THE STRINGING
OF THE 5-COURSE GUITAR
FRANCE, ENGLAND
& THE NETHERLANDS
Luis de Briçeño (1626)
Marin Mersenne (1636/37)
Pierre Trichet (1640)
Francesco Corbetta (1671)
Antoine Carré (1671)
F:Pn.Ms.Res. 1402 (Undated)
Robert de Visée (1682)
Nicolas Derosier (1690)
Sebastien Brossard (1703)
B.Bc.Ms.S5615 (1730)
GB:Och Ms.1187 (ca. 1690)
Denis Diderot (1757)
Joseph Bernard Merchi (1761)
Michel Corrette (ca.1763)
Luis de
Briçeño: Metodo mui facilissimo para aprender a tañer la guitarra. (Paris,1626)
Collection
of music in Castilian cifras - to be strummed. Tuning instructions
imply the re-entrant tuning.
f.5-
Primeramente poner las dos terçeras en unison, despues poner el dedo en una
E. y ajustallas con las segundas en A en unison. Por la prima, poner el dedo
sobre una D y haçer que suene aun mesmo son en octava con las terçeras en
A. Por las Quartas, poner el dedo sobre una D de las segundas y haçer que
suenen en unison con las quartas en A. Por las quintas, poner el dedo sobre
una C de las terçeras y haçer que suenen con las quintas en A aun mismo son.
First tune the thirds in unison. Then stop them at
the fourth fret [e] and tune the open seconds in unison with them. For the
first course stop it at the third course [d] and tune it an octave higher
than the open thirds. For the fourths stop the seconds at the third fret [d]
and tune the open fourths in unison with them. For the fifths stop the thirds
at the second fret [c] and tune the open fifths to the same note.
Comment: Although Briçeño was Spanish, he lived and published his book in
Paris.
Marin Mersenne:
"Harmonie universelle" (1636/1637)
Mersenne's
treatise on music includes the most influential seventeenth century study
of musical instruments. He mentions Briçeño and has drawn on his "Metodo"
in the two propositions dealing with the guitar. He clearly describes the
re-entrant tuning:
Book
2, Proposition XIV, f. 95 - ces notes se prononcent ainsi, RE, SOL, UT, MI.
LA: par où l'on void que le son de la 5. chorde est plus haut d'un ton que
celuy de la 3 : ce qui est particulier à l'accord de la guiterre.
These notes are called thus, re, sol, ut, mi, la: from
which one can see that the pitch of the fifth string is one tone higher than
that of the third. This is peculiar to the tuning of the guitar.
Comment: The solmisation syllable represent the notes A d G B e; (Ut = Gamut).
Taken literally they are an octave below sounding pitch. However his drawing
of the five-course guitar shows the tuning in staff notation using the treble
clef with a B flat signature, an octave above sounding pitch, with d' for
the first course. There is also a Latin version of the treatise.
Pierre
Trichet: Traité des instruments, F:Psg Ms.1070. (1640)
An
unpublished manuscript treatise on musical instruments.
f98.
- Ils montent ordinairement la guiterre de cinq rangs de chordes doubles,
sauf la chanterelle, qu'aucuns veulent estre simple…..Pour l'accorder telle
qu'elle est aujourd'hui, et la mettre en son vrai ton naturel, il faut commencer
par la plus grosse chorde, qui est une des cinquiemes, laquelle doibt servir
de guide pour accorder sa compagne, qu'il faut hausser d'une octave plus haut,
comme estant plus desliée. Puis il faut venir aux quatriemes que l'on doibt
hausser d'une quarte plus haute que les precedentes.Les deux autres qui viennent
apres, que l'on nomme tierces, doivent estre tendues d'une autre quarte plus
hautes que les quatriemes. Par après les secondes doivent estre plus hautes
que les tierces d'un diton ou tierce majeure. Finalement la chanterelle se
doibt hausser d'une quarte plus que les secondes; tellement que depuis la
plus basse chorde jusques a la plus haute il y a une douzieme que l'on nomme
autrement diapason diapente…
The guitar is usually strung with five pairs of strings,
although the chanterelle is often single. To tune it in the modern way and
to put it in its natural pitch, it is necessary to start with the thickest
string, which is one of the fifths. This will serve as a guide for tuning
its companion, which must be tuned an octave higher because it is slender.
