Lulu Lute et Moi

Close up of Lulus Rose.

Well it's time for me to fess up. I've taken up a new love and our relationship has grown solidly over these 18 months, so I think its time to come out in the open.  Although I've been working in the area of swing dancing and have sung in an Elvis band, my first love is still renaissance music. Yes,  I have finally fulfilled a lifelong ambition and taken up the Lute.

From the historical times of Shakespeare, Elizabeth I, Francis Drake, Samuel Pepys, the Restoration and the Reformation, it's a superb instrument.

In the words of the incredibly talented Sue Perkins, (Supersizers...Go Elizabethan's  5: 14)  "The Lute is GENIUS!" How right she is!

My Lute was made in London in 2010 by Stephen and Sandi to my specifications - ie small hands and short arms. It's a beautiful handmade instrument  based on and has over time, been nicknamed Lulu Lute. Her resonance and strength is astounding and I get a hint here and there that one day I will do this beautiful instrument justice.

For the technicians, Lulu is an eight course renaissance lute based upon the Hans Frei C34 lute in the Kunsthistorischesmuseum, Vienna.
She has an 11 rib back, from birds eye  maple and an ebony veneered neck and pegbox and is strung with nylgut, splitting the octave at the 6th course.

Reading C15 lute ligature (the written music system) is challenging but getting easier.

A forest of notes. 16th C lute ligature.

Hunting around the resources of the State Library of Victoria I found a facsimile of The Hirsch Lute Book (1595).  One day I'll be able to play this (left).

Whenever I see this music I am awestruck to think that I'm looking of the shape and structure of handwritten notes that were written, read and played 500 years ago by tudors at play. And of course by many since.   There is something about hand written music manuscript that draws one straight to the author, the time, the place.  I see this in exhibitions when composers and song writers rough copies are on show. Nick Cave's lyrics at the Victorian Arts Centre or Paul McCartney's original manuscripts at the British Museum where you can see corrections, scribbles of colour and changes of words; a line of thinking, an adjusting melody.

In terms of the modern day lutenist, most of us strive to play on original instruments with original technique and be true to the form of the music as it was when written.

Classical label Deutsche Grammaphon's highest selling album today is Sting's lute album "Songs From the Labryinth", an album of John Dowland works played upon the lute by Sting and Edin Karamozov.  I know the purists weren't all keen, but I'm not always a purist and I confess I loved it. It also got under my skin and goaded me into action to take up the instrument- for which I'm grateful.

Then, 18 months later, this week,  a chill went down my spine in sheer excitment when I got my first piece of Dowland to learn.   The aim is to be ready for Hampton Court in 2013 if they'll have me practice in the courtyard and show Lulu to anyone who is interested...

Yes I'm a purist too, but in the long term it's about bringing manuscripts alive and bringing this wonderful renaissance music to the people.

I won't subject you to my playing so here's Nigel North recording Dowland for NAXOS.

Things to listen and watch for?

* The clarity of the individual notes.
* The distinction of the melody amongst the decoration and harmony.
* The lightness of the music.
* The beautiful almost caressing technique across the strings.
* The calm, meditative uplifting feeling the music evokes.
* Sheer brilliance of polyphony.

And also Sting's chapel concert.  Next video in the future? Might be me in the new year with some practice time. Enjoy.