Features of transcribing French LUTE music into modern notation

Abstract

The purpose of the work is to outline the peculiarities of transcribing the French lute tablature into modern notation and to develop recommendations for arrangements of lute music of the Baroque period for modern academic instruments, due to the growing interest of performers and listeners in the instrument itself and in expanding its semantic, stylistic, and interpretive possibilities. Research methodology. The problems associated with transcribing the French lute tablature into modern notation require a multidisciplinary approach that combines historical scholarship, practical performance experience, and theoretical knowledge. The main methods used in the article are historical, theoretical, and musical-textual. Scientific novelty. For the first time in Ukrainian musicology, the historical background and evolution of transcription of French lute tablature into modern notation are considered. The conditions of transcription of lute music are examined in detail according to the following parameters: the peculiarities of the structure of the lute of that time are first outlined; the issues of the structure – Renaissance vieil-ton and Baroque nouveau-ton – are considered; the peculiarities of deciphering rhythmic notation are analysed, highlighting the specifics of notation of different rhythmic durations, fingering for the right and left hands and the peculiarities of ornamentation, in particular apogiatura and achaccature. It is noted that all of the above notations are deciphered quite freely, based on the composer's intention and talent and the performer's skill. Conclusions. The present study outlines the concept of tablature, considers the issue of the structure of instruments for which musical works were recorded using the French tablature, and provides a brief description of rhythmic notation and ornamentation. When translating, it is important to rely on primary sources, musicological research, and performance practice. Summing up the observations made, it should be noted that the French lute tablature goes beyond notation in the modern sense (a way of writing notes) – it serves rather as a guide to interpretation, inviting the performer to the process of creating music, using the composer's "sketch".