Hello from Belgium

[Marie-Claire]

Hello
I'm already active on some other "language" sites of Delcamp, but I would like to know my "English" friends a little closer.
To do so, I have to post a "few" messages before participating a little more actively in the forum.

I would like to submit this poem, this is what I feel when I'm playing my guitar. The poem is from Barrios.
What are your feelings about it
Marie-Claire

MY GUITAR
by Agustin Barrios Mangoré

There is a deep mystery in your sonorous
Garden heart, guitar of mine,
You enjoy suffering, and in your joy
Ecstasies of passion, teardrops of crying.

The sweet Moor gave you your heart,
The Iberian gave you your untamed soul
And Virgin America, you might say,
Put in you, because of its love, all the treasure.

And so on your supreme strings
That vibrate with an almost human accent
There is, at times, your voice, like a lament.

As a sigh from your lonely heart
In whose sad and mystical plan
Sentiment forever flourishes

[Sanft]

Actually I like Barrios' music much more than this poem of his. Strings can be very troublesome! Apart from that I cannot be one of your English friends, simply because I'm German. But I welcome you none the less to this site which for me in a very short time became very important! And I believe you will like it here as much as I do in the same short time!
Clemens

[Marie-Claire]

A Matthias Dammann, 7-stringed. Waw.
Geert Claessens in Belgium posseses a Matthias Damman, double chambre.
Can you tell me a little more about your guitar? or post a little mp3
Marie-Claire

[Sanft]

Well, it's a one-of-a-kind, the only seven stringed guitar Matthias ever built (1997). He did build some ten-string guitars, though. And unfortunately he will never build another one. Besides, from what I heard it looks like he stopped building guitars altogether if your name is not Barrueco or Russel or so. But I was really lucky. The idea of a seventh string came to me very early as a student. First there were only isolated occasions: when preparing “Nocturnal” for my exams, playing the “Restless” movement I of course missed another string (you know the problem: p. 5 of the old Faber Music score, first system, m. 5). Then in Ponce’s “La Folia Variations” m. 7/8 of the theme. And Giuliani’s op 30 concerto: second theme, m. 3/4 after the seven measures tacet the bass line goes E – d# – E, which sounds quite lousy. I can play E – D# – E. Besides the seventh string tuned down to D# facilitates (facsimile edition) page 2, line 10, m. 4 – line 11, m 1. Very soon I discovered my predilection for chamber music with voice and especially the songs of John Dowland. So I tune the 3rd string to f#, 7th string to B, capo 3rd fret and play from Dowland’s original tab. And meanwhile (after having mastered the biggest problem with the additional bass string: first study by Villa-Lobos!) I will never play on a six-shooter again. The guitar is spruce, which I always preferred to the more percussive cedar and which blends much better with flute, violin and tenor voice especially. But when a friend of mine compared my instrument to his own cedar by Matthias he found the difference not to striking. Matthias’ guitars as a rule are very percussive! Of course Matthias is right with that. 99 % of what you can do with a note on a guitar happens in the moment you pluck the string; in case of an empty string it’s 100 %. Unfortunately the guitar is not quite as well crafted as Matthias most other instruments. However, it’s still in a league of it’s own. Well, nobody is perfect.
But, believe me, I’m really glad to own such an exceptional and singular instrument. I haven’t mastered the mp3 yet, but if you give me your e-mail address I’ll send you a .wav!
Clemens D:

[Marie-Claire]

Thanks a lot. I'm just starting with guitar, at late age.
But I listened lots of guitar music before starting myself (lack of time....)
I know the Dammann guitars, from listening. The sound is very deep, very "percussional", very flexible and very clear.
My e-mail address is in my profile!
I've heard playing "Koyunbaba" on a Damman. It was really a very great and intensive moment.
Marie-Claire

[Sanft]

That's exactly the reaction I always get from people when they hear me first play on the Dammann. My "showing-off" piece for this purpose is Moreno-Torroba's "Elegia" from the "Castillos de Espana"!
Clemens

[Marie-Claire]

Did you post a mp3???
Marie-Claire

[cconsaul]

Thank you for sharing it with us. Noel Paul Stookey once wrote a poem for his Twelve string when it arrived. He named the Guitar Sebastion and made the poem into a song. I don't think it was ever a top ten hit, but I loved the song. I wonder how this poem would sound put to music? Might be worth exploring.

[piort01]

Hello Marie-Claire from Spain.Beautiful poem.

[Matanya Ophee]

Very soon I discovered my predilection for chamber music with voice and especially the songs of John Dowland. So I tune the 3rd string to f#, 7th string to B, capo 3rd fret and play from Dowland’s original tab.

I don't expect you will be interested in the Russian repertoire for the seven string guitar, but if you like Dowland, you would be interested in this:

http://www.orphee.com/Lute/codice.html

This is not tab, but a transcription of a manuscript which is now lost. It is for a seven string instrument, lute or guitar, tuned with (3)=f# and (6)=D'.

BTW, I don't think a capo on the third fret is entirely necessary. No one knows for sure what was the actual pitch of any given rennaisance lute. If you accompany, the voice of the singer should be the guide. A high voice will require a capo someplace, a low voice might require no capo at all.

Another BTW (I can't write German very well): the Castelnuovo-Tedesco op. 206 is Simply "Ecloghes". No number. I once tried to get a licence to republish that, but it didn't work out.

[cconsaul]

One of my favorite performers, George Van Epps, was a seven string guitar player. I sincerely wish I had one to "play around with" but haven't found one yet. An entire school of playing exists that I have yet to explore and that is just too cool to conceive. There are a few other seven string afficianados as well, and they are quite comfortable with the idea that the rest of us might benifit from your experiance. Thank you for bringing it up. I am going to go enjoy your link now.

[Sanft]

@ Matanya:
The exact tuning of the lute is of course not clear, but if you look at the keys of the voice part in the books of songs, they're always a minor third higher than the tab played on a guitar without capo (I've got the facsimiles). And of course you're right with the singer: The soprano I work with wants the capo on the fourth fret, the tenor on the second or third.
And to bad about the op 206! Well, I must find another way to get a copy! I've got some music for the Russian seven string guitar, but it was tuned differently. On the other hand, Coste, Legnani and Soffren Degen all played seven- or eight string guitars!
And thanks a lot for the link!
Clemens