For at least two hundred years, this was the most popular instrument in the renaissance period of Europe.
It is the sultan of instruments for the Arabs and the origin of lute is perhaps the Arabian oud, a pear shaped instrument.
From the Arabs it came to Europe who made it their own.
Now what exactly is a lute?
In simple words, it is any instrument that reminds you of the guitar. Same properties -- long neck, strings running parallel to the sort of round sound body, strings that can be plucked, a long neck and a sort of roundness to the body. Our lute looks somewhat like
Symbolism represents the common human experience.
Which is why we find certain style of music as sad and tragic or happy and vivacious. It's like the musician has understood how humans feel when they are sad, and has translated that feeling onto his musical sheet.
The strings that we listen to today evoke nostalgia, sadness, and the music is generally considered 'dark' by many listeners.
You will hear and watch a get-together of voices that are fused yet disparate -- united yet alone. Every instrument (voice) echoes a similar sentiment. The sentiment is well-known. But still, the coming together offers respite.
Pardon me, if while writing, I shut my eyes and breathe in a few sequences of Vivaldi's 'La Stravaganza, Concerto No. 2'
There is so much told. There is so much music. And it's packed into ten minutes or so. Try picking a main theme. In fact, listen to the first four minutes and see if you can identify a clear main theme. It's a process, and a continuous one -- this composition.
And then teach your self the art of contrast -- notice the change of pace and information conveyed in the second piece (second movement) at the 4:00 minute mark.
(This time, we shall listen to the sound of flute in Hindi songs. It's markedly different from the sound in western classical.)
Listen to the flute in this song. It's used sparingly, yet presents the pathos of the man struggling for love. The flute is the man itself.
The other instruments bring out the high ended grief, the restlessness. Until keeping all that aside, the man decides to say another stanza, and it's the flute that leads him to it.
(Listen to the flute parts. This is considered a landmark song in Indian films. Else, you can jump to the flute parts at 0:48 2:11 3:36 and the strains during the last line of every stanza, like at 1:29)
You are invited to the world music parliament and must take with you a piece of music, under five minutes. A piece that presents the awesomeness of the genre. For classical, what would you play to the audience?
Sure, there are innumerable pieces you can choose from. One of them I would take with me is the second movement of Giovanni Battista Pergolesi's 'Flute concerto in G Major'.
I would listen to this melody soar in the parliament and attract listeners and lovers.
How brilliant and how modern, and what else is modernity if not brilliance? How does it matter if the rice is cooked on coal flames or on an electric heater as long as it tastes good, and is made with love?
The harp requires care and patient treatment. Like life. And if we are so impatient with daily life, we will never be patient with the harp. If we made a habit of avoiding television, tuning a harp would not seem a chore.
The harp, or even the bassoon, will bring us closer to life than television or the habit of indoors.
And then the quotation above will resonate within. I tell myself while consoling my spirit.
I focus today on a composition that is much loved, but little heard. A strange contradiction! In fact, online links to this music are few.
Rodrigo's music is among the most popular music of the 20th century. In particular, his Concierto de Aranjuez is considered one of the pinnacles of Spanish music and of the guitar concerto repertoire.
You will hear and watch a get-together of voices that are fused yet disparate -- united yet alone. Every instrument (voice) echoes a similar sentiment. The sentiment is well-known. But still, the coming together offers respite.
