Stewart, All it would indeed be interesting to know if Milan/Valencian/Spanish/Modern/Guitar tab started out in its modern form in Spain, as there was already a tradition for it there.
Also interesting to read what Doug has to say about it in his book. (He calls it a version of Neapolitan). Best Göran ----- Original Message ----- From: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Lute Net" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: 15. desember 2003 20:18 Subject: Re: Names of composers (Was: Vihuela) | Dear Göran, Antonio, et al, | | Somehow I don't think "Valencian" would catch on, in spite of its | excellent credentials. Milan's system is widely used today, of | course, for many different kinds of music. I would be interested to | know when it was first used in more recent times. I have a | collection of Spanish flamenco music for guitar: Ivor Mairants, | _Flamenco Guitar_ (London: Latin-American Music Publishing Co., | 1958). The music is presented in staff notation parallel with Milan | tablature. Surely there must be earlier examples. Ivor Mairants | calls his tablature "Cifra", suggesting that the system was already | firmly established in Spain. If so, there may yet be a good case for | calling it Spanish tablature. | | One book not yet mentioned in the present discussion is | Barberiis'_Libro Decimo_ (Venice, 1549), which contains four short | pieces for 4-course guitar in Milan tablature. Since these pieces | are not as well known as Milan's vihuela pieces, I reproduce the | first few bars of the first one. Remember the monospaced font (e.g. | Courier). | | |\ |\ |\ |\ | | | |\ | |\ | | |. | | | | | =3==2=|=0=3=|=2=0=|===2=|=5=======|=2=|= | =0==.=|===.=|=3===|=====|=2=======|=3=|= | =0====|=====|=0===|=3===|=2===0=2=|=2=|= | =0====|=====|=0===|=.===|===4===.=|=0=|= | | Presumably the first note of bar 4 should be a line higher. The four | crotchets in bar 5 look as if they should be minims. the original | note values were notated as minims and crotchets, not rhythm flags, | as here. | | My preference is still to call this notation Spanish tablature, but | I have an open mind, and would like to know more. | | Best wishes, | | Stewart. | | | ----- Original Message ----- | From: "G.R. Crona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 12:34 PM | Subject: Re: Names of composers (Was: Vihuela) | | thanks very much for setting us straight with your informative mail. | What | I'd like to know, is why Milan/Valencian/Spanish tablature, only got | famous | and completely took over the plucked string theatre in the | mid-1900's? | | Göran | | ----- Original Message ----- | From: "Antonio Corona" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | To: "Stewart McCoy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> | Sent: 15. desember 2003 08:29 | Subject: Re: Names of composers (Was: Vihuela) | | | I believe we should not dismiss the possibility that | | Milan`s system of tablature might have been an | | offshoot of Neapolitan tab. There were strong ties | | between the Aragonese and Valencian courts and Naples | | which was also a Spanish possession. Besides, an | | | Bearing this in mind, and | | despite all the differences between the Marineo Siculo | | fragment and Milan's tab, a case might be made for | | calling tablature with the upper line for the first | | string and "0" for the open string "Valencian". | | | Antonio | | |
