I think this is the article: Robert Spencer 'How to Hold a Lute: Historical Evidence from Paintings', Early Music, Vol. 3, No. 4. (Oct., 1975), pp. 352-354.
Thanks to everyone who has replied with such useful information! Katherine Davies --- Luca Manassero <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Very, very interesting. Could you please find the > reference to this > article in Early Music? > > Thank you, > > Luca > > > Stewart McCoy on 02/05/2006 18.43 wrote: > > Dear Craig and Katherine, > > > > An alternative to using a strap, which was used in > the 17th Century, > > is to tie a gut string between two pegs on the > body of the > > instrument. One peg is where you'd expect to see a > peg, i.e. in the > > middle of the end clasp; the other peg is fixed > through the middle > > rib just before the body joins the neck. The > string is tied so that > > it lies flush with the middle rib, and you hook it > over a button on > > your coat to stabilise the lute. It is thought > that Mouton may be > > holding his lute this way in that famous picture > of him. If you > > think the artist hasn't quite got it right, and > the lute looks as if > > it is suspended in front of the player as if by > magic, it is > > possible that it is being held in this way. There > is an article by > > Robert Spencer in _Early Music_, with a picture of > the back of a > > lute, showing the gut string tied between two > pegs. I could look up > > the reference if you want. > > > > If you play the lute standing up, and without a > strap or a piece of > > string between two pegs, you have to use your left > hand to support > > the instrument. This can be satisfactory for short > periods, but can > > cause irritation to the part of the hand holding > the neck, > > unaccustomed to the friction involved. Barré > chords are problematic, > > so you may have to tinker with the music a bit, > e.g. change > > > > |\ | > > |\ | > > |\ | > > _______________a_____ > > _____f__e____|_a__||_ > > ___________d_|_c__||_ > > _____e_______|_c__||_ > > __c__________|_c__||_ > > _____________|_a__||_ > > > > to > > > > |\ | > > |\ | > > |\ | > > _____a_________a_____ > > _____a__e____|_a__||_ > > _____a_____d_|_c__||_ > > _____________|____||_ > > __c__________|____||_ > > _____________|_a__||_ > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Stewart McCoy. > > > > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
