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Rhona's Tune
This is an anonymous ditty that is found in Jane Pickeringe's Lute Book. It's found at the very bottom of a page, and was probably snuck in so as not to waste space on the page. Below I posted a picture of the manuscript tablature, which I love looking at. (I decided to put a repeat after measure 8, just to make it a bit longer.) This tune always sounds Celtic to me, like it would have been written by Turlough O'Carolan.
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Steve Price Yes, I recently cut off my nails, and it does make it a bit easier (not as much as I'd hoped, though
). It seems to me that Bream simply played the lute like a guitar. Check out these videos and compare the right hand position of Bream and Paul O'Dette. -
Eric Phillips Bream did play the lute with guitar technique. I read somewhere (maybe ‘A life on the road’) that he did this so as to be able to switch easily between instruments. (He also used an instrument designed by his longtime luthier David Rubio that incorporated certain elements of the modern guitar into the traditional lute. These included a raised bridge saddle for higher action and a robust construction to permit the use of high tension strings.) Bream was unconcerned with the aims of the historically informed performance movement, which had not yet gained momentum. Although his example was not followed by the subsequent generation of lutenists (Paul O’dette, Hopkinson Smith, Nigel North and Jacob Lindberg) it was apparently through his recordings that their interest in the instrument was kindled. (Or so I’ve heard; this is definitely the case for O’dette. We missed the chance to hear North’s view of Bream in the recent Q & A!
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Eric Phillips Very nice explanation/demonstration of lute technique, Eric. Your reference to traditional guitar-picking technique is apt, because the thumb-inside position is thought to have developed (in the mid-to-late 15th c.) from the earlier tradition of playing the lute with a plectrum. (I have sometimes wondered if there was a transitional period of what for the guitar is called ‘hybrid’ picking.) In fact, plectrum playing likely persisted into the 16th c. If you look at the duets In Dalza’s book, for example, you will see that the treble parts are very well suited to this. Indeed, some modern specialists (i.e. Paul Kieffer and Marc Lewon) take this approach in performance. The results are highly virtuosic!
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David Krupka https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVahmGz6cgY
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David Krupka That makes a lot of sense, especially since his guitar playing was probably what paid the bills. I have to admit, I do somewhat wish that the tuners on the lute worked more like modern guitar tuners. The aesthetic look of period tuners is great, but I can't imagine putting modern tuners on would affect the sound.
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Eric Phillips There’s actually something known as a ‘peghead’ tuner on the market. Many luthiers offer this as an option for their instruments. (If I’m not mistaken, they were first used for bowed instruments.) I find friction tuners work well enough, but they can be at times be frustrating. (There is an amusing story recounted by Thomas Mace in ‘Musick’s Monument’ of a young student who after a half-hour of failed attempts at tuning gives his lute the ‘Pete Townsend’ treatment!) If you are having undue difficulty, it may be that your pegs need some fine-tuning (pun intended). A luthier (if not of lutes, then of violins) could likely sort this out. An experienced player might also be able to address the problem. (With O’dette teaching at Eastman, there must be a number of these in your vicinity.)
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David Krupka http://www.pegheds.com
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Thirty Easy Pieces for the Renaissance Lute - No. 1 A prelude
As I am teaching myself to play the lute, I will be using a book I found online called "Thirty Easy Pieces for Renaissance Lute" (Tree Editions). This first one is an anonymous prelude from the Sturt Lutebook in London. My goals were to play it with strict thumb-index alternation, and to play the phrases as smoothly and vocally as possible.
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Eric Phillips Your playing was very smooth already! Did you try the "thumb inside" style? I wonder if lutes are really easier to play that way?
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Wai I am trying to play runs with the thumb inside the index finger, but I just can’t get the hang of it. When I do it, the note I play with the index finger is almost inaudible, and I can’t get any speed on it. So this is a bit is a compromise. My pinky is on the soundboard, and my thumb is not a extended out as I would normally do.
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Eric Phillips For me at least, once I got the hang of it, thumb-inside technique felt more comfortable (‘natural (?)) than standard classical guitar technique. (In fact, I now struggle with the latter, despite having employed it for many years.) This may be because I started out on guitar as a flat-picker. I suspect that if you persist with it for a few weeks, you’ll discover something similar.
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David Krupka Thanks for the encouragement, David. I'm hoping it starts feeling more natural for me at some point. I'm not there yet.
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Thirty Easy Pieces for the Renaissance Lute - No. 2 Haulberroys
This is a piece by French lutenist Pierre Attaignant (1494-1552). He was also a music publisher, and is perhaps the first large-scale publisher of single-impression movable type for music printing.
I have no idea what a Haulberroy is, but I'm guessing it's some sort of dance. I have a recording of this piece by Ronn McFarlane that is very fast and energetic. This is the best I can do.
