Dear Marion, > Thank you for your very interesting message. I have 8c ren lutes in G and > and a 13c baroqu lute but no theorbo (yet). How many different kinds > of theorbos are there and what advice would you have for me as I > think about what to order?
Well, at least there are the following variants 1) The "normal" (nowadays) theorbo, 14 single strings, two top strings lowered to re-entrant tuning, either in a or in g, two peg heads 2) The same as 1, but an octave higher. 3) The same as 1, but about a fourth higher. 4) The "shorter strings double" versions of the 1-3. 5) The "English" theorbo, only the top string lowered an octave, double strung(?), "normally" in g, basses get longer gradually. 6) The "Weiss" theorbo, as a swan neck in d-minor tuning but top f missing. 7) A big bass lute (10 course?) tuned as 1, without the extension neck. This might be the very first "theorbo" or "chitarrone" used in 1580'`s? I am sure there a still more variants. But if you want to play continuo, I recommend strongly the first in my list. And to me the one in a tuning is definitely more useful; for example D-major suits very well, and you'll meet that a lot in Frech music of second half of 17th century. On the other hand g would be better to let us say Eb-major, F-minor, ... But take the a version and play the flat pieces by your 8 courser! :-) 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
