DO REGIMENTO DOS VIOLEIROS etc (for Manuel Morais, and others of course)

[Alexander Batov]

OK, I tried to leave a comment for Manuel Morais on his personal page but I couldn't because it kept repeating that "it must be approved first" ...? I find it really strange that we, being all like-minded people here, are actually unable to leave each other comments freely. Isn't it what this network was created for? Or am I missing something?

Hello Manuel,

Great to see you here. First of all, I just wanted to say a big thank you for publishing complete texts of DO REGIMENTO DOS VIOLEIROS as well as that of string makers ( ... DOS QUE FAZEM CORDAS DE VIOLA). I did some selected translations of the first from a few pages of your handwritten copy that John Griffiths has kindly provided me with. I only wish I knew Portuguese better so as to translate the complete document, maybe one day ... Anyway, this is the translation I'm talking about in case anybody is interested:

http://www.vihuelademano.com/regimento.htm

I'm very interested in one piece of iconography that you mention in your article. It's by Francisco Venegas (c. 1582-1591), Lisboa, Igreja da Luz, (Figure 4, p. 422). Do you have a better quality picture from where the number of pegs can be counted on the plucked viola (on the left)?

There is one more Portuguese viola to those that you mention (footnote 58, p. 415) which is in the Edinburgh University Collection of instruments (on loan from the National Museum of Scotland). It's a beautiful small 5-course (3 x 2 + 2 x 3) viola, in completely original condition, bearing the inscription "IOZE DOR V", no date found but possibly from c. 1740s - 50s.

By the way, the viola by Antonio dos Stos Vieyra (from the Ashmolean collection) has actually retained its original bridge with 6 (!) slots for paired courses (i.e. 6 x 2), not 5, as you mention. Otherwise the bridge design is very close to the above-mentioned instrument in Edinburgh. I can forward you some photographs if you are interested.

Alexander

[Manuel Morais]

There is one more Portuguese viola to those that you mention (footnote 58, p. 415) which is in the Edinburgh University Collection of instruments (on loan from the National Museum of Scotland). It's a beautiful small 5-course (3 x 2 + 2 x 3) viola, in completely original condition, bearing the inscription "IOZE DOR V", no date found but possibly from c. 1740s - 50s.

Is = 3+3+2+2 ?
It's possible to envoy me a photo of this guitar'
[e-mail]
Abraço,
Manuel

[Alexander Batov]

Hello Manuel,
Thanks for the phone call earlier today and for sorting out message problems. I will send you what I've got, not of great quality I'm afraid but still better than nothing.
All best,
Alexander

[Alexander Batov]

I've just emailed you the images. Hope you've received them OK. Do let me know in case there are any problems.

Alexander

[Rob MacKillop]

Alexander,

You CAN leave messages on other people's pages. People here do it all the time. You can also leave private emails. Maybe you weren't signed in when you tried? I don't know why you had problems. Try leaving me a message on my My Page.

Anyone else having problems?

Rob MacKillop - Administrator of this site

[Alexander Batov]

So far I haven't had problems with leaving messages on other people's pages but on Manuel's ... This is probably to do with his personal settings that he's chosen (i.e. on the "Privacy" tab of "My Settings" page). He's got my message in the end anyway.