> > One other interpretation is that it could be a set of sympathetic > strings, that are tuned in higher octaves to the 5th, 4th and 3rd and lower > octaves to the 2nd and 1st main > courses. >
It is not very clear for me what you mean. Some more explanation, please? > Well, it's not really that unusual: phosphor bronze can be drawn into > wire. It is used, for example, in lower registers of harpsichords, > because of its slightly greater (than brass) mass. Moreover, bronze in > old times was not just combination of copper and tin but many different > alloys, some of which could be attributed to either brass or bronze. > > Yes, I realize there are bronze strings in use in our times, however I am not sure about bronze wire technologie in 14th -15th century. Wasn't bronze too brittle then to make a thin musical string? It was used later for harpsichords and mandolins, but I wouldn't be so sure about lutes at that time. JL To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html