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I am studying Corbetta's 1639 book (PDF facsimile available here: http://earlyguitar.ning.com/forum/topics/corbetta-first-book-1639).

I am a bit confused by what he means with "I*", as defined in the introduction to this book. It looks like an "A suspended" chord (4th scale degree instead of 3rd).

The "Folia sopra l'E" on p. 18 uses this "I*" chord a lot and the suspension is not resolved. Would an "A7" chord make better sense for "I*". Or is the resolution just implied? Or not necessary?

Any insights appreciated.

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I* is the same as standard Chord I but the second course is stopped at the third fret sounding the note d instead of at the second fret sounding c#.   This is the suspended 4th in a 4-3 progression.  It resolves on to a standard Chord I.

For a full explanation of Corbetta's Alfabeto Falso with examples see my web page monicahall.co.uk - Part 2 of the section devoted to Corbetta.   This includes an English translation of the whole of Corbetta's Introduction.  Best wishes.

P.S.  The resolution is implied or to be understood.

Hi Monica, I am already familiar with your website. I just printed and bound the Foscarini last week. Incredibly useful. I have been studying your translation of the text from the Corbetta 1639 book too.

Thanks,

Gary

Glad you find them useful.  Cheers.

I have been making my way through the 1639 book. I think now that what looks like "I*" (falso) actually just means "I" (normal alfabeto).

Looking at the "Rugiero sopra il C" on p. 29, there are a lot of seeming "I*" chords. Then, in the last full bar of the "Altra parte passeggiata", suddenly there is the same "I*" ALONG WITH a big extra asterisk, followed by another plain "I*". This is the obvious place for a 4-3 suspension.

So I think that in this book "I*" with a little asterisk is simply "I" (not falso). Corbetta is using "I*" to distinguish the "I" chord from the very similar rhythm sign.

On a related note: I wonder if anyone has transcribed all or part of the 1639 book? It seems to me there are a number of errors/unclear spots (although I think it is a great method for learning battuto style).

I think you are right about the "i"s - a good point about distinguishing them from the strum strokes which look as if they are printed from upper case "I"s too.  A typical makeshift arrangement. 

Richard Pinnell has transcribed the whole of this book (and Corbetta's other printed books) in his dissertation but I'm not sure how reliable it is.   But there probably are lots of errors and unclear spots.  I have never played it all the way through.  It's not surprising really given how difficult is was to print things in the 17th century.  

Yes, it is hard to imagine how they typeset such a work in those days. It seems like the numbers above and below are often displaced from the ideal position.

It looks like Richard Pinnell's book is out of print, although I see it is available used from amazon.co.uk for £338.87.

A lot of the 1639 facsimile is decipherable for me, but I would like to see someone else's transcription of the "Altra parte passeggiata" from the Aria di Fiorenza sopra l'A on p. 52, for example. The beginning and end of the piece are very nice but I can't get past the first few bars of the variation.

Well - it's not worth £338.87! It is very out of date and not very accurate... People still refer to it as if it was gospel truth.  I only have the typescript version with handwritten transcription.  The whole thing was typeset later on. I have scanned the relevant pages - but they not be very helpful.  If you make a better version please share it...Not sure that I can add all to one message. One more bit to come...Hope I am not infringing his copyright either.

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Here are the next two pages.....

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Thanks! I downloaded them and will have a look.

Question: What would be the best software for transcribing battuto pieces like these? I have Djangotab but have only used it for theorbo so far. What software do you use?

It would be cool if there were a way to crowdsource the transcription and proofreading process and then have the final product in the public domain.

Do you want to transcribe them into tablature or staff notation?  I use Django for tablature but it is quite limited for baroque guitar.  I have attached a sample of a strummed piece from my Foscarini but it is possible I think to put the alfabeto letters on the stave now because I was using an old version of Django.

I use a program called Capella for staff - it's cheaper than Sibelius.

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I want to transcribe to tablature.

The latest version of Django does more for baroque guitar. I have only used it for theorbo so far, but you might have a look: http://django.musickshandmade.com/showcase/preview/189

There is also a video here: http://django.musickshandmade.com/Videos/Corbetta/Corbetta.html

However, note the terms for Django, e.g. "DjangoTab may be used for personal use only. Any commercial use of the software must be approved in writing by the author of the software and may imply fees and commissions as well as a percentage of the profits resulting from the sale of works produced primarily or solely with the software".

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