vihuelas - in one or two of the many forms in which they were introduced into the new world, hundreds of years ago - continue to exist today. the only reason they're not recognized as such - i maintain - is because the vihuela, as something distinct from the guitar, fell out of favor here in europe and only a few examples survive.
i loose heart. instead of judging what is or isn't a vihuela with reference to the very few examples which remain, isn't it possible - valid - to reverse the process and simply ask where instruments like the charango, cuatro, tiple, etc. came from? imagine what your guitar would look and sound like if it had made the journey with cortez and back. would it have become something other than a guitar in the process? --- James A Stimson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > Dear Thomas and All: > The Mexican musicologist Eloy Cruz has made an > extensive study of the > musical life of the early Spanish settlers. His > theory is that as soon as > substantial towns were established, the Spanish > brought with them many of > the trappings of Spanish urban life, including > musical instruments. He also > thinks it likely that instrument makers traveled to > the New World fairly > early on. > I once asked Alejandro Planchart why there are so > few traces of vihuelas > in Central America and northern South America. One > theory is that the > wholesale destruction that accompanied wars of > independence (Venezuela, for > example, lost an estimated one-third of its > population) took a heavy toll > on the more fragile trappings of civilization such > as music. > Cheers, > Jim > > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > elec.com To: > vihuela@cs.dartmouth.edu > > cc: > > > 05/13/2005 11:45 > Subject: Antwort: Re: S. de Murcia > > AM > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I'm not sure spaniards of the 16th century > considered music as luxury. They > must have had a different approach to what luxury is > and what is necessary. > The question could be: *if* one took a musical > instrument with him would it > be a vihuela? As far as I understand the vihuela > would be rather played by > the nobility and therefor the number of people who > *could* have taken a > vihuela with them would be very limited. To stress > Jon's picture of the > "Master" -movie: It would rather be recorders, drums > in all forms and that > kind of instruments played by the common sailors and > soldiers. But I would > *not* tell it impossible that the one or the other > nobleman took his > favorite instrument with him which also could have > been a vihuela (although > I doubt it would be considered practical for life on > board). > BUT: Later, when colonies were established I am > rather sure that among the > first things they imported from spain would have > been musical instruments. > There must have been records surviving telling us > about what was ordered > from the colonies. Did anyone make a research about > that? > > Best wishes > Thomas > > > > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> am 13.05.2005 18:00:03 > > An: Garry Bryan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > "'VihuelaList'" > <vihuela@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Kopie: > > Thema: Re: S. de Murcia > > > > > When the Spanish colonized the new world, did they > pack light? Would they > have > > carried any musical instruments, or were they so > militaristic that the > finer > > things had no place in the baggage train of the > first wave? > Music is a luxury, and generally the thugs of the > first wave are unlikely > to > have time for such a leisurely pursuit. > RT > > > > ___________________________________________________________ > $0 Web Hosting with up to 200MB web space, 1000 MB > Transfer > 10 Personalized POP and Web E-mail Accounts, and > much more. > Signup at www.doteasy.com > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > > > > CONFIDENTIALITY : This e-mail and any attachments > are confidential and > may be privileged. If you are not a named > recipient, please notify the > sender immediately and do not disclose the contents > to another person, use > it for any purpose or store or copy the information > in any medium. > > > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________ Yahoo! Messenger - want a free and easy way to contact your friends online? http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
