5 course/string guitars survived into the 19th century in Ukraine:
http://polyhymnion.org/images/bandurka.jpg !
RT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Alexander Batov" <alexander.ba...@vihuelademano.com>
Cc: "Vihuelalist" <vihuela@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 12:59 PM
Subject: [VIHUELA] Re: Baroque guitar, where to start?
I don't think he ever did (the music just doesn't go lower than the open A
string) but I suppose there is a presumption that it was most likely for a
5-string (i.e. single strung) guitar. 5-string guitars did certainly exist
at the time. Also, some original 5-course guitars were converted to
5-string ones by changing their original bridges.
Alexander
PS: If I remember it correctly there are also a few arrangements of his
music for the seven string Russian guitar (supposedly from his period in
Russia between 1804 - 14).
On 03/02/2011 15:49, Monica Hall wrote:
[Eugene C. Braig IV] Indeed, at least relatively speaking. However, the
6-course instrument was largely a quirk of Spanish-speaking places. The
rest of Europe seems to have gone to five single strings first (using
the
low octave at d and A, and probably often simply leaving their 5-course
guitars single strung), then later adding the sixth at E. A fine
example of
5-string guitar music and on of the earliest known concerti for guitar
is
Lhoyer's, published in Germany in the very early 19th c.
Best,
Eugene
That's very interesting. Does Lloyer actually specify that his music is
for a single strung 5-course guitar?
Monica
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