Then one must tune the fourths, which one has to tune a fourth higher than
the preceding. The next two, which are called thirds must be tuned another
fourth higher. The next two which are called seconds must be tuned a major
third higher. Finally the chanterelle must be tuned a fourth above the seconds.
Thus from the lowest string to the highest there is a twelfth.
Comment: Because Trichet does not explicitly mention the octave stringing
on the fourth course it has sometimes been suggested that he is saying that
it should be tuned in unison. This is unlikely. Trichet lived in Bordeaux
and was a keen collector of musical instruments.
Francesco
Corbetta: La guitarre royalle. (Paris, 1671)
Collection
of music in French tablature including instructions for accompanying a bass
line. The title page and preliminaries are undated, but the privilege on p.102
is dated 21st September 1670 and ends with a note "Achevé d'imprimer
le dernier iour d'Octubre 1671" ("Finally printed the last day of
October 1671") The book has two separate introductions, one in Italian
and one in French. These are apparently intended for separate readerships;
the French version is abbreviated.
The
Italian reads
p3
- Averti di mettere una piciol ottava alla seconda corda que e D sol re perche
li dui unissoni non fanno armonia, come anche le mie sonate lo ricercano;
Take care to put a thin octave on the second string which is D sol re, because
the two in unison do not make the harmony which my sonatas call for.
Comment: Corbetta refers to the order of the courses in the Italian manner,
the first course being the lowest, fifth course, the second course being what we would usually
call the fourth course. (He also refers to the courses in this way in the
Italian description of the repicco). The solmisation refers to the
low octave string - D on the middle line of the bass stave.
The
French version is less specific
p8
- Ie vous avertis de mettre une octave à la 4.me corde de. la. re. sol. parceque
les deux unissones ne composent point d'harmonie…
I advise you to put an octave on the fourth course
de. la. re. sol. because the two in unison never make harmony.
Comment: The solmisation syllables may refer to the pitch of the course,
rather than the low octave string. In the hexachordal system D la sol re =
D above middle C, a high D.
It
is reasonably clear in both prefaces that Corbetta is instructing his readers
to add a low octave string to a fourth course which was usually tuned in unison
at the upper octave, that is to the re-entrant tuning.
Overall
comment: Corbetta's instructions are probably
the most controversial of all and have given rise to a number of conflicting
theories summarized as follows:
Theory:
Because this method of stringing is not mentioned in any surviving
sources before 1670, it was "new" in 1670 and Corbetta had previously
always used octave stringing on fourth and fifth courses.
Comments: Corbetta's earlier books have only short introductions and none
of them mention the method of stringing he preferred. At least some of the
music in "La Guitarre Royale" dates from the early 1660s - the Duke
of Gloucester, for instance, died in 1660 and Corbetta is unlikely to have
written his Tombeau for him many years later.
Conclusion: We don't know what method of stringing he used before about 1660
but he is as likely to have used the one referred to here as any other.
Theory: Because in the Italian preface Corbetta describes the octave string
as "picciol" (literally "little") he is saying that a
high octave string should be put on a fourth course which was usually strung
in unison at the lower octave, whilst in the French preface he is saying the
opposite.
Comments: This is based on the misunderstanding of comments in Sanz and Trichet
which have wrongly been taken to indicate that only the fifth course was octave
strung, and that the fourth course was strung in unison in the lower octave.
There is no evidence to support this.
Conclusion:
In the Italian preface, Corbetta is advising
the use of the thinest string practical for the bourdon
to minimize the inconvenience caused by having strings of different thicknesses.
Theory: This method of stringing was "French" and was not used
in Italy.
Comments:
Corbetta's comment in the Italian preface appears to be directed
to an Italian readership whom he assumed used a re-entrant tuning. If they
followed his advice, they would have used the method of stringing he recommends.
Conclusion: Italian guitarists, especially Granata, would have been familiar
with Corbetta’s music and some of them may have used the method of stringing
he seems to have preferred. In any
event, none of the significant collections of music printed in Italy after
1647 gives any clear indication as to the method of stringing to be used.
Antoine Carré:
Livre de guitarre. (Paris, 1671)
Collection
of music in French tablature including instructions for accompanying a bass
line.
At
the end of the section of pieces for solo guitar solo on p.27 he gives an
"Accord de la guittare" - the re-entrant tuning in staff notation
with d' for the first course which may have been copied from Mersenne. A tablature
tuning check in French tablature starting with third course is also given
which could be in unisons, although this is not explicitly stated.
