Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:23:57 -0700 Fred Sturm <fssturm at unm.edu> wrote: > To the original question, about what tuning would be appropriate, ET > would definitely be my second choice, but from my own knowledge, I > would put it in a ratio of at least 9:1 in favor of 1/4 mean tone > unless there was compelling evidence otherwise. I'll note that in your > example (which I certainly accept absolutely as an informed decision > on the part of authoritative people), "the remainder performed in mean > tone" (including their harpsichord and organ). So I wonder whether > having the lutes and harpsichords tuned together is more important > than having the winds, voices and harpsichord together. Someone has to > be out of tune with someone. The lutes are stuck. The harpsichord > isn't. So I would stick to my advice, and let them "make do." The lute's decay is pretty fast - it should be the odd one out. Sorry, Fred, it isn't quite that simple. What I see in the instrumentation list for this performance is an Archlute. If it is used as a melody instrument (typical for 16th century music) then you are correct. If it is used as a continuo instrument - which happens more and more in 17th century music - then there are problems. The Archlute is a resonant instrument and does not decay all that quickly - especially in the low strings. It competes quite successfully with the harpsichord, in terms of volume and decay. (I don't even want to open the question of what type of harpsichord is being used - if it a copy of a French instrument, the archlute wins hands down). If the archlute is used as a continuo instrument (and I do see Monteverdi on the program - so it is possible) then any chords that occur on cadences or other harmonically important points would have to be tuned from the bass up - and not the other way around. So in this instrumentation, the other instruments would need to defer to the archlute rather than the other way around - since it may be carrying that bass continuo function. The harpsichord - at least harmonically - is the least important instrument in such an ensemble, since its function is to provide the rhythmic precision of the continuo (well, with a plucked archlute continuo this is not quite as important) and some harmonic "fill" for the overall texture (basically, added color). The decisions as to who should defer to whom have to be based on the particular repertoire and what function the archlute carries in it - and not on any rule of thumb or conjecture. Israel Stein
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