Playing with Patterns on the Lute A Study and Method for Playing Sixteenth-Century Divisions

Playing with Patterns on the Lute is a practical guide for all lutenists who want to learn how to ornament their music with sixteenth-century divisions. Written for the Renaissance lute in G, it includes examples and exercises in French tablature, which is familiar to players around the world.

While methods for wind and stringed instruments by writers such as Diego Ortiz, Riccardo Rognioni, and Giovanni Bassano exist, there are no surviving methods from the sixteenth century for learning these skills specifically on the lute. There are, however, a wealth of examples in thousands of European lute tablatures. Through an analysis of the divisions used by sixteenth-century lutenists in these tablature sources, internationally renowned lutenist and teacher Nigel North sets forth a method for the modern lutenist and explains, with multiple examples, how renaissance lutenists approached their division making. Focusing on patterns from eleven tablature case studies from lutenist composers, including Hans Newsidler, Alonso Mudarra, Luis de Narvaez, Francesco da Milano, Vincenzo Galilei, Giovanni Terzi, Adrian Le Roy, John Johnson, and John Dowland, North presents more than one hundred examples and exercises from their music.

Lutenist Nigel North was Professor of Lute at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama (London), Hochschule der Künste (Berlin), and Indiana University. He has been playing and teaching lute for over fifty years and enjoys a rich and passionate musical life. He is an enthusiastic teacher, loves playing in ensemble, accompanying singers, and giving solo recitals. His recordings of solo lute music span a wide range of styles, including the music of J. S. Bach, Sylvius Leopold Weiss, John Dowland, and Francesco da Milano. His book Continuo Playing on the Lute, Archlute and Theorbo: A Comprehensive Guide for Performers has accompanied many young lutenists.

Acknowledgements

Part 1: Fundamentals of Divisions

Ch.1 Introduction
1.1 Ornamentation types: Divisions and Graces
1.2 In search of a method for lutenists
1.3 The function of divisions
1.4 Guidelines, terms and abbreviations used

Ch.2 Graces
2.1 Sixteenth-century Graces for the lute
2.2 The Capirola Lutebook, c.1517
2.3 Pietro Paulo Borrono (1548)
2.4 The most common sixteenth-century graces explained

Ch.3 General Rules
3.1 Two Modes
3.2 Lute Rules for divisions

Ch. 4 Twelve Types of Divisions
4.1 Cadential
4.2 Triad
4.3 Static
4.4 Interval
4.5 Doubler
4.6 Filler
4.7 Lead-in
4.8 Connector
4.9 Tirata
4.10 Contrapunto & bastarda style
4.11 Broken chords
4.12 Recomposed

Part 2: Tablature Case Studies

Ch.5 Tablature Case Studies: Introduction
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Annotations
5.3 Abbreviations

Ch.6 Nach Willen Dein Paul Hofhaimer (1459-1537)
Three versions by Hans Newsidler (1536 and 1544)

Ch.7 Je Prens en grè Clemens non papa (c.1510-c.1555)
as set by Mattheus Waisell (1573)

Ch.8 Mille regretz attributed to Josquin des Prez (c.1450-1521)
As set by Luis Narvaez (1538)

Ch.9 Greensleeves Anon
A treble and ground duet

Ch.10 Passemeze (Passamezzo Antico) Adrian Le Roy
A Briefe and easye instruction, London (1568)

Ch.11 Fantasia a dui liuti (Francesco da Milano)
Castelfranco ms. Extract

Ch.12 Contrapunto Primo B(ernardo) M(onzino)
Fronimo Dialogo, Vincenzo Galilei, Venice, 1584

Ch.13 The Queens Treble John Johnson (c.1545-1594)
A treble and ground duet

Ch.14: Sir John Smith, his Almain John Dowland
A Varietie of Lute-Lessons, London (1610)

Ch.15 Ricercata per Viola Bastarda, e Lauto
Aurelio Virgiliano, Il Dolcimelo (c.1600-1620), Libro Secondo

Ch.16 Chanson: Susanne un jour Lassus
A contrapunto Lute Duet in Bastarda style by Giovanni Terzi, (1593)


Part 3: Method

Ch.17 Cadences
17.1 Cadence type 1
17.2 Cadence type 2
17.3 Cadence type 3

Ch.18 Triads
18.1 Simple
18.2 Extended
18.3 Octave extensions
18.4 Harmonic Triad
18.5 Frere Jacques
18.6 Triad divisions (Simple): Exercises
18.7 Triad divisions (Extended): Exercises
18.8 Triad divisions (Octave Extended): Exercises
18.9 Triad divisions (Harmonic): Exercises

Ch.19 Static
19.1 Static divisions: Exercises (1)
19.2 Static divisions: Exercises (2)

Ch.20 Intervals:
20.1 Simple interval divisions
20.2 Compound interval divisions
20.3 Scales & Octaves: Exercises
20.4 Ascending and descending 2nds
20.5 Ascending and descending 3rds
20.6 Ascending and descending 4ths
20.7 Ascending and descending 5ths
20.8 Ascending and descending 6ths

Ch.21 Guided lessons in building patterns
21.1 Lesson 1 on the ground from The Queen's Treble
21.2 Lesson 2 on the Passamezzo Antico
21.3 Lesson 3: Adding divisions to a solo piece

Ch.22 Practice piece # 1: Twinkle, twinkle

Ch.23 Practice piece # 2: Arbeau Pavane: Belle qui tiens ma vie

Ch.24 Ground # 1: La Gamba (Cara Cosa)

Ch.25 Ground # 2: Passamezzo Antico
25.1 As a treble and ground duet
25.2 Solo lute

Ch.26 Ground #3: Passamezzo Moderno

Ch.27 Ground #4: Romanesca

Ch.28 Madrigal: Anchor che col partire (de Rore)
28.1 Original Madrigal a 4 (SATB)
28.2 Cantus (to practice divisions) with an intabulation of ATB.
28.3 Example: A new contrapunto/bastarda style, with an intabulation based on Paladino's intabulation (1560)
28.4 SATB Intabulation (as above) with a spare stave for improvising or composing your own contrapunto

Appendix 1: Ornamentation treatises 1535-1620 (for voice, wind and string instruments)

Appendix 2: The original parts for Lute 1 and Lute 2. G.A. Terzi (1593)

Index