Hi Thomas, Thanks for your input. I think we agree on all points, but perhaps I could re-word my original question. How do we feel about the methods of modern-notation transcription employed by, for example, Strizich, Pinnell, Russell, Pennington (I realize these are all Americans - sorry!). And just to clarify, I'm interested in a style of standard notation transcription that can be readily understood by a) non-guitarists b) modern guitarists (in so far as the transcription indicates how the original was played, as well as how it sounds). Plus indeterminate tuning/stringing issue.
Surely there is a better solution than simply writing everything as if played on bordons with the disclaimer about where anything below a written G might actually sound. Thanks, Stanley www.StanleyYates.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Thomas Schall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "VihuelaList" <vihuela@cs.dartmouth.edu> Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 6:11 AM Subject: Re: Modern Notation of Five-Course Lit. Hi Stanley and all, Although surely well meant, the earlier editions by Karl Scheidt and Hans Teuchert now seem inacceptable. I do well remember the answer when I asked why he omited the rasguados: "They didn't do such things then". Also I only know one nearly good edition of Sanz (from Rafael Balaguer) and one really good by Wolf Moser. These are of course personal opinions which surely are not shared by everybody. A serie of historical informed editions would be most welcome but there are problems with the conversion of tabulature to standard notation. Just to name one: the role of improvisation inherent in baroque music. Ornaments and rasguados could mean very different execution and often one sign could have different meanings. The modern notation would fix one way of execution, aren't it? Another problem would be voice leading which, as already mentioned, could sound completly unnatural and unlogical on a modern instrument while it's well plausible on the instrument the music was intended for. How should an editor solve such a problem? Changing the voices would change the given text (and would be an interpretation) but leaving the text as it is would probably lead to unsatisfying results. The more I think about it the more I am convinced we have different instruments (different even more like the grand piano to the harpsichord) and rather should avoid transporting music of one to another. It rather should be goal to inform modern players about the historical context and execution on a baroque guitar which could help players of modern instruments using the original notation. I am convinced the sound of an inspired performance or demonstration on a baroque guitar is better publicity for the music than presenting editions which cannot show the complete richness of the baroque music. Just a thought ... Best wishes Thomas To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
