Untitled piece for theorbo (a.k.a. gigantic guitar!)

Hi to all!

Have been trying to compose a piece for theorbo, and am finding it really hard!

Mainly because of the 8 unfretted strings, that can't be tuned to accidentals.

That seems to limit me to the 7 modes of C major; or something bitonal or atonal.

Anyhow, I've posted two versions below.

The first is what I wanted to write, and the second has been bent out of shape to eliminate accidentals on the lower strings.

Am thinking I may have to throw the whole thing out, and start again!

A fascinating instrument. Tiorba is how I know it in my language.
I don't know anything about how to write for this instrument. I thought, perhaps associated with the Baroque and its use as a continuo, that the lower open strings were for the bass. Although it seems that you use it differently.

5 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

I thought, perhaps associated with the Baroque and its use as a continuo, that the lower open strings were for the bass.

Yes they are traditionally used for ground bass.

I decided to write a two part invention, as it seemed natural to me to use the lower strings within the lower voice.

Hello @Alex Weidmann!

A piece for theorbo – that is something for me!

I really enjoy, that the theorbo is (at least here in Germany) increasingly being used in baroque orchestras alongside the harpsichord and a small organ as a Basso Continuo instrument. I think I first discovered it about five years ago and am always delighted when it is used, for example in Handel's Messiah. It lends such warmth or even a “Mediterranean feeling” to the accompaniment that it surpasses the somewhat “boring” harpsichord and organ, which are unable to play dynamics, while they are needed for rhythmic and percussive accents (the harpsichord) and harmonic filling and foundation (the organ).

As I see, you have dealt extensively with the special features of the instrument, especially with regard to playability on the low, diatonically tuned strings. Even if I can’t read the tablature notation, I can imagine that trying to translate the notes into that notation helps to empathize with the player and to avoid playability issues.

A two part invention with the voices distributed between the two registers might be challenging to play, but I like that counterpuntual style, together with the arpeggios and flageolet notes!

As I used a theorbo too, in a piece I arranged for the 2025 Christmas event – not as a solo instrument but in a continuo, paired with a harpsichord and a small organ, I am no longer sure whether I have taken the ambitus of the theorbo and its special tuning features into account correctly. Therefore, I have linked this piece here, maybe you’ll find a lot of errors ...

Greetings, Wieland

31 minutes ago, Wieland Handke said:

As I used a theorbo too, in a piece I arranged for the 2025 Christmas event – not as a solo instrument but in a continuo, paired with a harpsichord and a small organ, I am no longer sure whether I have taken the ambitus of the theorbo and its special tuning features into account correctly. Therefore, I have linked this piece here, maybe you’ll find a lot of errors ...

Hi Wieland,

Many thanks for taking a look at my piece.

I'm a total beginner at writing for theorbo, but I notice you've correctly notated your score an octave above the sounding pitch; whereas I've written mine at sounding pitch! So will have to correct that in my next draft.

It's uncommon to use a grand staff, as theorbo players prefer a single staff (usually in 8vb bass clef).

Looks like for your composition, the musician would have to do some extensive retuning of the unfretted strings, and there may not be enough of them! That's why I decided to rewrite my piece without any accidentals on the lower 8 strings.

The tab notation for theorbo uses fret numbers for the 6 fretted strings, and these are written on a 6-line staff. (Each line corresponds to a string, and the top two strings are tuned an octave lower than you'd expect on a classical guitar: so you have re-entrant tuning.)

For the unfretted strings, you typically write the number of the string below the staff. So where it says 14, that would be string 14, etc...

Forgot to mention, my piece is for a workshop and concert later this year. So a real theorbo player will be helping me revise it (which should be interesting!)

Alex