Light Italian design has one other very real benefit from the antique point
of view. In the very old days (Medieval & the like)--and I make sure that my
students understand this: most music that could be relied upon the easiest
was as portable as possible. There were two factors above and beyond all
that caused this: the need to very quickly and pragmatically be able to
perform at the moments demand of the patron and also when in siege or battle
 the best to preserve or possibly protect a music and the instruments to
perform this music would have to be concealable or light enough to be
carried away when fleeing. In other words, music and instruments were best
portable and light to survive because you were either marching behind your
Duke or Margrave in celebration or you were running with a battle cry  and
rally or many times just fleeing into safer climes.  Chase or be chased was
the ticket.

Like hulking pianos that have gone out of favor in countless churches--those
instruments sooner or later just become almost worthless doorstops and show
the scars of abuse, misuse, vandalizations and disrepair  Because the old
lighter, smaller are easier to transport hpschds, they have survived longest
to demonstrate their genius as well as social versatility that becomes
ubiquitousness.



=Patrick Frye III=Composer/Performer/Teacher=Charlotte USA



-------Original Message------- 

From: Michael Johnson 

" What originally made me think this way 

Was Italian design, they are so light in structure and yet they have 

Lasted and survived longer than all the heavy cased instruments that 

Followed them. 

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