# contemporary music for the archlute



## patrik (Oct 22, 2010)

Here I write about some of the pieces I have premiered for the archlute.

Archlute and Recorder
http://patriklute.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/duello-the-battle-of-musical-minds-3/

Solo piece for the archlute
http://patriklute.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/mundane-monday/

I hope you find them interesting.

Patrik


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## patrik (Oct 22, 2010)

this is not really about music for the archlute, but for a new instrument we created called a YouHero Guitar

http://patriklute.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/the-youhero-dilemma/


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Welcome Patrik.

Can't say I've heard much music for the lute, let alone contemporary lute.

During my travels, I've been exploring different instruments. I like the sound of the pipa - are you a pipa fan?

There is something about it's dexterity and speed of playing - it conveys emotional intensity in a very unique way. For some reason, it is used in a lot of war sagas. Here is one French-Canadian lady who I'd recommend:






Her playing is really absorbing and into the music.


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## patrik (Oct 22, 2010)

Thank you for the link and welcome. I´ve not heard a big amount of pipa music, but I think I´ve heard this woman play before. Very nice artist.

There´s a huge amount of early music for the lute and I´m just trying to bring the archlute to life again by commissioning pieces from some of the nice composers around the world. I just came back from a tour in Japan performing with my duo, archlute and recorder and they seemed to like the contemporary pieces. I didn´t get a chance to try a Koto but we met a Shakuhachi player, also a nice instrument.

So do you play the pipa?


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## Head_case (Feb 5, 2010)

Wow Patrik. You're a travelling musician?! 

I wonder if you can guide me - which airlines are you flying? I know some airlines will allow a musical instrument to be carried free of charge, and others won't. I'm trying to plot my journey around the world intent on busking with my flute 

Any clips of your tour in Japan? You'll find that there is a huge interest in baroque and traditional European instruments in the Far East. If you could lug a harpsichord over and have a harpsichord concerto, you would be a hit there. 

I'm not that ofay with the fingering of the shakuhachi, but I like the chinese dizi and xiao flutes. They are beautiful - particularly the unusual low G dizi and the low C xiao flutes. They cost a fraction of my C concert flute and sound more beautiful to my ears and are much cheaper than a shakuhachi (for those curious in trying a quality and cheap instrument). The dizi is unique in that it uses a membrane, so it is not necessarily a pure aerophonic instrument, like the xiao or the shakuhachi - the membrane imparts a very unique sound. 

Btw - I heard one of the national pipa competition winners from 2009 play on her pipa. The speeds of her finger dexterity was stunning. She worked the fingering incredibly fast. At times however, the pipa almost sounded like a banjo to my ears.


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