Lex, > > However, some players may have been able to realize an accompaniment, > departing from the bass (and losing considerably in volume, while plucking > part of the harmonies).
I cannot think of guitar acompaniment without the strumming. The guitar doesn't have basses like the lute or the theorbo (even if you use bourdons on the 4th and 5th courses) and the punteado style does not provide enough volume in an ensemble. Matteis (1680): 'The guitar was never so much in use & credit as it is at > this day, & finding it improved to so great a perfection, it is my present > design to make it company for other Instruments. Every body knows it to be > an imperfect Instrument & yet finding upon experience how agreeable a part > it bears in a consort I have composed severall Pieces both for ye practice > & > information of those that would make use of it with ye Harpsichord, Lute, > Theorbo or Bass-Viol.' I'd like to see these pieces... Campion (1716): '.one is not prejudiced against the guitar without reason. I > acknowledge, along with everyone, that it is not as strong of harmony as > the > harpsichord or the theorbo. However, I believe that it is sufficient to > accompany one voice.' I agree. > Today it is often supposed that the guitar was added to > ensembles, for rhythm and colour, with reference to unwritten traditions. > What solid historical information is there to support this? Good question, I always thought in this way. -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