I am playing it with thumb and index only, with my pinky on the fingerboard, and hopefully somewhere in the ballpark of the correct way to play it. I still can't seem to get my index finger out beyond my thumb when alternating the two quickly. It took me forever to get it fluid with the correct fingers.
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Eric Phillips This sounds great, Eric. I just watched a video by Luthval playing 2 Haulberriys by Attaignant. You are certainly in the ballpark with his tempo and your playing is very good. His might be a good video to watch because his right hand is quite visible. I can't imagine trying to adjust my RH to playing thumb under.
On the note of RH; my fingernails are continuing to create problems so I just ordered a set of Alaska piks. They were the least expensive of the 2 I mentioned before (Tiptonic being the other) and did not require any adhesive. I'll let you know if they are a possible alternative after I get them.
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Jack Stewart Thanks, Jack. I will be sure to check out his video. I have subscribed to his channel.
And please, let me know how those fingerpicks work out for you. That would be great if I could just put something on when playing guitar.
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Eric Phillips The fluency was greatly improved! Did you feel any difference (musically) when you played with only your thumb and index fingers? To me, the sound you played this time was lighter and livelier, closer to the lute sound we heard on CD. You are on the right path, Eric.
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Wai Thank you, Wai. It does feel very different in the right hand. I'm still trying to find the best angle of attack to make it both fluid and to produce a good tone. I'm sure a teacher would be of great help, but unfortunately I am having to muddle through on my own. Thanks for the encouragement!
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Thirty Easy Pieces for the Renaissance Lute - No 3 Si vous estes belle (publ. Phalese)
I'm not sure who wrote this. Pierre Phalese is only credited as the publisher. Technique-wise, this is the first piece in the book that requires the use of the middle finger. There are no RH fingerings in the score this time, so I hope I am doing it correctly. I wonder if some of the notes on the treble strings (ex. the third note from the beginning) should be played with the thumb.
As I look at myself in the video, I can see that my fingers are still not extended out past my thumb. I really was trying, I swear! Perhaps I need to focus more on keeping my wrist straight.
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Thirty Easy Pieces for the Renaissance Lute - No 4 Christ ist erstanden(Judenkonig)
I have played this piece several times now, so it is nice to see a familiar piece in the collection. Now, of course, I am trying to play it with correct thumb-under technique. With no RH fingerings in the score, I opted to play it entirely with the thumb and middle finger, since there are no notes played between beats. Keeping my pinky down while playing the double stops did not feel very natural yet.
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Thirty Easy Pieces for the Renaissance Lute - Nos 5 and 6 Villancico and Spagnoletto (Negri)
Apparently Cesare Negri (c. 1535 – c. 1605) was both a dancer and a lutenist. Apparently these short piece are intended as dance accompaniment. I am tried to play them lively and articulated (especially the first one) but I don't think I succeeded.
Overall, I think I need to have a lighter touch. I really struggle with using the RH ring finger while having my pinky down. I notice that my hand continued to slip back into a more guitar-like position, lifting my wrist.-
Eric Phillips You continue your impressive work on lute, Eric. Do you have a sense of whether the RH lute technique makes a significant difference on the sound of the lute and the pieces.
Nails update: I got the Alaska piks today and I don't think they will work for me. You really need more nail than I have for them to work (they slip under the nail which holds them in place). For now I will continue to use fake nails.
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Eric Phillips as always such a pleasure to open the Tonebase forum and hear your latest lute pieces. I see what you mean: your hand tends to move back to the familiar guitar position. Not easy to change a playing habit, even when it’s a different shape of instrument. Especially the pinky support must give such a different feel to the balance in the hand. Are you playing these pieces from the tablature?
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Jack Stewart I’m sort to hear that the Alaska piks won’t work. When I saw the website and the pictures, it did look like some mail was needed to wear them. To bass, because that would have been very convenient for you.
Do I hear a difference when I play in this new way (or at least try to)? To be honest, not much. I hear it a bit if there is a scalar run, like in a couple of the pieces above. I hear it much more when I listen to very good players (right now I’m really enjoying listening to Jacob Heringman). Most importantly, I’m enjoying the journey and the challenge. And I’m crazy about the music, of course!
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joosje Thank you for listening, Joosje. It is very hard to change the hand’s habits. While playing, I think I’m in the correct position, but when I watch on video, I see that I’m not. Muscle memory is very powerful. And, yes, I do read from the tablature. I find it quite easy actually, and very fun. The scores that I posted above are exactly what I look at when I’m playing.
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Eric Phillips Jacob Heringman is a fantastic lutenist who certainly deserves to be better known! (His recordings on vihuela and Renaissance guitar are also first-rate.) To my mind, his right hand technique is, more than anyone else’s, a model of authenticity. (I think he has rather long arms (and fingers) which definitely helps.) When he plays, his fingers are nearly parallel to the strings, something I never seem able to achieve. His example is definitely one to emulate!
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
