On Tue, 8 Mar 2005, Roman Turovsky wrote: > > Also, short of having written tablature accompaniment for the d-min > > lute (such as you have for your lieder), is it at all common for people > > to read bass figures with a d-min lute? > No, although some do, with historical precedent. I find the idea > preposterous and out of character for the axe in question.
Preposterous? Ok, the http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-pre1.htm explaíns PREPOSTEROUS Contrary to reason or common sense; utterly absurd or ridiculous. So RT considers playing continuo with d-minor tuned lute "preposterious" for that "axe". Could it be that he tried, but could not? I cannot do that myself, but there are some who can. (I do not own the d-minor "axe".) The instrument seems to suit very well to the late baroque idea of continuo! I cannot see anything "preposterious" in that, but to my understanding RT's comment is a very good example of a "preposterious" statement. About continuo: I really like to play it by my big theorbo in a. Anyhow sometimes my archlute in g is a better choice. Especially when accompanying a soprano. Or if the key of the piece has more than 2 flats - you know what I mean... :-) And my 10-course lute is also very usable with a smaller ensemble, one singer or two. And much easier to carry! ;) I plan to string and tune my smaller theorbo to d, a fourth higher than the big one, as a theorbo "pour pieces". I have heard such an "axe" in use, and it really gives nice and different continuo! It might be very useful in accompanying sopranos? There would not be such a gap in between the voice and the harmony. And I perhaps could stand one flat more... ;) All the best Arto To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
