Rob
I think you are almost bound to be right. There must have been
overlap, (I seem to remember Martin giving arguments for the state of
affairs you are describing). Indeed, going in the opposite direction
(from 7c to 8 or 9c), I am using unisons on the 5th, on my 7c, while
according to Martin there is no clear evidence that that
configuration ever existed on a 7c lute. I don't think there is any
evidence that it didn't either, so perhaps the choice depends on the
particular type of music that we want to play on the 7c lute. Why not
string it with an octave on 4c, for Italian repertoire, and in
unisons on the 5th for later Elizabethan music.
However, if it could be shown that the 7c developed almost in
parallel with some improvement in string technology, which brought
about a sudden change in the way lower strings were considered, then,
perhaps, there was a fairly abrupt change in stringing with not so
much overlap.
Well, that is no answer to your question, Rob, as I don't have the
detailed photos of paintings that could serve as evidence one way or
another.
Martin, I think has found arguments from the music itself, and from
remarks in lute treatises.
Regards
Anthony
Le 22 mai 08 à 16:13, Rob MacKillop a écrit :
Is there any evidence, pictorial or otherwise, for an octave
pairing on the
fourth course of a 7c lute? In other words - a 6c lute plus a seventh
course? It's hard to believe that all sixes were strung one way and
all
sevens another way.
Rob MacKillop
www.songoftherose.co.uk
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