Rasgueado

[Bill Brettschneider]

Is there a Baroque text that gives technical details for rasgueado? You see plenty of creative variation on youtube, but I wonder what is the historical evidence? Following what I can discern from Sanz or Corbetta, it looks like either straight alternations up and down, probably at the same division as whatever the primary division for the punteado is, (eighth notes, say.) or in a triple feel, two down and one up. Is there a source that delves into this further? 

Likewise, is golpe accurate for this time, or inferred based on flamenco traditions?

[Bill Brettschneider]

Would performers ever perform entirely strummed music, solo? I always assumed this was for accompaniment purposes only.

[Bill Brettschneider]

I watched a YouTube video of Hopkinson Smith playing Sanz tarantela, and it is all strumming. I like listening to this sort of playing, but I assumed that it was not really intended for solo performance. Maybe to accompany dancing.

[Monica Hall]

I assume that what is on you-tube is the same as what I have on the CD which H. Smith made in 1996.  This bears no relation to what actually appears in Sanz' book which is only 5 bars long and consists of just 5 different chords.   There is no reason why it shouldn't be played as solo music and players with talent would have improvised something quite elaborate.   Whether it would have been anything like what Hoppy plays is anyone's guess.  I bet he didn't even copy it form Sanz - probably got it from some other book and has forgotten which.     People like Hoppy are brilliant players but not musiclogists and they do whatever they think their audiences will pay to hear.

[Bill Brettschneider]

Can you recommend a player who is likely to be more historically authentic? I would have guessed Hopkinson Smith would have been high on this list.

[Monica Hall]

Yes - they certainly would.  There is a huge repertoire of music intended to be played solo from Montesardo to Ricci and later.   They would also have played for people to dance to.

[Bill Brettschneider]

ok, I've got something new to look for. thanks again!

[Bill Brettschneider]

so far I'm coming up with nothing fro Montesardo to Ricci on google, or youtube. do you by any chance have a link either to performances, or facsimiles? I  also searched in the pdf library that I was graciously given access to. nothing. is there another title that his work is known by?

[Monica Hall]

You wont find anything by Ricci on You tube and you probably wont be able to find a facsimile either.   There may be some of Montesardo's vocal music on You tube as he published a book of songs in 1612 as well as the Teach yourself book in 1606.   You might be able to track down facsimiles of these.

[Bill Brettschneider]

Is that Girolamo Montesardo?

[Monica Hall]

Yes - that's the right guy.   Just checked You-tube.   There are two or three ghastly performances of his songs performed by a 10 strong ladies choir and a batterie of the most unlikely instrumants.   Heaven defends us from such outrages!!!!!   There was also an aria sung by Rafael Pe accompanied by the harp - much more likely.

[Bill Brettschneider]

Are there any good recordings of solo strummed baroque guitar that you can direct me to?

[Bill Brettschneider]

Ok, if that is the same person, I just reread some of what I read the other day on your page about him. 

than kyou for your patience with my stupidity. I am trying.

How do you know it is intended for solo performance?

I'm looking at the title, Nuova inventione d'intavolatura, per sonare li balletti sopra la chitarra spagniuola. and sadly I cannot read it. 

I would Have guessed it said something like "new method of writing dance music for the spanish guitar."