Very interesting example, Monica, thanks for posting it. I wasn't
aware of that technique for indicating time.
Thank you, also for pointing out the mistake in the D major chord. I
have uploaded a corrected version.
I think anyone who spends time with this repertoire finds mismatches/
mistakes as Martyn and you have pointed out.
I'm wondering about your comment that the alfabeto was supplied by
the publisher. Yes, I can believe that. And I would imagine that
Monteverdi's contributions added significantly to the sales of
Milanuzzi's collection.
But is there something more intended in your comment? Is the
important question to you whether the actual composer supplied the
chord indications? I assume at least Kapsberger supplied his own.
(Castaldi didn't seem to want guitar chords.) Not all of the pieces
in the song collections I am most familiar with have guitar chords --
so even publishers had some limits.
To me it is interesting that there is so much fine music thought to
be -- and to my ear, seems to be -- appropriate for guitar
accompaniment.
-- R
On Jul 20, 2008, at 11:33 AM, Monica Hall wrote:
Just to see if I could do it I have uploaded this song by Fasolo
with the
numbers as well as letters to the
http://earlyguitar.ning.com
page.
Monica
----- Original Message ----- From: "Monica Hall"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Mjos & Larson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: "Vihuelalist" <vihuela@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2008 4:53 PM
Subject: [VIHUELA] Re: Alfabeto songs and editions
I think you have a mistake in Si dolce tormento. Chord C in
alfabeto is a
D major chord - F sharp on the first course.
Personally I prefer everything in the original notation. I don't
even
understand modern chord notation - never having played the modern
guitar.
I prefer the version with alfabeto but would prefer the tablature
to be
Italian!
It's not difficult to learn either alfabeto or Italian
tablature. If it
were I wouldn't have managed to do it! Certainly easier than
doing fancy
things
on a computer! If you don't learn the original notation you are very
limited in what you can play.
But as Martyn says you need to be aware that as far as alfabeto
songs are
concerned the chords often don't match the bass line, or even
sometimes
the
voice part having been supplied in most cases (whatever anyone
else may
say)
by the printer not the composer.
There are other problems of course. Most guitarists probably didn't
attempt
to reproduce the bass line. But how they actually strung the chords
together it a bit of a mystery. However I have one very interesting
example where as well as putting in the letters there are figures
to tell
you how long you should hold the notes for.
I might try to put this on my page if I can work out how to do it!
Monica
----- Original Message ----- From: "Mjos & Larson"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <vihuela@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Saturday, July 19, 2008 11:40 PM
Subject: [VIHUELA] Alfabeto songs and editions
I have uploaded two songs by Claudio Monteverdi from Carlo
Milanuzzi,
Quarto scherzo delle ariose vaghezze (Venice, 1624) to my Ning group
member page at
http://earlyguitar.ning.com/profile/RockyMjos
I have been thinking about approaches to editing and presenting this
literature and would appreciate any comments regarding the two
different methods I used for these songs. (Or your own ideas!)
I have discussed this recently offlist with Timo Peedu who is quite
active with song repertoire. He often uses a system of "modern"
chord
names in his scores -- C = C major chord, c = c minor, etc.
Interestingly, Cory Gavito uses a similar "transcription using
modern
chord symbols" in his thesis (The Alfabeto Song in Print, 1610 - CA.
1665) when discussing examples of text (see pages 119-127):
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/etd/d/2006/gavitoc11533/gavitoc11533.pdf
Perhaps Italian tab would have been a more thoughtful choice for the
"La mia Turca" alfabeto I added at the end.
In part I have been spurred on to explore this repertoire by the
fine
performances on Lex Eisherdt's "Canta Venezia!" recording and the
online dissertations of Cory Gavito.
-- Rocky
--
To get on or off this list see list information at
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
