At 01:15 PM 10/7/2003 -0400, David Rastall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>To my mind it's just a guitar with a lute-like body and pegboard. So it >was in vogue for a while in 19th-century Germany, it probably doesn't hold >much interest for those who are interested in the renaissance or Baroque >lute. Why should it? It should not. You are right about that. But this is not the purpose of the original poster. Besides, it could interest those who are interested in the renaissance or Baroque lute, by the same token that they are interested in baroque guitar, vihuela and other historical instruments. There is no particular redeeming attributes for one historical period over another. The German movement is far enough removed in time to qualify for historical relevance, just as is the cognate Swedish lute from which it sprang. What's the difference between a century ago, or three centuries ago? only time. Tuning? we have heard here of lutes tuned in e. Single stringing? we know about lute-like instruments with single stringing. Construction methods? metal frets against tied frets? These are all technical details which you can find all over the historical spectrum. What really matters is the music. If you are interested _only_ in renaissance or Baroque music, then that is what you should play. No argument. But if one is interested in the repertoire of the Swedish lute and the German laute, an instrument that still survives today, there can be no pretension that this is an inferior repertoire, played on an inferior instrument, solely on the basis of the distance in time from us. History is anything that happened before yesterday. Matanya Ophee Editions Orphe'e, Inc., 1240 Clubview Blvd. N. Columbus, OH 43235-1226 Phone: 614-846-9517 Fax: 614-846-9794 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.orphee.com
