baldozo? testament of tristan

[prayerbone]

hi ive got a cd called the testament of tristan..i think martin best is the performer.. it states he's playing the oud and the baldozo (moorish guitar).. i tried to find some info online about the baldozo with no luck..anyone got any info on this intrument maybe a pic? sorry for being non mandolin related thks andy

[Eugene]

I don't know what Mr. Best is calling "baldozo." Try searching for images of "guitarra morisca" in association with Alfonso X, "El Sabio" as a semi-educated guess.

[prayerbone]

hi thks Eugene.i was wondering if moorish guitar might of been the laud. but i think ur right after doing a quick search..by the way i posted on the tread about the mandolino did u ever do a sound clip of urs?andy

[Jim Garber]

Hyperion lists it as "baldozo" on their site. This CD is also mentioned as deleted from their catalog.

JIm

[prayerbone]

hi..i got my copy from the library recently..iam new to early music so iam pretty much blindly diving in..not sure if iam picking the best stuff,my next purchase might be spured by the recent opium debate on the lute forum of french lute players of the 14 or 15 cent ;&lt..so Jim have u ever heard of the baldozo,or do u think its just a different name for the guitarra morisca as well..andy

[Eugene]

The only place I've encountered "baldozo" is in Best's reference. As alluded, I think there probably is a more common name for whatever instrument he's using here.

[Eugene]

iam new to early music so iam pretty much blindly diving in.

I don't know what suits your taste in this area. Check out almost anything on the el cheapo Naxos label by the Viennese "Ensemble Unicorn." They focus on frenzied performances of early renaissance and medieval rep, but it's all great fun...and cheap. Naxos also released an excellent recording of Sephardic songs by "Ensemble Accentus."

For lutes, 5-course guitars, and even mandolino, look into the work of Paul O'Dette. Many of Hopkinson Smith's lute/guitar/vihuela recordings on Astree/Auvidis are also way up on my favored list. For baroque orchestra and lute-like things, look into Il Giardino Armonico, probably my favorite baroque orchestra and responsible for my favorite recording of the Vivaldi lute and mandolin[o] works.

Also, check out Popular Tunes in 17th Century England by The Broadside Band on Harmonia Mundi. It features heaps of mandore and a bit of mandolino. Ronn MacFarlane's work on lute and mandore through Dorian Records is also worth hearing (although Ronn uses the synonym "mandora" which is usually used to refer to something much later and larger by most organologists).

...And enjoy!