ISBN 9781513467177. 8.75 x 11.75 inches.
Robert Johnson (c. 1583 a 1633) was the last of the great English lutenists; he served Prince Henry and was later a prominent figure in the court of Charles I. He wrote music for many plays and masques of the time, including several by Shakespeare. Decades after Johnsonas death, in a aDialogue between the Author and His Lutea within Musickas Monument and the persona of the Lute, writer and lutenist Thomas Mace described John Dowland and Robert Johnson as aTwo famous men; Great Masters in My Arta. Despite such high praise and the fact that much of Johnsonas music is well-suited to the guitar, few guitarists play it. This comprehensive collection of solo lute works, transcribed for guitar in standard notation, is an attempt to remedy this shortcoming. It includes music for the beginner as well as the advanced player. The bookas 23 pieces range from Johnsonas delightful almains, galliards, masques and a single coranto to the somber intensity of the pavans and a fantasie. Dropped-D and lowered third-string tuning (F#) are frequently used to better approximate the tuning and range of the 9 or 10-course Renaissance lute.
