9. Spot the difference: One Prelude, Two Manuscripts
In Blog #4, Sound files for the French Théorbe de Pièces, I include Prelude 29v from Goess. Since making that recording I read through the music for théorbe de pièces by Charles Hurel, and recognised the same prelude (18v-19r) but with some interesting differences. Here are the two scores – Goess first – with their …
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8. Raising the tension – not strings
I’ve noticed while working through the Goess theorbo manuscript that a few pieces increase the tension before the final cadence. It’s something many composers have done before and after the 17th century, even now, but it is worth focussing in on how they did it back in the late 17th century. I’ve mentioned in post …
7. VIDEO: Goess Theorbo MS 29v/12v/37v
Three pieces in …well, what key shall we call it? On a large Italian theorbo it would be fingered for the key of G, but on a smaller French theorbo it is the key of C…but…at 392 pitch it comes out as Bb! I must admit to being in two or three minds about this …
6. Short Review: Performing Baroque Music on the Lute and Theorbo by Peter Croton
I wish I’d had this book when I started learning the lute some 30 years ago. If you are a young player, buy this book now, and devour it every night before sleeping. What you learn here will live with you throughout your playing and listening life. Essential stuff. So, why is it so essential? …
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5. Interpreting the French Courante
The above is a very melodic and enjoyable-to-play courante for théorbe de pièces by Germain Pinel from the Goess Theorbo manuscript. The Goess MS comes from the second half of the 17th century, we are not sure exactly when. So, how to interpret a French courante? The Italian courante is certainly much easier to interpret, …
4. Sound files for the French Théorbe de Pièces
The following SoundCloud playlist is devoted to my recordings of the repertoire for the French théorbe de pièces made by Dodd Lutherie. Currently it only has a few items from the Goess Theorbo manuscript, but more will certainly be added as I explore the repertoire. The recordings were made at home, not a professional recording …
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3. Introduction to the Théorbe de Pièces
The above instrument (a detail from Les Charmes de la Vie, by Antoine Watteau) is not a théorbe de pièces, but an angelique. It is the closest illustration we have to the small French theorbo created for playing the solo French repertoire. “Small” is a relative term, the full-size theorbo being much larger, and of …
2. Pre-2021 Sound Files
I once set out to record the complete Scottish lute manuscripts, but ran out of steam after a while, and no wonder: there must be around 500 pieces. Here are some of the files, starting with 102 pieces (the equivalent of four CDs) from the magnificent Balcarres manuscript for 11c lute. To the right of …
1. Personal Lute History to April 2021
I started with an archlute in 1994 (coming from a classical guitar background) and was immediately called upon to play in many ensembles, the first being The Scottish Early Music Consort, who asked me to join them for a short tour of England, Ireland and Scotland, performing excerpts from Monteverdi operas. I had to learn …
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