> On Aug 2, 2019, at 1:50 AM, Matthew Daillie <[email protected]> wrote: > > There are passages in pieces by Vallet where he indicates a thumb-index > alternation in diminutions on the 4th to 6th courses of the lute but this > does not mean that he was using thumb-in (since he seems to specifically to > deride the use of this in his introduction).
Something he would hardly have done if there weren’t a significant number of players using it. BTW, your selection of pictures proves conclusively that all early 17th-century lutenists had red noses. > > With the difficulty for many lutenists today of playing music and instruments > spanning three centuries or more it seems inevitable that one will not be > able to develop very different specific techniques for each period. With this > in mind, maybe we should be clearer about exactly what we mean when > distinguishing between thumb-in and thumb-out. For the former are we mainly > referring to early renaissance technique carrying on from the use of the > plectrum and with many passages of diminutions using alternating thumb and > index in all registers of the lute or are we being more categorical and > demanding that for later music not only one replaces the alternation of > thumb-index with index-middle finger but that the actual position of the > thumb be extended out when playing, which necessitates changing the angle of > the hand in relation to the strings even to the extent of placing the little > finger behind the bridge (and which demands a complete rethink of tonal > issues)? > > Many period depictions of lutenists playing 10-course instruments show an > almost exaggerated thumb-out right-hand position. This is far more extreme > than the nicely relaxed and natural position of Mouton's right-hand on his > 11-course lute in the famous painting and engraving thereof. (Links below.) > > Surely the proof of the pudding is in the eating. To my mind the musical > result is paramount. I get no pleasure from listening to a rendition of a > work by a specific composer that uses politically correct technique but falls > short musically. > > Best, > > Matthew > > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lute_Player_(Hals)#/media/File:Hendrick_ter_Brugghen_-_Lute_Player_-_WGA22182.jpg > https://i.pinimg.com/originals/2c/92/b0/2c92b0c44c25b848cc3d7ff99252d58a.jpg > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Mouton#/media/File:Charles_Mouton_-_Fran%C3%A7ois_de_Troy.jpg > http://www.tabulatura.com/moutonreduc.jpg To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