ILLUSTRATION
5 - CARRE'S “ACCORD DE LA GUITARE” AND TUNING CHECK
At
the bottom of p.1 of the following section on accompanying a bass line there
is a note
[Part
2] p.1 - Fault mettre a la guitare une octave on quattriesme
It is necesary to put an octave string on the fourth
course of the guitar
Comment: The privileges of. Carré's "Livre de guitarre" are dated
18th February 1671, and the date 1671 appears on the title page. It may therefore
have appeared in print a few months before Corbetta's "La Guitarre Royale".
Carré's instructions seem to imply that the re-entrant tuning is to be used
for the solo pieces, and a low octave string added to the fourth course for
the continuo excercises. From the context it is clear that "une octave"
is a low octave string.
F:Pn.Ms.Res.
1402. (Undated)
Manuscript
collection of mainly strummed music in French tablature which includes several
Spanish pieces and five pieces by De Visée.
On
p.192 there is an "Acor de guitere a l'unison" in tablature which
implies a re-entrant tuning.
Robert de
Visée: Livre de guitarre. (Paris, 1682)
Collection
of music in French tablature with some pieces in staff notation. Like Corbetta,
de Visée also says that there must be an octave string on the fourth course.
p.6
- J'ay esté obligé de transposer les pieces de musique acause de l'estendüe
de la Guitare qui va jusques en D la re en haut, il ne faut pas oublier une
octave a la quatrieme corde, elle y est tres necessaire.
I have been obliged to transpose the pieces because
the compass of the guitar only reaches high D la re. One should not forget
to put an octave on the fourth course, it is very necessary.
De
Visée also emphasises the need satisfy the ear rather than follow the rules.
(Good for him!)
p.4
- Et ie prie ceux qui scaurons bien la composition, et qui ne connoistreront
pas la guittare, de n'estre point scandalizez, s'ils trouvent que ie m'escarte
quelque fois des regles, c'est l'instrument qui le veut, et il faut satisfaire
l'oreille preferablement a tout.
I beg those who understand the art of composition well
and are unfamiliar with the guitar not to be scandalized if they find that
I sometimes break the rules. The instrument calls for it and it is necessary
above all to satisfy the ear.
Nicolas Derosier:
Les principes de la guitarre. (Amsterdam, 1690)
Instruction
book with some simple pieces in French tablature.
p.iv.
The tuning with octave stringing on the fourth course only is set out in staff
notation.
ILLUSTRATION
6 - DEROSIER'S TUNING and TUNING CHECKS
Comment: The second and third examples are tuning checks, not alternative
tunings.
Sebastien
Brossard: Dictionnaire de musique. (Paris,1703)
Entry
for Guitar
[Guitarra]
- Espece d'instrumente à cinq rangs doubles de cordes, dont la plus basse
est au milieu à moins qu'il n'y ait un bourdon une 8e plus bas que la 4e.
A kind of instrument with five courses of strings where
the lowest is in the middle unless there is a bourdon an octave lower than
the fourth course.
Comment:
Brossard's dictionary was translated into English by James Grassineau
and published in London in 1640.
GB:Och Ms.1187.
(ca. 1690)
Manuscript
notes made by the English scholar, James Talbot between 1690 and 1700. Consists
of unnumbered loose sheets grouped by topic. Two sections include information
about the stringing of the guitar.
In
one section the tuning with octave stringing only on the fourth course is
shown in staff notation with e' for the first course. (See Derosier above).
This is referred to by Talbot as "Mr. Shore's tuning". John Shore
(c1662-1752), the trumpeter and lutenist employed at the courts of James II
and William III, supplied Talbot which much of his information. On the same
page the names Francesco (a possible reference to Corbetta) and Latour are
listed.
The
other section gives a fairly detailed description of the instrument mostly
taken from Mersenne. This includes Mersenne's tuning in staff notation.
B.Bc.Ms.S5615.Recueil
des pieces de guitarre composées par Mr. François Le Cocq/Recueil des pieces
de guitarre de meilleurs maitres du siecle dixseptieme (1730)
Manuscript
of music by Francois Le Cocq and others copied by Jean-Baptiste de Castillion.
