.
The right hand thumb needs more than 4 weeks to find its way around in
the basses...
To illustrate this, the Bavarian Cultural radio funnily enough recorded
a concert 10 days ago, which can be viewed
here: [1]Die lange Nacht der Alten Musik: Ensemble CONTINUUM |
BR-Klassik
two examples (if you want to spare yourself Käptn Peng, David Foster
Wallace and Kate Tempest arrangements)
at 2:10 there is the second toccata from Kapsperger ´s first chitarrone
print
at 29.15 the Crucifixion sonata by H I F Biber
Die lange Nacht der Alten Musik: Ensemble CONTINUUM | BR-Klassik
Bayerischer Rundfunk
Best wishes,
Magnus Andersson
--
References
Visible links
1. https://www.br-klassik.de/concert/ausstrahlung-1418078.html
Hidden links:
3. https://www.br-klassik.de/concert/ausstrahlung-1418078.html
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