> > I assume the book in question is Tyler and Sparks > > discussion of the mandoline; unfortunately I have not > > had the opportunity to read it. However, if previous > > works by Tyler could serve as a reference, I would > > indeed be careful about what is stated there. > > No - its the new book - "The guitar and its music from the renaissnce to the > classical era. " > > Unfortunately many of the sources which are described and used as a basis > for determining thesize and tuning of the 4-course guitar are probably for > the 4-course mandora/mandola often referred to as "chitarra" in Italian > sources. They are not therefore relevant. >
Monica, Is the mandora/mandola the same instrument also called mandore/mandolino...a tiny lute-like instrument tuned in fourths and fifths? (the instrument of the Skene MS etc) I seem to remember - maybe Donald Gill or maybe James Tyler - saying that the early instruments were hollowed out. Wouldn't a mandora/mandola (very different from the later, bigger things)be a lot smaller than even a small four-course guitar? The tunings would be different and the shape and construction is different. How did someone establish that references to 'chitarra', in fact, referrred to mandora? ----------------------------------------- Email provided by http://www.ntlhome.com/ To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html