Some thirty summers have now come and gone since I began playing the vihuela and researching its history. During that time, what was once an esoteric relic of a distant past has become a vibrant reality.
After more than three centuries of extinction, the vihuela has become part of the contemporary musical world through the interaction of players, instrument makers, researchers, publishers, concert promoters and recording companies.
Through recordings and live performances a small group of contemporary artists have reinserted the vihuela into the public domain, and allowed a very broad public to experience an exquisite repertoire.
In accepting the invitation to write this article for Goldberg, I thought that it might be useful, perhaps even illuminating, to reflect upon the vihuela not only in the context of Renaissance Spain, but also considering the contemporary evolution of the instrument, its music and its place in the world. |
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