The Lute Society: Home Page

Lute Society meeting, Saturday 11th September: Young artists' showcase at the Dutch Church. Keep checking this website in case of late government changes; see the programme at meetings.

Beginners' lesson - 43 - Fantasia (no from '114 Early to Intermediate Pieces') - lesson by Lynda Sayce

Issue 138 of Lute News is now out - see its colour front cover. See a gallery of previous front covers on the publications page, under Lute News back issues.

Sonatas for extended neck baroque guitar, by Ludovico Fontanelli edited by Peter Elliot - see free downloads

Annual General Meeting - The Lute Society AGM was held on Saturday 8th May, via Zoom. Minutes and agenda are available on our annual general meetings page.

Appeal for Sandi Harris As you may have heard, luthier Sandi Harris was bereaved of her life partner and workshop partner, the pioneer luthier Stephen Barber last year. You can hear more of this very moving story. She needs financial help to move to a less expensive workshop, and get back on her feet; for details see this funding page There is a tombeau for Stephen Barber by David Ooijen linked from members compositions.

The pandemic lockdown is, we hope, gradually coming to an end, but for the time being we are still putting helpful imformation on our lute in lockdown resources and lute in lockdown calendar pages.

Tree Editions now available as free downloads on this website - an amazing free lute library, bequeathed by Albert Reyerman. Also added to the main menu for the website - see Tree Edition Files.

You are invited to our fourth virtual meeting free and open to all, to enjoy at your leisure, with a talk from Alex McCartney on the toccata, and a Kapsberger recital, highlights of Ryosuke Sakamoto's 2021 Il Divino challenge, a recital from Stathis Skandalidis, and an illustrated talk from Din Ghani and Musicke in the Ayre on the role of Fleet Street in the story of English lute song All the videos to date on our can be seen on our Youtube channel and links to previous virtual meetings are at meetings.

Update to our members compositions page. Tombeau for Stephen Barber by David van Ooijen, La Rivercada by Joaquim Bogunyà Chesa, Songs in Divers Humours, for medium voice and lute (tablature), by David Protheroe; Thomas Haxell: Tastar de Corde; Wilfred Foxe: Raindrops in Holmfirth.

Play along with professional musicians Our lute backing tracks page has a number of songs and duets, where you provide the missing lute part, to accompany renowned musicians such as Emma Kirkby and Dowland Works performing Golden Age songs, and duets with Lynda Sayce. Download the sheet music on the same page.

Looking for a lute player, accompanist, duet partner, or beginner's 'buddy'? We can help you find a lute player in your area, or for your special event (wedding, banquet, advert etc). We are also starting up a lute buddying scheme to put new players in touch with lute buddies in their area.

For previous news items, see Old news

Recent pages on this website

• Lute Iconography Database - over 2200 images of lutes catalogued in a searchable online database.
• Some selected recordings from meetings are now available.
• Back issues of Lute News now available for purchase online. Now you can fill in any missing copies in your collection.
• New pieces on our members' compositions pages - recent updates by David Protheroe, Steven Watson, Laudon Schuett and others.

New Music Editions

See our catalogue for details and to purchase online:

• 158 early Cinquecento preludes and recercars - a bumper collection of early Italian lute music, all standards, beginner to advanced
• Compendium of 178 Polish dances - another bumper edition!
• Fun merchandise! Lute-playing mouse paperweight

Contact the secretary

The Secretary, Christopher Goodwin
53 Mill Road,
Sharnbrook,
Bedfordshire,
United Kingdom
Tel: (+44/0)1483 202159 / (++44/0)7510 254106

or if your email bounces back from this, try

Donations

The Lute Society’s finances are ticking over nicely with the present membership fees and it is breaking even in a safe and steady manner. But we would like to be able to fund occasional additional activities without having to raise the general membership fees to a level which would put off some from joining. If you feel able to help in this way, it will be greatly appreciated.

There will be an opportunity for UK tax payers to gift aid their donation after they click the donate button.

General Fund Donation
Donating with this button will enable you to add an amount of your choice to our general fund.

Student Bursary Fund Donation
Donating with this button will enable you to add an amount of your choice to our Student Bursary Fund which will enable us to fund deserving students for places on short term music courses such as Benslow.