Dear All, Concerning the famous passage from "The Book of the Courtier" :- I have pasted a copy of the English translation by Sir Thomas Hoby of 1561 below. Hoby spent a number of years living in Italy, and presumably brought some understanding of contemporary Italian to his translation of Castiglioni. It's interesting that Hoby translates "cantare alla viola" as "sing to the lute," which suggests that Hoby assumed that Castiglioni had the viola da mano in mind. From the passage as a whole it is clear that fretted instruments were held in high esteem, with both the lute and viol mentioned specifically. On the vexed question of frets, or "freats" as Hoby spells the word, it appears that he has opted for implying fretted instruments. It seems to me, however, that the correct translation of the original may indeed favour keyboards. This would make more sense to me, as the most popular fretted instruments are mentioned in the passage separately. There is some evidence for use of keyboards in Italy early in the 16th century - for example, the manuscript of dances for keyboard c.1520 in the Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana in Venice (Ital.iv.1227).
Incidentally, the Hoby translation of "Il libro del Cortegiano" is of considerable interest in its own right as one of the vehicles which introduced Italian Renaissance culture to Elizabethan England. Best wishes, Denys "Then saide the Lord Gasper Pallavicin. There are many sortes of musike, as well in the brest as upon instruments, therefore would I gladly learne which is the best, and at what time the Courtier ought to practise it. Me thinke then answered Sir Fredericke, pricksong is a faire musicke, so it be done upon the booke surely and after a good sorte. But to sing to the lute is much better, because all the sweetnes consisteth in one alone, and a man is much more heed- full and understandeth better the feat manner, and the aire or veyne of it, when the eares are not busied in hearing any moe than one voice: and beside every litle errour is soone perceived, which happeneth not in singing with company, for one beareth out an other. But singing to the lute with the dittie (me thinke) is more pleasant than the rest, for it addeth to the wordes such a grace and strength, that it is a great wonder. Also all Instrumentes with freats are full of harmony, because the tunes of them are very perfect, and with ease a man may doe many thinges upon them that fill the mind with sweetnesse of musicke. And the musicke with a sette of Violes doth no lesse delite a man: for it is verie sweet and artificiall." Baldassare Castiglioni, The Book of the Courtier, Sir Thomas Hoby's translation (1516) (Dent, London, 1974) p.101 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jorge Torres" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "bill kilpatrick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "lute list" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 9:32 PM Subject: [LUTE] Re: Castiglione and the lute > Dear List: > > In a previous post, David van Ooijen provided the passage in Italian, which > I paste below. He also provided us with a link to the following > > Sono ancor armoniosi tutti gli instrumenti da tasti, perche hanno le > consonanzie molto perfette e con facilit=E0 vi si possono far molte cose > che empiono l'animo di musicale dolcezza. (Second Book, XIII) > > The troublesome word is "tasti," which both Mathias and Bernd have already > pointed out means either =B3keys=B2 or =B3frets=B2 in Italian. This double duty is > also found in other languages...take for example the word "tecla" in > Spanish. > > Although there is a tendency for us to want to believe that Castiglione > meant the lute, we must also consider the importance of other instruments > with =B3tasti,=B2 most notably, viols and keyboards. The idea that > proliferation of the harpsichord does not occur until after 1580 is > compelling. Yet, as others have pointed out, several other types of > keyboards existed in the 16th century that were popular, though probably not > as popular as the lute or even viol. Nevertheless, Castiglione isn=B9t > addressing life among the =B3popular,=B2 rather his text is aimed at those > aspiring to court life. Mass proliferation would not matter as long as > these instruments were available to those at court or on the fringes of > court society, which they undoubtedly were. Perhaps the keyboard should not > be ruled out on the basis of proliferation, although I would lean toward the > fretted instruments of lutes and viols. > > Thank you all for you enlightened help. > > Jorge > > PS: The citation for =B3All keyed instruments also are pleasing to the ear, > because they produce very perfect consonances=B2 is the old Opdycke > translation. > > Castiglione, Baldesar. The Book of the Courtier By Baldasar Castiglione > (1528) . Translated by Leonard Eckstein Opdycke. New York: Scribner, 1903. > 89. > > > > -- > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 268.10.5/406 - Release Date: 02/08/2006 > > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 268.10.5/406 - Release Date: 02/08/2006
