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