tablature notation the earliest known printed example of german lute tablature: sebastian virdung,...

Tablature Notation

The earliest known printed example of German lute tablature: Sebastian Virdung, ‘Musica getutscht’ (1511)

Notations and Musical Worlds

System 1 Western staff notation

representing sounds aural (ideal)

manual

aural (real)

unified tradition

System 2 tablatures:

instrumental, pop… representing actions manual

aural

parted traditions, transcription may helps to bridge

Tablature Notation from Latin tabula, table, score; It.

intavolatura, Ger. Tabulatur use 2 systems of letters, numerals,

diagrams or signs to indicate playing actions that produce the desired pitch and rhythm

used since the early 14th c. mainly for organ and lute, and also for folk instruments—easy to learn

Lute Tablature Rhythm

note stems with beams above the notes for rhythm

usually barred regularly consecutive rhythm may be abbreviated valid for all voices only the shortest of the notes are notated only the points of attack are notated, not

the duration polyphony to be reconstructed rhythm: | = (shorten to )

German Lute Tablature

Virdung, Musica getutscht, 1511

German Lute Tablature

invented in 15th c. for 5-course (string) lute

usual 16th-c. tuning: 4-4-3-4-4 in A

German Lute Tablature

system open + 1 2 3 4 5 first fret: A a b c d e second fret: B f g h i k etc. fifth fret: E x y z & 9 (con) etc.

red letter=pitch

German Lute Tablature

Hans Neusidler, “Ich klag den tag,” Ein neues Lauttenbüchlein (Nürnberg, 1540)

smallcross

e

rx

Hans Neusidler, “Ich klag den tag” extras

small cross (+) = tone held longer dot = plucked with index finger T = general pause 1≠l (be musical!)

Sample of Transcription (first 5 bars):

Transcription: Steps meter, key function: for music or for playing voice-leading number of staff transposition

Italian Lute Tablature

Intabulatura de Lauto, Libro primo (Venice: Petrucci, 1507)

Italian Lute Tablature with 6 lines for the 6 courses, bass on top! usual 16th-c. tuning: 4-4-3-4-4 in G

Italian Lute Tablature system: 0 (open) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 x

extras: dot = plucked with index finger Sample of Transcription:

French Lute Tablature usual 16th-c. tuning: 4-4-3-4-4 in G “nouveau ton” 1650: A-d-f-a-d’-f’ + several

bass courses system: a (open) b c d e f

French Lute Tablature

Ennemond Gaultier (1575–1651): “Tombeau de Mezangeau,” Livre de Tablature des Pieces de Luth (Paris, 1664)

appoggiatura

c e

French Lute Tablature: Sample of Transcription

French Lute Tablature

John Dowland (1562–1626): Flow, my tears (1600)

Chinese Qin Jianzipu

Simplified character notation for the seven-string zither; part of the piece “Waters and Clouds of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers,” 1722

columns 1–4 contain the title and programme notes, and columns 5–8 and 10–12 give tablature symbols.