About the "octave hopping" -- I've noticed that in other works, and in
cases that have nothing to do with stringing choices or technical
difficulties... Notes that could as easily be played on the higher
octave, or even doubled. And playing with bordones does not lead into
the jump any differently (as far as I have noticed). I notice some
instances in Roncalli, and even in Sanz there are instances that can't
be explained by problems of tuning, alone.
By the way Stuart, I really enjoy your recording.
cud
__________________________________________________________________
From: Stuart Walsh <s.wa...@ntlworld.com>
To: Martyn Hodgson <hodgsonmar...@yahoo.co.uk>
Cc: Vihuelalist <vihuela@cs.dartmouth.edu>
Sent: Mon, April 11, 2011 4:59:06 PM
Subject: [VIHUELA] Re: a little Granata experiment
On 11/04/2011 09:01, Martyn Hodgson wrote:
>
> Regarding the held notes at the conclusion of each half, I think
this
> suggests that these pieces were in fact conceived primarily for
> performance with the outer bowed instruments mentioned in the
title -
> so that there would be no need to perpetuate the sound over a full
(or
> large part of) long bar by such devices.
Although bowed instruments seem to be indicated by the title page
("violino e viola"), the bass line is lightly figured. Maybe the
violist would have added some harmonies. Many of the allemandas have
these long empty bars at the end of each half. Even bowed, or on
another sustaining instrument, they could sound as is musical activity
has temporarily ceased! So plucked instrument strums and/or twiddles
(as you suggest Falconieri did) is maybe what is in order.
It's interesting that Granata does some 'octave-hopping' in the guitar
part - but nothing to do with the tuning. For example, in the E minor
Corrente (p.22), bar 4-5. The passage begins with the note b (open
string, second course). In the violin part the the note b goes down to
g and then up a scale, g,a,b,c#, d, e. But the guitar part begins on b,
then jumps up an octave for the g, a, and b then jumps back down to c#,
d and e. In the final two bars of the first section the violin part
goes from a high g (first course, third fret of guitar) down to b, a
and g but the guitar part goes from the high g down to b and back up an
octave for the a and g.
Probably this is to make the instrument project a bit more - especially
if there is a violin playing. But maybe it also shows an attitude of
mind about melodic lines on the Baroque guitar. (As Monica has often
insisted upon!)
Stuart
> In short, I suggest they were
> indeed expected to be played as a trio for the best effect.
>
> Martyn
>
> On 4/7/2011 3:36 PM, "Stuart Walsh"<[1][1]s.wa...@ntlworld.com>
wrote:
> >Granata's Novi Capricci Armonici Musicali in vari toni per la
chitarra
> >spagnola, violino and viola concertati et altra sonate per
chitarra
> sola
> >1674 has pieces for solo guitar and, at the beginning, 12 pieces
with
> a
> >guitar part on the left hand side and then in staff notation
(treble
> and
> >lightly figured bass) on the right.
> >
> >This publication has been discussed before but , as usual, I
can't
> >remember the details and don't want to plumb the archives. Gary
Boyes
> >
>
>[2][2]http://www.library.appstate.edu/music/guitar/1674granata.html
> >
> >says that these pieces are for violin, guitar and continuo. I
think
> last
> >time the work was discussed somebody said that it might be like
some
> >lute trios where there is a lot of doubling (e.g. Hinterleithner
and
> >later in the 18th century, Martino and others).
> >
> >But I think it was Monica who thought that these pieces are(or
might
> be)
> >for violin and continuo, and alternatively playable as guitar
solos.
> >Anyway, I always thought it would be interesting to hear the
guitar
> part
> >with the bass line. So I've had a shot at one of the pieces, the
> >Alemanda in E minor on page 20 which is quite attractive as a
solo.
> I'm
> >not sure how fast this piece is to go and I'm taking it fairly
slowly.
> >That leaves bar 8, the concluding bar of the first section, with
one
> >chord for the duration of the whole bar (or almost). That's a lot
of
> >space/time with nothing happening. Often in Allemandas, there are
some
> >arpeggio twiddles for the first two beats and then a strummed
chord.
> >(Most, but not all, of the later solo alemandas in this
publication
> are
> >treated in this way.)
> >
> >[3][3]http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/Granata.mp3
> >
> >So this is for guitar and a lute playing the bass line. I didn't
try
> and
> >do continuo because I don't know enough about it and, anyway, the
> guitar
> >is covering the main harmony. The bass does double the guitar
quite a
> >bit (but there is often a lot of doubling in the Baroque guitar
duets
> >I've seen). I think it's quite a strange sound. The second bar of
the
> >second section sounds weird. The clash in the repeat of the
second
> >section, towards the end is just my mistake.
> >
> >Stuart
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >To get on or off this list see list information at
> >[4][4]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
> --
>
> References
>
> 1.
[5]http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=s.wa...@ntlworld.com
> 2.
[6]http://www.library.appstate.edu/music/guitar/1674granata.html
> 3. [7]http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/Granata.mp3
> 4. [8]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
>
>
--
References
1. mailto:s.wa...@ntlworld.com
2. http://www.library.appstate.edu/music/guitar/1674granata.html
3. http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/Granata.mp3
4. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/%7Ewbc/lute-admin/index.html
5. http://uk.mc263.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=s.wa...@ntlworld.com
6. http://www.library.appstate.edu/music/guitar/1674granata.html
7. http://www.pluckedturkeys.co.uk/Granata.mp3
8. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/%7Ewbc/lute-admin/index.html
