Re: Period vs Modern instruments?

Dr.Matt wrote:
> 
> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> Peter T. Daniels <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >Dr.Matt wrote:
> >>
> >> In article <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
> >> Sightreader <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> >> >
> >> >"Jerry Kohl" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> >> >news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> >> > It's already been done; it was called the Arpeggione.
> >> >>
> >> >> Yeh, but wouldn't it be cool to do it *again*? (And again, and again
> >> >> ...?)
> >> >
> >> >I would say it has not been done successfully.  If it
> >> >were successful, then we'd still have Arpeggiones.
> >> >It's worth a try if there's a better chance of success
> >> >than there was last time.
> >> >
> >>
> >> We DO still have chitarrones, gambas, and arpeggiones.
> >> And kotos, qins, shos, rebabs, detars, reyongs, and even accordions.
> >
> >Still; -- or _again_? Do _any_ historic examples of those instruments
> >exist that are playable? One of my Old New Grove volumes has an article
> >on an instrument (I don't recall its name) of which exactly one example
> >has survived from the 17th century or so, and it has been reproduced so
> >we get an idea of its sound; and not one example of a Lautenwerk, of the
> >kind JSB seems to have written some of his "lute" pieces for, has
> >survived from the 18th century, and only recently have reconstructions
> >been attempted.
> >
> >I heard or read somewhere (maybe right here?) that there are virtually
> >no guitars that are over 50 years old -- they simply fall apart after
> >lots of use.
> >--
> >Peter T. Daniels                       [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> 
> Separate problem from the fact that many such categories of
> instruments have been in continuous use for ages. The methodologies
> for making them were, in many cases, quantified and written about
> extensively so there's not a lot of guesswork in making new ones which
> are "historically authentic".
> 
> Similarly, we don't speak of paper having gone out of use, though
> over the centuries, many books have perished.

But no one knew anything about Lautenwerks even 20 years ago.
-- 
Peter T. Daniels                       [EMAIL PROTECTED]