history of open tunings

Subject: history of open tunings
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 17 Dec 00 - 04:28 PM

Hello all> I am staring on a new cd of music from our local finishing school, The Litchfield Female Acadamy.. It was open here in Ct between 1792 & 1823.. Our local historical so. has kept the music that the young ladies practiced to for upcoming balls.. They are incredable I most say and I am very excited to get going..
I am getting a Borouque flute player( John Hoit made fluts in Litchfield at that time) A bass viol and a fiddle for these peices Forte Piano is also a possability and I want to add some stuff on Parlor guitar. There was a great Guitar and banjo maker in the next town in 1840's (John Ashborn and I am lucky enough to have one of his early parlor guitars)
The question here is dose anyone have any ideas on how early open tunings were used on parlor guitars??? I am using both Vestable(D) and Spanish (G) plus some A minor tuing ala G/SUS4 in a very MArtin Carthy-ESCK way
Any help here will be very apreciated.. I will do it even if it is historicaly unheard of but it would be nice if there was any provenance(SP??) in this derection.. All the best to everyone<

Subject: RE: history of open tunings
From: Ebbie
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 02:17 AM

refresh

Subject: RE: history of open tunings
From: Brendy
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 06:08 AM

Although he gives no history of them, you could take a look at Will Ackerman tunings page, where he gives a few of the tunings he uses on a Martin parlor.

I copied the following quote from this page Here, the author also gives a comprehensive list of tunings for every stringed instrument imaginable except the parlor guitar:

"PARLOR GUITARS are very similar to Baroque guitars, with the exceptions that their tuners are usually mechanical, after about 1820, and the lower bout of the body is a bit larger than the upper bout. I would accept these as a reasonable attempt at using a period instrument, so long as gut or nylon strings are used. If you own an old Model 1887 Washburn, this is what you have. WARNING: many of the American made Parlor guitars have "pin" bridges the same as on modern steel-string guitars. If you use steel strings on these old parlor models, you will ruin them. They are made for gut or nylon strings ONLY!"

Joe Wilson in his article Masters of the Steel String Guitar discusses, briefly the emergence and popularity of the parlor.

It's all I can find at the minute.
Good luck

B.

Subject: RE: history of open tunings
From: Brendy
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 06:12 AM

Forgot to put in this one!!.......

A history of open tunings

B.

Subject: RE: history of open tunings
From: LDave
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 07:12 PM

As I understand it these tunings were used in guitar method books marketed to refined young ladies of the leisure class. So the real question is, how did they end up in the hands of the likes of Charlie Patton?

Subject: RE: history of open tunings
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 18 Dec 00 - 09:43 PM

Brendy Thank you so much for the detailed help!! I had heard Stefon Grossman talk of "The Spanish Fandango" being the begining of calling G tuning "Spanish Tuning" but the 1838 date is very helpfull. Though THe Litchfield Acadamy closed in 1823 this is closer then I was.. I also heard Vestable tuning was from a palor Peice with the word Vestable in it.Thanks again..
LDave, I bet Charley Patton would love to play with some ladies of the leisure class.. I know I would.. Sorry,
These tunes realey have gotten to me .. They are so inocent and clean at the same time, and leave so much space for interprtation. Ah what fun!! All the best Guy

Subject: RE: history of open tunings
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 12:13 AM

Good luck on it Guy. I believe that "Vestapol" is a bastardization of the city of "San Sebastipol" and the original sheet music called the instrumental "The Seige of San Sebastipol".

I've no reason to think that musicians from time immemorial weren't fiddling around with open tunings though....possibly just for simplicity as well as experimentation.

Rick

Subject: RE: history of open tunings
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 19 Dec 00 - 06:36 PM

Rick thats what I think as well.It is great to have alittle documentatoin when an institution is involved though..At any rate the tunes sound great played this way.There are two in D tuning that I just love.. One is called Hazel-Bell and the other is a jig called "The Americans" all the best, Guy