16th century keyboard notation

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benwiggy
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16th century keyboard notation

Post by benwiggy »

Quite esoteric this one. I'm transcribing an early 17th-century keyboard part. It keeps using the "custos" symbol (the pitch indicator normally found at the end of a staff line) throughout the inner parts.

It seems to represent a "ditto" mark, i.e. "same note values as the other parts, but at these pitches". Or one instance of it might possibly mean "thirds with the upper part".

I can't share a picture of the ms, as the owners are particularly severe about such things. Has anyone come across it, or seen it described in a text?
Last edited by benwiggy on 19 Feb 2017, 11:16, edited 1 time in total.
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OCTO
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by OCTO »

Are you able to do by your hand a copy of it (or similar to it)? I am not sure how it would look like, but that sounds very contemporary for the Baroque area. Very interesting, indeed.
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benwiggy
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by benwiggy »

Here's a quick mock-up of one of the instances. The descent of the symbols clearly suggests that notes at those pitches sound at the values of the notes above. "Ditto".

Screen Shot 4.png
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Last edited by benwiggy on 19 Feb 2017, 09:11, edited 1 time in total.
benwiggy
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by benwiggy »

Here's another instance, where I've taken it to mean "follow the lower line in thirds for a bit". (Well, that seems to fit, up to the dotted minim. :) )

Screen Shot 5.png
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Christof Schardt
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by Christof Schardt »

Never ever seen this shape before. Without your explaination I would have take this as the Loch Ness Monster.
Last edited by Christof Schardt on 19 Feb 2017, 11:52, edited 1 time in total.
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benwiggy
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Re: 17th century keyboard notation

Post by benwiggy »

Christof Schardt wrote: 19 Feb 2017, 11:04 Never ever seen this shape before.
It's usually found at the end of a staff line, to give warning of the pitch on the following line. But I've not seen it in this context before.
Actually, checking the dates, the source is early 17th century, so moving towards Baroque.
Screen Shot 6.png
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David Ward
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by David Ward »

Christof Schardt wrote: 19 Feb 2017, 11:04 …Without your explaination I would have take this as the Loch Ness Monster.
Now, now, don't take poor Nessie in vain! (I'm due to be visiting friends who live by Loch Ness this next weekend, including my 76th birthday.) She (Nessie) is good for the tourist trade, if nothing else.

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John Ruggero
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by John Ruggero »

When we visited Loch Ness awhile ago, we did encounter Nessie, who looked remarkably like that custos, but a bit larger...
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John Ruggero
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by John Ruggero »

Could it indicate that the note is to be ornamented (trilled?)?
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benwiggy
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Re: 16th century keyboard notation

Post by benwiggy »

I thought about that, but they seem to appears always as part of an inner voice. If it were an ornament on the upper notes in my first example, then I would expect them to be above, or nearer the notes. They are often over an octave away.**

Also, the pitch of the symbol seems to be significant. For instance, the pitch of the symbol is the same as that found in the viol part that has the same line.

** Ooh, I wonder if it indicates a part that is too large for a hand-stretch? That doesn't account for the second example, though.
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