Connect with Ronn
Home
“
...some of the most ravishing lute playing to be heard anywhere.
”
The Washington Times

Upcoming Concerts

View all concerts

June 7, 2020

***POSTPONED*** The Baltimore Consort at Festival Schlossmediale Werdenberg

Verein Schloss Werdenberg

Werdenberg, Switzerland

July 1, 2020

Ronn McFarlane Live Stream at An die Musik

An die Musik

Baltimore, MD

July 9, 2020

***POSTPONED***Ayreheart at Glen Mar United Methodist Church

Glen Mar United Methodist Church

Ellicott City, MD

August 7, 2020

Ronn McFarlane at Elk Run Vineyards and Winery

Elk Run Vineyards and Winery

Mount Airy, MD

August 9, 2020

Ayreheart at Springfield Presbyterian Church

Springfield Presbyterian Church

Sykesville, MD

The Celtic Lute

Ronn's original arrangements of traditional Irish & Scottish folk tunes for the lute

Learn More

Beyond the Basics

The Art & Science of Playing the Lute, from the Lute Society of America Quarterly

Learn More

History
of the Lute

Explore the ancient past of this instrument of Kings and Queens

Learn

Musical
Performances

Watch videos of Ronn, recorded in the studio and at live shows

Watch

Original
Music

Discover music in the tradition of the lutenist-composer

Listen

Selected Albums

Browse the full Discography

The Celtic Lute

Learn more

Barley Moon

More

Nine Notes that Shook the World

More

Two Lutes

More

The Art of Vivaldi's Lute

More

Blame Not My Lute

More

One Morning

More

Adio España

More

Bright Day Star

More

Live in Concert

More

Gut, Wind, and Wire

More

Indigo Road

More

Adew Dundee

More

Recent Tweets

Follow RonnMcFarlane on Twitter

Latest posts from Instagram

Follow RonnMcFarlane on Instagram

from the Burwell Lute Tutor (c. 1660-1672): …the greatest error that is in playing upon the lute is to play too fast, and not to keep the time, and not use the right fingers. Without that, play never so well, you are but a bungler and fit only to amaze the ignorant sort of people and make a fool of yourself. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #lute #earlymusic #renaissancemusic #baroquemusic #folkmusic #classicalmusic #musician #classicalguitar #classicalguitarist #music #lutenists #lutenist #guitar #guitarist #guitarra #guitarista #laguitarra #accoustic #accousticmusic #accousticguitar #oud #musicappreciation
from the Burwell Lute Tutor (c. 1660-1672): To play in taverns, that never happened but to a man in Paris (who paid for his abuse by some learned of the lute, that made cinnamon beaten in breaking the lute upon his head). To make people dance with the lute it is improper: it is true that a young lady may dance the sarabande with her lute, and that is all. It is neither proper to sing with the lute, it being a perfect consort of itself; for the choice is but a repetition of the treble, and if you sing the treble or any other part (for you can sing but one) that part will drown the others. This instrument requireth silence and a serious attention. It is used commonly at the going to bed of the King of France, and that time is the time of most rest and silence. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #lute #earlymusic #renaissancemusic #baroquemusic #folkmusic #classicalmusic #musician #classicalguitar #classicalguitarist #music #lutenists #lutenist #guitar #guitarist #guitarra #guitarista #laguitarra #accoustic #accousticmusic #accousticguitar #oud #musicappreciation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Art:
from the Burwell Lute Tutor (c. 1660-1672): It is a disgrace for the lute to play country dances, songs or corants of violins, as likewise to play tricks with one’s lute - to play behind the back, etc. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #lute #earlymusic #renaissancemusic #baroquemusic #folkmusic #classicalmusic #musician #classicalguitar #classicalguitarist #music #lutenists #lutenist #guitar #guitarist #guitarra #guitarista #laguitarra #accoustic #accousticmusic #accousticguitar #oud #musicappreciation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Art:
This was originally published as part of my Beyond the Basics articles in the Lute Society of America Quarterly. You can view and download the complete article (and all the BTB articles) on my website. https://ronnmcfarlane.com/about/beyond-the-basics/ ~~~~~~ Trebles On the Renaissance lute, playing trebles can be an important part of your daily practice routine. (By “trebles,” I am referring to those single-line pieces that make up much of the lute duet and consort lesson literature.) On the lute, treble playing can fill the role that scale exercises play on many other instruments. Only trebles are more fun, and besides - they’re music! Trebles make a great warm-up, a great technique builder, a time for technical self analysis and an opportunity for experimentation. Many aspects of technique can be addressed in the context of treble playing: posture, holding the lute, left hand position, left hand shifts, left hand relaxation, right hand position, string crossing, right hand relaxation, quick release, control of dynamics, scale bursts and velocity. In particular, it is a good way to develop and refine thumb-under technique. Treble playing can be your laboratory for experimenting with your technique, refining your technique, increasing your fluidity/relaxation and building overall speed. One can experiment with different angles of attack, various depths of follow-through, and the degrees of tip-joint flexibility (or resistance) in the right hand fingers. ...To read the rest, visit my website. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #lute #earlymusic #renaissancemusic #baroquemusic #folkmusic #classicalmusic #musician #classicalguitar #classicalguitarist #music #lutenists #lutenist #guitar #guitarist #guitarra #guitarista #laguitarra #accoustic #accousticmusic #accousticguitar #oud #musicappreciation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Art: