At 22:19 09-12-2003 -0800, Howard Posner wrote: >Matanya Ophee at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > >> the fact remains that within 19 years after the appearance of >> the Perrine book, Campion stated that the lute was done for. That is a >> fairly powerful statement > >The translated excerpt in your article says the lute has declined (or is in >decline, or is declining) which is not the same thing; also it seems to say >that the theorbo and guitar are doing well. It is not a model of clarity. > >> and we really have only one way to verify it. How >> many lute books in tablature were printed for general consumption between >> 1697 and 1716? > >I'd think you'd want to know about after 1716.
I am uncertain as to the significance of this year. Is it Robert de Visée's publication of theorbo and lute pieces, arranged in two parts for whatever? If so, R.d.V. clearly states that he has kept tablature out of the edition for reasons of thrift/ecology - you name it: Save paper! On the other hand, he promises to give - yes, give - the pertinent tablatures to anyone interested. This suggests to me, that the original compositions were, if not conceived, then at least preserved, in tabulature form. How else would R.d.V. hope to satisfy those of his fans turning up on his doorstep to cash in on his promise? Chordially, Arne.