It has a lengthy introduction written by Castillion who has taken his information
from a variety of sources including de Visée.
He
paraphrases De Visée's comment thus –
[Des
Chordes] - Mais il faut observer de mettre un octave à la quatrieme corde,
elle y est absolument necessaire.
But one must put an octave on the fourth course, it
is absolutely necessary
The
tuning with an octave stringing on the fourth course only is given in staff
notation (copied from Derosier) at the end of the introduction.
He
then says
[Des
Chordes] - Même il se trouve des amateurs, que j'imite, qui mettent pareillement
une octave à la cinquieme corde, ils la nomment bourdon….Et afin de donner
à ce instrument plus de son, je charge les deux octaves que je mets au quatrieme
et cincquieme rang d'un fin filet de laiton ou d'argent, ce dernier en vaut
mieux. Et pour prevenir qu'elles ne sautent en les montant au ton d'octave
necessaire, je ne les charge qu'à demi : C'est à dire qu'il reste un espace
viude à la corde, de la grosseur du dit filet ou même un peu plus, et je choisis
des cordes d'un moindre grosseur. Je les prepare moi-même, à cause que celles
qu'on trouve aux boutiques sont entierement chargées ou trop grosses, ce qui
rend le son sec et dure.
There are even amateurs, whom I copy, who also put
an octave on the fifth course; they call it a bourdon…So as to give the instrument
more volume, I cover the octave strings which I use for the fourth and fifth
courses with wire of brass or silver; the last is the better of the two. To
prevent them from slipping when being tuned to the pitch of the appropriate
octave, I only half cover them; that is, the wire is wound in such a way that
between each twist the length of uncovered string is of the same width as
the wire, or slightly greater. I choose thinner strings and I prepare them
myself because those which one finds in the shops are entirely covered, or
too thick, which makes them sound dry
and hard..
Comment:
It is clear from the context that "un octave" is a low
octave string, not a high octave one, added to what would otherwise be a re-entrant
tuning.Overwound strings did not come into general use until the last quarter
of the seventeenth century.
Denis Diderot:
Encyclopédie ou Dictionnaire raisonné des sciences, des arts et des métiers
par une societé de gens de lettres. (Paris, 1757). Vol. 7
Entry
for Guitar, written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, includes the following comments:
p.1011
- …on l'a mis à cinques doubles, dont les trois premieres sont à l'unisson.
& les quatrieme & cinquieme à l'octave; souvent même on ne souffre
point de bourdon à la cinquieme, & dans ce cas on les met à l'unisson.
…
...they put on it five pairs of strings, of which the
first three are in unison and the fourth and fifth in octaves; often the bourdon
on the fifth course is omitted and in that case these are tuned in unison.
p.1011
- Les bourdons filés ont deux inconvéniens, l'un d'user de couper les touches;
l'autre plus grand, est de dominer trop sur les autre cordes, & d'en faire
perdre le son final par la durée de leur, principalement dans les batteries.
Il est des accords où ils peuvent bien faire, c'est lorsqu'ils produisent
le son fondamental; mais comme cela n'arrive pas le plus souvant, il vaut
mieux s'en tenir aux bourdons simples, a-moins qu'on ne veuille que pincer.
Overwound bourdons have two deficiencies. One is that
they cut into the frets; the other, which is greater, is that they dominate
the other strings and override the final note of the cadence with their resonance
especially in strummed passages. There are some chords where they are useful
because they supply the root of the chord, but as this does not happen very
often, it is better to have plain bourdons at least when playing in lute style.
p.
1011. - Visé, célebre maître de guittare sous Louis XIV n'en mettoit point
l'octave au cinquieme rang; mais il y perdoit l'octave du la, & par conséquent
une demi-octave …
Visée, the famous master of the guitar in the reign
of Louis XIV never put an octave on the fifth course. Because of this he lost
the low A on the fifth course and half an octave in compass.
Joseph Bernard
Merchi: Le guide des Écoliers de la guitarre, op. 7. (Paris, 1761)
Michel Corrette:
Les dons d'Apollon : méthode pour apprendre facilement a jouer de la guitarre.
(Paris, ca.1763)
Both
Merchi and Corrette indicate that the guitar had octave stringing on the fourth
and fifth courses.
Corrette
and Rousseau include illustrations which show the bourdons placed on the treble side of the course.
Next
Page: THIRD COURSE