On 29/06/2011 20:28, David R wrote:
Hi luters,
I'm thinking of getting into a type of lute music I've never played
before, namely medieval lute. Problem is, I don't know where to find
the music. Are there sources specifically for medieval lute, or does
one simply have to "just know" what music to play based on knowledge
of medieval music in general? I guess I'm wanting to know what the
various genres are, and where to find sources. Can any of you kind
folks help me out on this? Feel free to inundate me with info if you
want to!
Thanks,
David Rastall
There is a useful chapter in ' Performer's Guide to Medieval Music' ed.
Duffin, 2000 (and not expensive). Before about 1400 the lute would
probably not have had frets. (An inexpensive oud might be an option?).
Illustrations indicate plectrum technique up to around 1500.
There is no known lute music before c.1500 ( I think!!) but people
surmise and speculate that some music might be lute music or similar to
what lutenists played. Two main sources for such speculations are the
Buxheim organ book and the Faenza codex. Lute duos may have been common
(or lute and smaller lute/gittern) with one playing some kind of 'tenor'
- maybe with a proto-fingerstyle technique and the other doing
elaborations. The Faenza Codes has lots of this kind of material. And
very strange it is!
The Lute Society UK publish three volumes of pieces ('Music for Lute
Consort') with music which Jon Banks argues (circumstantially) was for
lutes (this from the late 15th century).
And, of course, there are the surviving dances: Trotto, etc etc
Stuart
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