VIHUELAS

Vihuela by Clive Titmuss, - used for Diferencias de Conde Claros, Diferencias sobre 'Guardame las Vacas'; Tres diferencias por otra parte, Cancion del Emperador, 'Mille Regres' de Josquin, Fantasia por desembolber las manos, Fantasia sobre fa mi ut re, Fantasia qui contraheza la harpa en la mañera de Ludovico, Pavans #1 and #2 and Fantasia del Segundo Tono (#XXIV)

Building Vihuelas Essay

The Vihuela-Playing Angel gives valuable clues to the size, shape and decorative features of the vihuelas of the mid-1500's. Notice the presence of only five(?) frets, and a bent-back, lute-style pegbox. The hand-positions would give me, as a teacher, nightmares.

A further point of interest is the fact that in the Iberian culture, the vihuela had effectively superceded the lute as an icon of angelic celebration, as it is widely observed in Italian and other traditions

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