Bergamescas and Personal Buffoonery

Grounds in Context

Taught by Chris Morrongiello, it's a look at the basic themes and chord progressions from the Renaissance and Baroque periods. These "grounds" were used in much the same way that a 12-bar blues is played and improvised upon today. 
  
 The Bergamesca is one such melodic pattern that originates from the Bergamo region of Northern Italy, based on a progression of 1-4-5-1. Bergamo was known for the tradition of Comedia del Arte, baffoons, and fools, so the bright and jovial Bergamesca is associated with liveliness and jest.

On the final day, there was a participants' concert, who lute campers might try their musical skill before an audience. In a fit of late-night poor judgement, ather young lute player I'd befriended and I decided we should sign up to play something. Now she, although modest about her skill, had nine years of playing under her belt; I had about four months. We got the stage jitters together and felt a sheepish comradery as we rehearsed our piece. She played the melody and I strummed along, and appropriately, we played a Bergamesca. It seemed fitting for both its simplicity and for highlighting the younthful buffoonery with which we carried out the performance.

Lute Camp

On Arrival

I had never imagined such a thing as "Lute Camp" might exist. It is the biennial Cleveland Lute Festival, held at Case Western Reserve in Ohio. The week brings together an incredible selection of the world's most prestigious lute players, makers, and historians. 

Before the seminar dives into such courses as "Understanding Francesco" and "Lute Music of the German High Baroque Rhetoric," we were met with a concert of Italian lute music form the 16th century. Nigel North is an outstanding lutenist from England, and he titled the concert "A Decoration of Silence." The name couldn't have been more apt, for I have sat through more than my fair share of classical concerts and never before has an audience been more rapt and quiet. As one of the audience phrased it, everyone was waiting to hear the first note be spun.