Sorry, two corrections: 1. The guitar is from mid-18th not 17th century - at least according to the catalogue 2. I do know how to spell anonymous!
Rob 2008/4/25 Rob MacKillop <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > Hi Martyn, > > A 'deliterious effect in the bass', maybe, but there is no bass below the > g, at least in Sanz's specified tuning. So, no, Martyn, I did not use modern > bass strings. Another important factor is that Sanz does not mention pitch > - we have no idea what pitch he used. Some argue that Roman pitch was around > 392, others say it was nearer 460. We don't know his string length. We don't > know if he used different sizes and pitches of guitars. We cannot assume > that all his works are for the same instrument. All we have to go on is the > music, and what we can read into it. > The recording with the high octave g was done 5 years or so ago on an > original anonimous guitar from mid-17thC France (it is thought) with a short > string length (can't recall the exact length). It was entirely strung in > gut, tuned to around 392, no bourdons, therefore no bass. The high g did not > break, and although unplayed is still, I believe, on the instrument. It is > housed in the collection of Edinburgh University. > > So, at a lower pitch and no bass register, it might well be possible to > have a high octave on the third. How long it would last when regularly > played has not been tested by me. > > However, I don't want to be seen to be advocating the tuning as I am not > one who thinks that Sanz only makes sense with it. I repeat that I am happy > playing works which leap up and down octaves, and see it as part of the > charm and uniqueness of the instrument. But it is worth mentioning that a) > the tuning with a high ''g'' is possible (nominal g, of course), and b) that > the particular piece 'fuga 1' seems to be 'happiest' (if you will allow me > that term) with this tuning. But mainly my stance is that 'I don't know'. > > Rob > -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
