Lute Tutor

Day 10

Joan Ambrosio Dalza (fl. 1508) was an Italian lutenist and composer. His surviving works comprise the fourth volume of Ottaviano Petrucci’s influential series of lute music publications, Intabolatura de lauto libro quarto (Venice, 1508). Dalza is referred to as “milanese” in the preface, so it must be assumed he was either born in Milan, or…

Day 9

This piece probably translates as ‘The boot dance’. And once you’ve heard it a few times, you’ll know why. There’s nothing quite like lots of consecutive fifths to get you in the mood for a good stomp about. Did this piece make you want to find your dancing boots?

Day 8

The name branle derives from the French verb branler (to shake, wave, sway, wag, wobble), referring to the side-to-side movement of a circle or chain of dancers holding hands or linking arms. Dances of this name are encountered from about 1500 and the term is used for dances still danced in France today. Before 1500,…

Day 7

This is another piece is from the Craus Lute Book; housed and looked after by the Austrian National Music Collection (ms 18688). Although we don’t know who composed it, we expect the book to have been collated from about 1540. The title means ‘Between mountain and deep valley’ — I’m not sure how much everyone…

Day 6

Hans Gerle (c. 1500, Nuremberg – 1570, Nuremberg) was a German lutenist and arranger of the Renaissance. Little concrete information is available regarding Gerle’s life. His father was probably Conrad Gerle (died 1521), one of the city’s better-known lute makers. Gerle likely spent his entire life in Nuremberg. Gerle published three volumes of lute music…

Day 5

Arnold von Bruck (also Arnold de Pruck, Arnoldus de Bruck, Arnoldus Brugensis, indicating his origin) (c. 1500 – 6 February 1554) was a Franco-Flemish composer of Renaissance music, active in several Habsburg courts. He was one of the most famous and influential composers in German-speaking areas during the first half of the 16th century, the…

Day 4

I’m going to be honest here, I’ve not heard of a Haulberroy before (let alone plural). Does anyone know what this piece is? All ideas and guesses would be very welcome! The good news is, despite my lack of knowledge about the piece, it’s a great piece to play with an evasive and wandering melody….

Day 3

This piece is from the Craus Lute Book housed and looked after by the Austrian National Music Collection (ms 18688). Although we don’t know who composed it, we expect the book to have been collated from about 1540. Although it’s a very short piece — if you can even call it a piece — it’s…

Day 2

Joan Ambrosio Dalza (fl. 1508) was an Italian lutenist and composer. His surviving works comprise the fourth volume of Ottaviano Petrucci’s influential series of lute music publications, Intabolatura de lauto libro quarto (Venice, 1508). Dalza is referred to as “milanese” in the preface, so it must be assumed he was either born in Milan, or…

Day 1

Paul Hofhaimer (25 January 1459 – 1537) was an Austrian organist and composer. He was particularly gifted at improvisation, and was regarded as the finest organist of his age by many writers, including Vadian and Paracelsus; in addition he was one of only two German-speaking composers of the time (Heinrich Isaac was the other) who…