> From: "Alexander Batov" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2006 13:05:58 +0100 > To: <[email protected]> > Cc: "Roger E. Blumberg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [VIHUELA] Re: Icon -- nother new waist-cut viola, 1483,Italian > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Roger E. Blumberg" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Alexander Batov" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, September 15, 2006 2:37 AM > Subject: [VIHUELA] Re: Icon -- nother new waist-cut viola, 1483,Italian > > >> It is a dam early example in any event. > > Yes, it could even be one of the forms of the Citole. There is some, however > vague, similarity in shape with those of Cantigas' and Ormesby Psalter's > depictions. > > Alexander >
The reference I had on hand to draw upon for comparing the 1440-50 French plucker to other instruments in the record was this composite of four images I made last year . . . http://www.TheCipher.com/juxta_pluckbowFig8_c1450-00.jpg The composite shows two plucked and two bowed instruments, all relatively similar in appearance, all smooth-curved waist-indented figure-eight shaped bodies with bent back lute-style peg boxes. While the juxtaposition is interesting, the fact is the two bowed instruments shown there pre-date the two plucked ones by 30-50 years (or at minimum the execution dates of the bowed artwork predates the plucked artwork). So seeing a plucker on this order dated 1440-50 puts it on-par date-wise with the two earlier bowed instruments. But, the two bowed instruments shown are at the tail-end of their genetic or pattern line, signaled by their lute-style peg-boxes, which pattern-line overall traces back much earlier to at least c.1370 Italian fiddles exhubiting a very similar look but more archaic peg boxes (and a myriad of stringing and bridging variations, any combination of C holes or/and round-holes or pierced rosettes). Many of the earlier examples in that line appear to me to be of uni-body carved-out construction rather than "in-pieces" vihuela/viola sharp-edged construction. Anyway, the very early history and picture, the landscape and origins, of plucked vihuela/viola (as we're wanting to see and define them) shuts down so quickly once you try reaching back further than lets say 1480 (and that new Valencia Cathedral vihuela seems like an absolute miracle to find and see), that almost anything at you find earlier than 1480 is startling. The Salamanca waist-cut viola, if it's truly as old as claimed, _really_ stands out as unusual and early in all respects. It's such a dead-zone back then otherwise. Where are the others I keep asking? As a curiosity at least, the question of which came first, plucked or bowed, is never far from my mind. Where and when did "in-pieces" construction begin? The sharp waist-cut viola/vihuela seem key, plucked or bowed. There's no question when you see them that you're looking at in-pieces construction, something unmistakably new on the scene. We have the plucked variety on one hand, and then three or four different bowed varieties to find, date, and factor in: lyra da braccio, fretted-fourths viols, three string fretless violins, and late Ren fiddles (often five-stringers, often fretted). All five varieties, in waist-cut viola bodies, spring up almost simultaneously, in the late 1400's. Even among our (we here on this list) two closest family members, the plucked and bowed fretted fourths instruments in waist-cut viola bodies, the question of which came first, plucked or bowed, is still not clear to me (at least). The dating of many pictures is still pretty vague, often little better that "second half of 15th century". Any new and well-dated picture, or any re-dated old picture, can throw both light and/or a wrench into the mix ;-) The folks at the Orpheon claim that this Valencian picture shows the oldest known viol. They say it's dated c.1475-85. http://www.TheCipher.com/viol_Valencia_leaf-box_1475-85-comp-deta.jpg That instrument, at 1475, would seem too "out of the blue" to me, little or no precedence for many of it's features and particulars, no or too few evolutionary steps leading up to it. 1485 I could probably buy at this point. But I still believe there are other examples to be found (or better dated) that are earlier than this one and that would shed some kind of intelligible sense on the matter. This instrument . . http://www.TheCipher.com/vihuela_de_arco_SpanishCathedral_15th.jpg for example, makes more sense to me as a likely candidate and evolutionary indicator, but I don't have a good-enough narrowed-down date for it. I think the pluckers in your Catalan Saint Vincent picture are really old, among the earliest. They also share traits with the stone carved bowed instrument I just pointed to, and also with Timoteo Viti's bowed viola which I happen to believe is much older than the picture itself. The picture may have been painted c.1500 but I think the instrument itself is at least 30-40 years older. And I still think it's two bridges mean it was originally a plucked viola then later and badly converted into a bowed viola. If the new Valencia Cathedral plucked vihuela turns out to have single strings that'll add more support to the idea. anywho, I had actually stopped actively searching for new pictures a while ago, I thought, but they keep trickling in, dragging me back, seducing me, I can't say no, and I'm really not complaining ;-) I hope more of the holes get filled in one way or the other. Roger To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
