Lute Continuo in The Royall Consort of William Lawes

Jeremy Bass

About this exposition

The score of The Royall Consort by William Lawes indicates "thoroughbass for 2 theorboes," but provides very little information about how the two theorbo parts were to be played. The lack of instructions implies an established practice that must have been common knowledge to the first performers of this music. Lutenists approaching the Royall Consort today bring their own assumptions about what it means to realize a continuo part on two theorbos--ideas that do not always align with historical evidence.

type	research exposition
keywords	William Lawes, The Royall Consort, English Baroque Music, consort music, lute, theorbo, viola da gamba, Oxford, manuscripts, continuo, thoroughbass, seventeenth centrury
date	20/11/2022
published	19/07/2023
last modified	19/07/2023
status	limited publication
copyright	Jeremy Bass
license	CC BY-NC-ND
url	https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1820260/1833702
published in	KC Research Portal
portal issue	3. Internal publication

name	William-Dobson-Portrait-of-William-Lawes
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	lo llamare william lawes
copyright	none
license	Public domain
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name	lute duets detail 12 course lute
copyright	none
license	Public domain
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name	man with 12 c lute
copyright	none
license	Public domain
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name	Theorbo-wright
copyright	N/A
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	rc 8 example
copyright	David Pinto
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	little consort example 2
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	locke melothesia example
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	Happy he example
copyright	none
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	O thou from whom example v 2
copyright	none
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	bass marking
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	thoroughbass marking
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	dissonance in Wilson realization
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	cavalli sonata
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	audio

name	Cavalli overo tiorba excerpt
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	Wilson better
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	audio

name	Locke example
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	audio

name	Henry lawes cadence
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	audio

name	H Lawes example 2
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	audio

name	paven doubling example
copyright	David Pinto
license	Public domain
usages	picture

name	care charming sleep
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	audio

name	Lawes song take 1
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	audio

name	RC title page photo
copyright	?
license	CC BY-NC-ND
usages	picture

name	verve example
copyright	none
license	Public domain
usages	picture

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Lute Continuo in The Royall Consort of William Lawes (2023)

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