This is a very important discussion. First and foremost, thank you, Stewart, from Burwell's quote.
One's posture and demeanor are an important part of the performance, no doubt. In terms of memorization, when I do it, I do it "from ear", rather than "by eye". In other words, I can imagine the voices and melodies, and sounds, not the tablature. The ability to play a piece from memory is achieved through understanding the music through repetition, and "remembering" the music, not the notes. Playing from memory.... is it not the reason that a performance is referred to as a recital? ed At 08:18 PM 5/3/2006 -0400, David Rastall wrote: >Dear Stewart and list, > >The quote from the Burwell lute Book brings up another topic here: >performing lute music in concert by memory. I've read the argument >that tablature is difficult to memorize...who knows? > >Do you prefer to have the tablature always in front of you? >Personally, I'm leaning more and more in the direction of performing >by memory. > >David Rastall > > >On May 3, 2006, at 6:16 PM, Stewart McCoy wrote: > > > Dear Manolo and Katherine, > > > > Mouton's coat certainly gives him the choice of several buttons to > > hook his lute on. > > > > One important factor not mentioned so far in this discusison, is how > > people sat to play the lute. When this was discussed on the Italian > > Lute Net in January 2004, I made the point that lutenists were > > expected to sit up straight, and not crouch over the lute, hugging > > it as so many of us do, with footstools to boot. There is less need > > for straps and gut tied between two buttons, if you sit hunched over > > the instrument. If you sit up straight, there is less of you to hold > > the instrument, less purchase (in the grabbing sense), and more > > reason to have extra paraphernalia to stop the lute slipping away. I > > quoted a passage from folio 16r of the Burwell Lute Book, which runs > > as follows: > > > > "Those that are short sighted or have a short memory are bound to > > have allwayes there [=their] nose on there booke and soe they may > > fall into that inconveniency Therefore wee must be diligent to take > > them out by the booke and practise them soe well as we may play them > > by heart and learne the time and humour of the Lesson by the Eare > > that one might looke chearfully uppon the Company and not stoope The > > grace and chearfullnes in playing not being lesse pleaseing then > > [=than] the playing it selfe One must then sitt upright in playing > > to showe noe Constrainte or paines, to have a smileing Countenance > > that the Company may not thinke that you play unwillingly and showe > > that you animate the Lute aswell as the Lute does animate you yet > > you must not stirre your body nor your head nor showe any extreame > > satisfaction in your playing You must make noe mouthes nor bite your > > lipps nor cast your hands in a flourishing manner that relishes of a > > fidler in one word you must not lesse please the Eyes then the > > Eares" > > > > It's a pity (but understandable) that we can't send attachments to > > the list, otherwise everyone could see Kenneth's picture of a > > 17th-century lutenist. The young man is sitting up quite straight. > > His eyes are not on his instrument, and there is no music in sight. > > One imagines he would perform like a singer, looking around the room > > as he played, not with his head buried behind a book of music, or > > constantly staring at the movement of his left-hand fingers. > > > > I am sure Mary Burwell was right. What we see at a concert is an > > important part of the performance. As performers we think of the > > clothes we should wear, and how we should present ourselves. We may > > shake with nerves and regret a host of wrong notes, but we still > > look cheerful, smile, and politely acknowledge applause. When people > > describe a concert to someone afterwards, they usually describe what > > they saw, rather than what they heard: "He wore a pink bow-tie, and > > kept scowling at the audience," rather than, "He played out of time > > with a splat every bar." > > > > Anyway, I think there's more to those bits of gut tied behind the > > lute, than meets the eye. > > > > Best wishes, > > > > Stewart. > > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] >www.rastallmusic.com > > > > > >To get on or off this list see list information at >http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html Edward Martin 2817 East 2nd Street Duluth, Minnesota 55812 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] voice: (218) 728-1202
