I think this is very important and often completely forgotten.
Lutes were so very different over places and countries AND periods, that our "pathetic" way of thinking when we go around with an 8-course lute and uses it for absolutely everything between 1490 and 1630...
On this and other lists amny very good lutenists can believe that an 8-course is a very acceptable compromise, but try to play Capirola on an 8-course or certains Fantasie of Francesco da Milano and you'll feel (and hear) immediately that you're playing the wrong instrument.
Obviously the poor lutenist can't afford to live in a museum sporting 10 to 12 instruments (let alone keeping them tuned...), but still sometimes we really try to much ;-)
By the way, this whole conversation has been and IS very inspirational. Cheers, Luca http://liuti.manassero.com Daniel Winheld on 7-11-2007 18:01 wrote:
I have felt that there is not enough attention paid to the variety of of 6 course lutes one specialist could need- but of course these days so many of us are trying to telescope all 300 years of multiple lute traditions & functions in one career and one lifetime, unthinkable historically.
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