Another day, another instrument
 

On Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:51:40 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:00:52 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...

I'll need to get a strap for it. Probably a fluorescent
green and yellow one wouldn't be quite the thing.

Err.Not quite.
I am sure also that you will be able to resist the
temptation to bore a hole and fit a pick up and vol
control too:) You could add a mini jack though,
if you want to be professional.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3083/...137d9504cc.jpg

A cloak, plus doublet and hose, are de rigeur
for all good lutists as is the floppy velvet hat.
Looking forward to a picture, Don:-)

Iain




Shame on you - that's a theorbo, not a lute.

But, nevertheless, don't the togs appeal to you?

I think I might pass on those...

I have always understood a theorbo to be a
lute with a longer neck, and an added peg-box


Yes, the playing neck stops just where his hand is, then the "theorbo"
part continues along the extended upper neck. Those strings were often
left just as sympathetics.

This is a fascinating subject - there are so many
variations on this splendid instrument.

Take a listen, Don to Jakob Lindberg's
fine recordinga on BIS.

http://www.musicamano.com/


Couldn't find any samples there, but there's plenty of him on Youtube.
He's very good. You can also find some bits by Maurice Cope, who sold
me my instrument - he isn't quite that good.

Ah well, off to work.

d

Another day, another instrument
 

On 23/02/2010 07:09, Iain Churches wrote:
"Dave Plowman wrote in message
...
In .com,
wrote:
Don Pearce said...

Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

That looks lovely and it must be fun to play. I'm very envious of those
who can play an instrument. I've tried keyboard and guitars many times
but just can't relate the sound produced to the physical action
required if you see what I mean, bloody frustrating.

IMHO it's one of these things you need to learn when young, to be
proficient.

That sounds like a reasonable excuse:-)

I have had a chance to study mixed groups of
young and mature students playing music,
and it seems to me that although the younger students
learn and develope quicker, the mature students are
better motivated, work harder to make up for lost time,
and keep up with the demands of the curriculum.

A friend of mine who has the same teacher confided
that it took him four whole weeks, to learn two difficult
phrases, a total of 16 bars only. The teacher divided
what looked like an impossible part for a non-pro
player, into four sections of four bars each, and encouraged
him to learn a section a week and include it in his 2 hrs
practice every day to - starting with playing
every second note at less than half speed, over and
over and over again. He now plays it, as written in,
the correct tempo. That's what I call motivation:-)

Although can be fun to try in later life.

Many people of our age, who have had demanding
careers, now find themselves working to an easier
schedule, with more spare time available, especially
if the children are no longer at home.

Learning a musical instrument (and what better instrument
than a lute:-) is a very good way to spend that time and
also keep the little grey cells active.

Music has an important social aspect too, and beng
able to play well enough to perform with others, either
privately or in public, is its own reward.

It's never too late:-)


Much better than 'IMHO don't bother'. Thanks.

Rob

Another day, another instrument
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:51:40 +0200, "Iain Churches"
Take a listen, Don to Jakob Lindberg's
fine recordinga on BIS.

http://www.musicamano.com/

Couldn't find any samples there, but there's plenty of him on Youtube.
He's very good. You can also find some bits by Maurice Cope, who sold
me my instrument - he isn't quite that good.

I have a couple of 'DuOud' albums, you can guess what they play. Have a
listen on 'YouTube'. First heard them at Finsbury Park Rise Festival a few
years ago.....Bloody brilliant. :o)

Another day, another instrument
 

On Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:45:14 -0000, "David"
wrote:

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:51:40 +0200, "Iain Churches"
Take a listen, Don to Jakob Lindberg's
fine recordinga on BIS.

http://www.musicamano.com/

Couldn't find any samples there, but there's plenty of him on Youtube.
He's very good. You can also find some bits by Maurice Cope, who sold
me my instrument - he isn't quite that good.

I have a couple of 'DuOud' albums, you can guess what they play. Have a
listen on 'YouTube'. First heard them at Finsbury Park Rise Festival a few
years ago.....Bloody brilliant. :o)


Excellent - a fretless lute. When I was working Afghanistan in 2001
there was a really good band playing Oud, tabla and rebab. A vaguely
similar sound but less hypnotic.

d

Another day, another instrument
 

On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:00:24 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:15:18 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg


Fascinating. It seems to have the body of a lute,
(which was a generic term) but the unlike the lute
the tuning pegs are not set at 90 degrees.

Hard to be sure from the pic, but does it have
six strings?


Six strings and actual worm drive machine heads, not pegs. I never
knew they went back that far.

That's a sign of quality.
Any info as to the maker?

If so, the tuning is presumably the same for a six
course lute, in fourths with the exception of the
interval between the third and fourth course
being a third.


Yes, the same as a six course lute.

OK. I am starting to get the picture.

Is it about the same physical size?

The size - the scale length is about an inch shorter than the Martin.

