Dear Vance, It seems very plausible that ivory lutes were built for wealthy players, but surely those that survive don't suggest that they were inferior instruments? The only two six course lutes with their original necks and pegboxes, the Beare collection Magno Dieffopruchar and the Vienna Georg Gerle are both made of ivory. Stephen Barber's article on the former suggests that it was an entirely serious and much used instrument with exactly the sort of soundboard barring and thicknessing you would expect on a performer's lute. The Gerle falls into the same category, as also does the much recently discussed Andreas Berr lute. And surely a wealthy owner would have wanted those expensive lutes to sound good? And they might well have asked lutenists employed in their households to perform on them. For sure there are lutes built or tampered with by 19th century forgers, but are there are any genuine historical examples that follow the "built to look at, not to play" formula?
Best wishes, Denys ----- Original Message ----- From: "Vance Wood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "lute list" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 7:37 PM Subject: Re: ivory in lutes > Dear All: > > I don't know what the hoopla is about concerning the Ivory back Lutes. In > my opinion this was done not because of the sound but as a show of wealth. > It is note worthy that there are no less than a few of these numbers > surviving and those, most likely due to the fact they are made of Ivory and > not some other material less rare or exotic. > > The real soul of a Lute is in the size and shape of the back and, most > important, the sound board. The materials used here are the most critical. > The placement of the bars, the way they are trimmed and shaped and the > thickness of the sound board itself are the elements that make or break the > sound the finished Lute will produce. The most beautifully made Lute in the > world will sound like rubber bands stretched over an old cigar box unless > the top is correctly made and balanced. What the back is made of is not so > critical as its relationship to the top. > > I have heard it said of these Ivory backs, from those who have played them, > that they are rather dead sounding. I suspect that this is because they > really were not designed for the serious professional musician but more for > the dilettante, affluent and wealthy collector desiring to have the most > spectacular instruments in a collection. Because of this it is likely that > the sound board received only rudimentary treatment, understanding that the > instrument was not about sound but about appearance. I have made Lutes of > Walnut, Maple, Birch, and Cypress from the same pattern. They all sounded > pretty much the same unless there was something different about the sound > board in the way it was made or the materials used. Of course I am not a > professional builder, I am a hobby builder, but I do know a little about it. > > Vance Wood. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "arielabramovich" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Jon Murphy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 1:46 AM > Subject: Re: ivory in lutes > > > > Dear Jon, > > Not willing to bring this exchange into an off- topic subject (I remember > a > > fairly bad experience for all recently), just wanted to mention that the > US > > and other strong European economies (which I clearly separate from their > > citizens who are respectful to the world we live on) might respect the > > environment and fight against the trading of protected species within > their > > territory to a certain extend- with lots of exceptions, as we all know-, > but > > their monopolies do not behave that good in the third world countries (I > can > > bring a few examples). Let's not forget that most of the economies of the > > poor countries are totally dependent of those of the rich ones, so... > who's > > the responsible? I guess that's not the point, anyway. > > In any case, what I meant is that Bahia rosewood (a very nice timber, with > > great qualities) for example, wouldn't be such a good replacement for > ivory, > > if the criteria is the protection of species in danger. The same can be > said > > about many other woods. > > > > Ariel. > > ps: walnut is a great wood (I also have it in my instrument), as well as > > cherry and many others. > > > > > > > >
