Dear Monica and list,
That's as may be but we don't know whether Bartolotti (or Foscarini - both were primarily lutenists) played thumb out or whether he thought it was necessary to have a prominent bass part.
It is often assumed that after c 1600 most lutenists played thumb out, because of the separated functions of thumb and fingers in most of the music (the thumb playing the bass). I don't think that iconography from the 17th century shows many thumb inside positions on guitar. Which of course doesn't say all.
If we would suppose for one second that Bartolotti used bourdons (we all seem to consider this an one of the possible stringing options), and has written a bass in counterpoint to treble melodies, would there be any reason why the bass should not be clearly audible? And played with good tone?
Lex
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