You can always try to assign a particular type of instrument in an 
ideal tuning, but the term "lute", in any language form, is a generic 
term for a "family-context" of instruments.
Unfortunately with Vivaldi, the fact that it may be difficult to play 
or go "off the range" is absolutely not relevant, as is the case in 
his other concertos.
Remember this is the guy who writes the violin parts in bass clef 
sometimes, which you would need a reverse capo for. Not to mention 
the recorder concertos, and so on.

Even octave doublings, alas, do not give us a real clue, but the 
mandolin fits the range nicely, and so do other lutes. Some people 
play it C major.

As for mutes, looking at Juditha Triumphans, we see, as elsewhere in 
the canon, that V. calls for lead mutes for his mandolin aria. These 
lead mutes are perfect for example the slow mvt, and if covered with 
leather are safe to use.
Some scholars venture that mutes were not used on the cello in the 
baroque period, but that of course is not true; however, they may 
have been less common, especially if using all gut strings for the cello.

So you can play it on any lute, and if you wish to be in the same 
octave, you can play it on a smaller lute, and if you want it in 
meantone, the mandolin tuning, with the high G ( or even E, but the G 
seems better to me), works perfect with no tastini which are a chore 
on the mandolin.
MT works because you have open B and E in the middle courses, and if 
you tune your archlute 4th and 5th courses down a half step that 
works very nicely as well, also for the modulating bit.

Remember also that V did not write violone parts for 99 percent of 
his works, and in the extremely rare place where the violone pops up, 
it may be a cello or "church bass."
And, lastly, one of the many, many meanings for "concerto" is 
"quartet," so it is fine to play it as a quartet of two violins, lute and BC.

dt


  



To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html

Reply via email to