Rob: I did go through a lot of the same questioning a year ago as I
was having my first continuo instrument built for me. I did enjoy
Benjamin's article and was tempted by the supposed ease at chord
forms and harmony. 13 course Baroque lute is my primary solo
instrument and there was a definite appeal. The primary argument
against, made by more senior and experienced mentors, was that the
interval of a third between the top two courses can make counterpoint
and voice leading much more difficult. Thus, "If you wanted to add a
small melodic interjection between two phrases, you have to contend,
in each key, with the fact that there are three different interval
structures between strings, (fourth, minor third and major third).
There are basically only two on a normal archlute, fourths and a
major third, and your neither your bass lines nor your treble
improvisations normally cross over this divide. Most stay pretty
much to one side or the other. Thus when you hear an idea in your
head you can often finger it intuitively. On baroque lute each
moving bass line is fingered differently in each key as it crosses
the strings."
Other reason I settled against a d minor continuo instrument: much
longer string length for a "roman" lute (80 cm or more) which is
tough for my stubby hands.
DS
On Nov 24, 2007, at 12:32 PM, Rob wrote:
Actually, I've been giving it a lot of thought as I have a theorbo
on order
from Malcolm Prior, being made right now, and due to be stuffed
down my
chimney by Santa. At first I just asked for an Italian-style
instrument, and
we settled on the Koch at 86cms. Then I started getting into the
idea of the
d minor tuning without the chanterelle. Malcolm and I looked at
various
supposed 'Deutsche Theorboes', and Andreas Schlegel and others
mentioned the
very same Koch we had chosen for our Italian model. I can't afford two
theorboes (few people can) so it seems a good compromise would be
the Koch,
with which I could change tunings - obviously not in the same gig :-)
It seems a period of experimentation lies ahead. I'm just wondering
what
your experience of Dm continuo is, pros and cons, what works, what
doesn't.
Do you play more melodic counterpoint to the melody, or arpeggios?
Is there
a different overall feel as compared to accompanying the same music
on an
Italian tuning? Do you play without a chanterelle?
Etc,
Rob
www.rmguitar.info
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