January Lute Challenge 24

The challenge starts on 1st January 2024

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It's a New Year and a new challenge! Join me for 10 new pieces this January.

Twice a week in January 2024 I'll upload a new video and provide the music for download. All you'll need is a renaissance lute and plenty of enthusiasm. All the pieces will be playable on a 6-course (+) lute, so that the challenge is as accessible as possible.

The challenge is completely free, just sign up below so that you can let everyone know about your progress and stay updated.

I was overwhelmed and inspired by the response last year. We had over 300 lutenists take part in the challenge! Thanks for your emails and messages, I've taken on board the feedback and hope everyone finds this challenge just as much fun. I do hope you all enjoy a month of sharing music together.

Good luck and let me know how you get on,

Alex McCartney

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Day 10

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Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of this year’s January Lute Challenge! 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…

Day 9

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Pierre Attaingnant (or Attaignant) (c. 1494 – late 1551 or 1552) was a French music publisher, active in Paris. Attaingnant is considered to be first large-scale publisher of single-impression movable type for music-printing, thus making it possible to print faster and cheaper than predecessors such as Ottaviano Petrucci. Attaingnant is often credited with being the…

Day 8

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Hans Judenkönig (also Judenkunig or Judenkünig) (c. 1450 – 4 March 1526) was a German lutenist of the Renaissance. He was born in Schwäbisch Gmünd and died in Vienna. He worked as a lutenist in the vicinity of the University of Vienna and was best known for his two lute books written for the self-teaching…

Day 7

January Lute Challenge Logo

Pierre Attaingnant (or Attaignant) (c. 1494 – late 1551 or 1552) was a French music publisher, active in Paris. Attaingnant is considered to be first large-scale publisher of single-impression movable type for music-printing, thus making it possible to print faster and cheaper than predecessors such as Ottaviano Petrucci. Attaingnant is often credited with being the…

Day 6

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WATKIN’S ALE. English, Country Dance Tune. The air appears in Francis Tregian’s Fitzwilliam Virginal Book, vol. 2 (1609-1619) and Dorothy Welde’s Lute Book. Chappell finds a very few references to the tune in literature dating to 1592, and mentions two old ballads, one called “A Ditty delightful of Mother Watkin’s Ale” and another entitled “As…

Day 5

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Cesare Negri (c. 1535 – c. 1605) was an Italian dancer and choreographer. He was nicknamed il Trombone, an ugly or jocular name for someone “who likes to blow his own horn”. Born in Milan, he founded a dance academy there in 1554. He was an active court choreographer for the nobility in Milan. He…

Day 4

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Neusidler was born in Pressburg (today Bratislava, Slovakia) and first enters the historical record in 1530, when he settled in Nuremberg, Germany. He was issued a residence permit by the city council in February and married there in September. In April 1531, he became a citizen and soon after bought a house on the Zotenberg….

Day 3

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Neusidler was born in Pressburg (today Bratislava, Slovakia) and first enters the historical record in 1530, when he settled in Nuremberg, Germany. He was issued a residence permit by the city council in February and married there in September. In April 1531, he became a citizen and soon after bought a house on the Zotenberg….

Day 2

January Lute Challenge Logo

Pierre Attaingnant (or Attaignant) (c. 1494 – late 1551 or 1552) was a French music publisher, active in Paris. Attaingnant is considered to be first large-scale publisher of single-impression movable type for music-printing, thus making it possible to print faster and cheaper than predecessors such as Ottaviano Petrucci. Attaingnant is often credited with being the…

Day 1

January Lute Challenge Logo

Welcome! Welcome to the January Lute Challenge 2024 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. If you’ve enjoyed the January Lute Challenge, why not…