Historical accuracy in music performance

[Joaquim Boguñá]

Castellano
I'm translating here two comments from Manuel Morais, and answering below.

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At 1:08pm on April 8, 2009, Manuel Morais said…
Dear Joaquim,
Roberto Snow would say Middle Ages is the one and only period in western music history about which science-fiction could be written and made!
Your group is a proof of such aphorism. So, you play medieval music on a Renaissance lute then?
Musical greetings,
Manuel

At 1:18pm on April 8, 2009, Manuel Morais said…
Dear,
To go on with our polemics, what string instrument do you play at 'Medieval Meeting at Ciutadilla, Lleida, Catalonia'?
Cunning greetings,
Manuel
P.S.: You may always erase my comments, even though I might consider them suitable!

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Hello Manuel. Thank you for your comments. Of course you can take part on my page. This will raise the level of discussions that we will have herein.

The matter is the following.

I'm one of those who believe that historical accuracy has to have a limit. Otherwise, we lutenists shouldn't use nylon strings, nor should we keep going around with our mobile phone, leading such a different life from the way people used to live in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. People didn't live like that on such periods of history, and I feel that our present way of life must have an influence in our way of perceiving and understanding ancient music works, somehow.

I'm one of those who believe that is something natural, and even desirable, to play any thinkable repertoire you wish to play on your own musical instrument. In fact, this is the way the new musical language of vihuela players, and also lutenists, was born - making transcriptions from medieval religious works to be played on a non-medieval instrument, and finally creating from ornamentations to true variations of such works, the so called 'glosas' and 'diferencias', that can be considered as a different work and totally independent from their originals.

This is the reason why I myself began making transcriptions from medieval works, in order to be able to play them on the lute or the vihuela. On my homepage there are some music samples of those.

Later, I went on making modern compositions for such instruments. And it was in England, for lute's sake, where they have been appreciated, awarded and even published.

At the concerts with Scandicus there were serious sacred works, serious instrumental works and funny secular works.

I took the liberty to play with a much more modern instrument in the third type of works. The reason is twofold.

1. Why not so? Has not Luís Milán been played on a twentieth-century classical guitar for many many years? Is it that this is not artistically possible and even valid? Of course it is. To say the contrary would mean to doubt whether transcriptions are valid or not, I'm afraid.

2. I decided myself to carry out a performance according to the theatrical character of the works, their good humour and sometimes even the spicy mood that rises from those texts. For instance, at the very moment the TV was filming, I executed an absolutely funny-intentioned glissando. Look at the member next to me, how she is trying to conceal her laugh in order to keep concentrated.

By the way. Is glissando an anachronistic tecnique in such a case?

Enough for today. Everybody is welcome here to express their own opinions, with kindness and respect.

Greetings,

Joaquim.

[Joaquim Boguñá]

I'm copying and answering the new comment from Frei on my homepage comment wall.

At 1:56am on 4 May 2009, Frei said…
Hi Joaquim, my comment was on the topic: Historical accuracy in Musical performance: Part of the old training was improvisation, from what I have heard. Just metioned it, as it is really important to give character to the music. Its also how other music was morphed and written, in part I would imagine. I am not sure if this is taught now, but it probably should be, the techniques would be very valuable to ancient musicians, and modern.

And now my reply.

Alright, Frei. Now I understood.
And thank you for your comment.
Greetings.

[Joaquim Boguñá]

Hello, Frei.

Excuse me, but I don't see the relationship between the topic on my blog and your comment. Could you explain more accurately, please?

Greetings.

[Frei]

Improvisation was a major aspect of Baroque music, Bach and all. Not sure it this was accepted practice before then, I'm sure there are musical historians who could comment on this. Given the nature of Baroque music, it (easily) does lend itself to improvisation, as it is a basic, simplified construct based on earlier, more simple forms of music. It also lends the conversation of modern composers for the music, and what authenticity you aspire to. With lots of training, composing should in a "Baroque style" should be rather simple for the talented composer.