That's interesting. Lutes as such are quite a bit smaller, but
this is a clearly a lute guitar.


Here's an interesting detail. The fingerboard is scalloped between the
frets so you can't actually feel them

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/scallops.jpg

Fascinating.

Some music will appear soon.

I look forward to it.
Iain


And here it is - just a few bars of something by John Dowland. I
haven't grown the finger nails needed to play this thing, so it is
done with the pads of the fingers, so no sparkle, I'm afraid. But the
depth of the instrument is there to hear.

www.soundthoughts.co.uk/listen/dowland.mp3

d

Another day, another instrument
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:51:40 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:00:52 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...


Iain wrote:
But, nevertheless, don't the togs appeal to you?

I think I might pass on those...

You could be a sensation strolling across
Hampstead Heath rendering saucy Renaissance
ditties:-)

I have always understood a theorbo to be a
lute with a longer neck, and an added peg-box


Yes, the playing neck stops just where his hand is, then the "theorbo"
part continues along the extended upper neck. Those strings were often
left just as sympathetics.

This is a fascinating subject - there are so many
variations on this splendid instrument.

Take a listen, Don to Jakob Lindberg's
fine recordinga on BIS.

http://www.musicamano.com/


Couldn't find any samples there, but there's plenty of him on Youtube.

You can find samples on the Discography page.
His site aso states that he owns the oldest playable
lute in existence, a Sixtus Rauwolf which dates between
1423-1560.


He's very good. You can also find some bits by Maurice Cope, who sold
me my instrument - he isn't quite that good.

Jakob Lindberg's CDs are wonderful.

Iain

Another day, another instrument
 

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:54:23 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:

But, nevertheless, don't the togs appeal to you?

I think I might pass on those...

You could be a sensation strolling across
Hampstead Heath rendering saucy Renaissance
ditties:-)


Hampstead Heath? Parts of it have a reputation that would make wearing
such things a very unattractive proposition indeed.

d

Another day, another instrument
 

"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:00:24 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:15:18 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:


"Don Pearce" wrote in message
...
Went to an antiques fair today and found this, which was clearly
irresistible. Made in 1880, it is a lauten - a cross between a lute
and a guitar, and it sounds brilliant.

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/lauten.jpg


Fascinating. It seems to have the body of a lute,
(which was a generic term) but the unlike the lute
the tuning pegs are not set at 90 degrees.

Hard to be sure from the pic, but does it have
six strings?


Six strings and actual worm drive machine heads, not pegs. I never
knew they went back that far.

That's a sign of quality.
Any info as to the maker?

If so, the tuning is presumably the same for a six
course lute, in fourths with the exception of the
interval between the third and fourth course
being a third.


Yes, the same as a six course lute.

OK. I am starting to get the picture.

Is it about the same physical size?

The size - the scale length is about an inch shorter than the Martin.

That's interesting. Lutes as such are quite a bit smaller, but
this is a clearly a lute guitar.


Here's an interesting detail. The fingerboard is scalloped between the
frets so you can't actually feel them

http://www.soundthoughts.co.uk/look/scallops.jpg

Fascinating.

Some music will appear soon.

I look forward to it.
Iain


And here it is - just a few bars of something by John Dowland. I
haven't grown the finger nails needed to play this thing, so it is
done with the pads of the fingers, so no sparkle, I'm afraid.

Early players used a quill for single notes

Do you know the maker of your instrument?


But the
depth of the instrument is there to hear.

www.soundthoughts.co.uk/listen/dowland.mp3

Dowland. Excellent.

I am sure you know of Anthony Rooley and the
Consort of Musicke. Here is a taster from a
John Dowland recording I made with them.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/iain.churches/Music/CofM.mp3


Iain

Another day, another instrument
 

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:58:58 +0200, "Iain Churches"
wrote:

And here it is - just a few bars of something by John Dowland. I
haven't grown the finger nails needed to play this thing, so it is
done with the pads of the fingers, so no sparkle, I'm afraid.

Early players used a quill for single notes


I'll go and shoot a pigeon.

Do you know the maker of your instrument?


Yes, it's made by Paul Schniber, but I haven't been able to find out
anything about him yet.


But the
depth of the instrument is there to hear.

www.soundthoughts.co.uk/listen/dowland.mp3

Dowland. Excellent.

I am sure you know of Anthony Rooley and the
Consort of Musicke. Here is a taster from a
John Dowland recording I made with them.

http://www.kolumbus.fi/iain.churches/Music/CofM.mp3

I've seen Anthony many times, usually accompanying Emma Kirkby. The
Wigmore Hall seems to be a favourite venue for them. There used to be
amazing Sunday morning concerts there.

d

Another day, another instrument
 

On Thu, 25 Feb 2010 07:02:57 GMT, (Don Pearce) wrote:


http://www.kolumbus.fi/iain.churches/Music/CofM.mp3


That won't download right now.

d