who was conducting King A. at BEMF
Gwenael Faucher
who was conducting this version, and I'm interested by your reports. But if I
don't know who was the conductor, it doesn't serve anything.
A nice day for everybody here.
Gwenael...@wmg.com
Erato records, Paris
William Thauer
You all are speaking about King Arthur at BEMF. But, in France, I can't find
who was conducting this version, and I'm interested by your reports. But if I
don't know who was the conductor, it doesn't serve anything.
The musical directors were Peter Holman (of The Parley of Instruments)
who conducted from the harpsichord; and Paul O'Dette (lutenist). Elizabeth
Blumenstock (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra) was concertmistress.
The continuo group was rounded out in fine fashion by Elisabeth Wright
(harpsichord - Indiana) Stephen Stubbs of Tragicomedia (theorbo,
guitar) and Cristal Thielman, viola da gamba. Mark Caudle was principal
'cello, but from where I sat it didn't look like he did much BC (in fact,
if anything, Myron Lutzke seemed to be section leader)
Jack Edwards was stage director, and Sets and costumes were designed by
James Middleton (of Ex Machina Baroque Opera Company - Minneapolis)
It was indeed an interestingly mixed bag.
: A nice day for everybody here.
Milles merci.
And for you as well.
Israel Stein
> guitar) and Cristal Thielman, viola da gamba. Mark Caudle was principal
> 'cello, but from where I sat it didn't look like he did much BC (in fact,
> if anything, Myron Lutzke seemed to be section leader)
>
I believe the instruments were identified as Bass Violins - and it was
some trouble to get enough of them for this orchestra. I'm told some came
from Europe. Can anyone out there explain how the bass violin differs
from a 'cello? I believe Emily Walhout plays one in King's Noyse.
Israel Stein
Geo. Thomson & Michelle Dulak
>I believe the instruments were identified as Bass Violins - and it was
>some trouble to get enough of them for this orchestra. I'm told some came
>from Europe. Can anyone out there explain how the bass violin differs
>from a 'cello? I believe Emily Walhout plays one in King's Noyse.
As I understand it, they're slightly bigger in body than the average
cello, and tuned a whole step lower (i.e., the lowest string to B-flat)
but still in fifths. I think Peter Holman's recent book (_Four and
Twenty Fiddlers_) gives more particulars.
Michelle Dulak
Roland Hutchinson
>As I understand it, they're slightly bigger in body than the average
>cello, and tuned a whole step lower (i.e., the lowest string to B-flat)
>but still in fifths. I think Peter Holman's recent book (_Four and
>Twenty Fiddlers_) gives more particulars.
This is entirely correct.
One might add that the "-cello" part of the name "violoncello" is of
qan Italian diminutive suffix, meaning that the cello is a small
version of something. That thing is the bass violin, which could be
called "violone" in Italian (or just "violon" in some dialects!).
"Violone" itself is "Viola" + "-one", the latter being an augmentative
suffix: i.e. the word means "big viol" (and it has been applied to an
embarassingly large variety of bowed instruments at one time or
another).
Thus in the end, "violoncello" means a little big fiddle.
Violino means a LITTLE fiddle.
And viola just means fiddle.
Perfectly simple, eh?
(Next week, if we're still here, we'll attempt to disentangle modern
German "Viola", "Gambe", and "Bratsche".)
Roland "I vant to violon" Hutchinson
--
Roland Hutchinson Visiting Specialist/Early Music
Internet: rhut...@pilot.njin.net Department of Music
Bitnet: rhutchin@NJIN Montclair State University
From All-in-1 at MSU: rhutchin@apollo@wins Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
John Howell
>Thus in the end, "violoncello" means a little big fiddle.
>
>Violino means a LITTLE fiddle.
>
>And viola just means fiddle.
>
>Perfectly simple, eh?
>
> Internet: rhut...@pilot.njin.net Department of Music
> Bitnet: rhutchin@NJIN Montclair State University
> From All-in-1 at MSU: rhutchin@apollo@wins Upper Montclair, NJ 07043
And, of course, "violino piccolo" means a LITTLE little fiddle (q.v.
Monteverdi, "L'Orfeo").
John
John & Susie Howell (John....@vt.edu)
Virginia Tech Department of Music
Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240
(703) 231-8411 - FAX (703) 231- 5034
NOTE: Area code 703 will change to 540 in
this part of Virginia effective July 1, 1995.
Roland Hutchinson
>And, of course, "violino piccolo" means a LITTLE little fiddle (q.v.
>Monteverdi, "L'Orfeo").
Furthermore, as Joseph Spencer kindly pointed out to me via e-mail,
"violoncello piccolo" means a little little BIG fiddle.
Roland
(gotta run off now to practice my my pardessus de contrabasse)
--