minstrel: guitar history???

[Tadhg O Cuileannain]

--- Blue <bluecougar at ntlworld.com> wrote:

> On the matter of puerto rican cuatros,
> www.hobgoblin-usa.com appear to 
> stock the same instrument as I just bought from
> their UK online store last 
> week, their price is $145. I can vouch for the
> quality of it, nicely made, 
> lovely sound and I would imagine it would work well
> in period simply by 
> being so unusual.

Lark now carries two cuatros, the $300 one (now $325)
that I have, and a cheaper one ($160) which may be the
one you bought.  The cheaper one is a relatively new
addition to the catalog--I probably would have bought
it if it had been available (I should perhaps add that
I didn't use mail order--I went to the store in
SEattle and tried it out before buying). 


> I'm curiious about your putting nylon strings on,
> did you also use nylon on 
> the doubled octave strings for the low B and E
> strings (assuming you are 
> tuning B E A D G), and how effective was that? Any
> recommendations of 
> suitable period music would be most welcome...

I use a regular set of classical guitar strings (or
two sets, top five strings only.)  I use unisons, not
octaves, which as far as I have been able to discover
seems to have been the early period practice.  I use
terz tuning, C F Bb D G.  I was a little worried that
nylon wouldn't be loud enough, but it's been no
problem.

As for music, I do pretty strictly medieval stuff
(pre-1400) so the available tunes are monophonic and I
have to devise whatever harmonies I use myself.  There
isn't a single source--I spend a lot of time in
libraries.  For music already arranged for guitar,
with tablature, I think Jamey Bellizzi's MUSIC OF THE
ROYAL COURTS OF EUROPE FOR ACOUSTIC GUITAR (Mel Bay,
ISBN 0-7866-0084-5) is probably the best thing out
there.  Just be aware that the arrangments of the
medieval tunes are not authentic, but they are well
done in accord with medieval principles of harmony. 
The Renaissance tunes are transcribed directly from
the original tablature.

Tadhg


> 
> Blue
> 
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=====
**********************************
Tadhg O Cuilleannain of One Thousand Eyes
Tim Connor of Idaho Falls, Idaho
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