Player Sessions
The Scottish port: From Renaissance lute tablature to performance
James Ruff
75 mins
Level: All
Monday July 25th
15:30 - 16:45 GMT +1
Support Material
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Event Overview
According to tradition, some of the earliest surviving Gaelic music composed for the early clàrsach – ports – are preserved in 17th- and 18th-century Scottish lute books. We will look at an early example, the evocative ‘Port Jean Linsay’, from a 19th-century transcription of the lost Straloch lute book (1627-29), briefly discussing some of the ports' defining characteristics as well as some of their contextual history. We will explore how to go about making your own transcription from the lute tablature, finally learning to play this lovely piece together.