Origami, a Curious Blend of Art and Science

I have been posting a lot about music lately, so I thought I'd switch gears. Origami has fascinated me for a long time, but I've never really learned much about it. Well, I thought this would be a good time to start.

I was surprised to find a large supply of origami videos on line. It is much more popular than I imagined. Some artists are now using computers to help design their "sculptures" with amazing results. If origami sounds like a dull subject to you, these videos will likely change your mind.

Origami Documentary Trailer

Robert Lang on Origami

Portrait of an Origami Master

Origami Links
Robert J. Lang Origami
Eric's Origami Page

Microtonal Music Videos

Microtonal music is any music that uses a tuning other than the standard twelve note equal temperament that we are used to. This type of music is growing in popularity. I am pleased that there are now some good videos available to demonstrate some of the forms that this varied music can take.

Microtonal music is usually made with computers or retunable electronic keyboards, but it's also possible to use acoustic instruments.

This first video features two pianos that have been retuned so that they can play in a tuning with seventeen equally spaced notes to the octave instead of the usual twelve. I admire the way these two performers work together to produce music that would be impossible on a single piano.

It's almost an hour long, so you may want to grab some popcorn.

Seventeen Note Piano Project, Phase 2

This next video features a microtonal variation on the C minor scale. (The A and D notes are each thirty cents flat.)

A Scream From Lebanon

Additional Information

For program notes on the Seventeen Tone Piano Project visit xenharmonic.wikispaces.com.

For more information on microtonal music, visit my blog Daniel Thompson Microtonal Composer.

Guitars Playing Lute Music

Lutes used to be extremely popular. Now they have been almost completely replaced by guitars. Guitars clearly have some advantages over lutes. They are usually easier to tune and play. They are also easier to make. It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that it is often easier to find lute music played on guitars than on the original lutes.

I don't believe, however, that a guitar is a proper replacement for a lute. There is a substantial difference in sound. It seems that most composers for lute have taken the peculiarities of the lute into consideration and their music reflects this. As a result, I find that lute music played on a lute usually sounds much better than the same music performed on guitar.

This collection of videos is a good opportunity to hear some fine lute music played on guitar. If you wish, you can compare this to my collection of lute videos.

Please don't think I'm criticising guitars or guitar players. I am a guitarist myself and have attempted some of the lute repertoire. I think it is great that guitarists are playing lute music. I really enjoy these videos. There's just something special about lute music played on actual lutes.


Bach Double on the Classical Guitar



Peo Kindgren Plays Dowland



Peo Kindgren Plays Dowland's Frog Galliard



Peo Kindgren Plays Dowland's Sir John Smith His Almain



Francisco Burgos Plays Alman by Robert Johnson



Peo Kindren Plays Bach Prelude



Prelude



Bach Prelude



Aaron Brock Plays Bach



Bach Suite 3 for Lute-Prelude



Bach Lute Suite No. 1 in E Minor, Allemande



Menuet by Silvius Leopold Weiss


See also Lute Videos and the article Lutes Verses Guitars.

More Lute Videos

The lute has been getting a lot of attention lately, thanks to Sting's new cd, "Songs from the Labyrinth", a collection of lute songs by John Dowland. See Sting Plays the Lute. It's nice to see the lute regain a small portion of its former glory.

If you have heard Sting's lute music, you may find that you want to hear more. I hope you will enjoy these videos.

Toccata No. 7 by Kapsberger, Played by He Chin



A Port, Played by Jacopo Gianninoto




Pavana Milan



Here's Jan Akkerman discussing the lute as the video plays.




Galliard by Janna, Played by Jan Akkerman



Courante by Janna, Played by Jan Akkerman


See also Guitars Playing Lute Music.

Lute Links

The Lute Society
A Brief History of the Lute
Silvius Leopold Weiss
The Lutecast

Viol Videos

Almost everyone knows about the violin family, which includes violins, violas and cellos, but many people are not aware of the somewhat similar viol family.

The viols are older than the violins and used to be very popular. They are a charming set of instruments with a pleasant sound. They were, however, quieter and easily overpowered when played with other instruments. They just couldn't compete with the louder violin family and eventually became very rare, except for the double bass which is still regularly played today.

The viols are making a small comeback. Their charm is undeniable and their soft gentle tone actually seems like an advantage in our increasingly loud and hectic world. Besides, we can now turn up the volume on viol recordings if we wish.

The first video can serve as a brief introduction to viols. This is a viola da gamba. It is kind of like a cello but if you look closely you may notice some differences.

"Chanty" Thomas Mace



The viola da gamba has frets and is held between the legs. The viola da gamba also usually has six strings instead of four for a cello (although this one has seven).

This next video will highlight an unique playing style of viols.

Sonata by Carl Friedrich Abel



Did you notice how she held the bow from behind instead of from the front? She also used a lot of fast arpeggios. The viols are tuned more like guitars than violins so they are well suited to playing the arpeggiated chords that are a common feature in viol music.

This next video is of a baryton, an unusual viol like instrument.

Baryton


This next instrument is a pardessus de viole, kind of a hybrid between a violin and a viol.

Pardessus de Viole

See also Lutes,Viols and Other Ancient Instruments.

Other Early Music Videos
Sting Plays the Lute
More Lute Videos
Guitars Playing Lute Music
A Controversial Video