Sunday, August 16, 2009

Studying Fabris: Day 1

This past Pennsic, I was inspired by a few classes on Italian fencing master, Salvator Fabris. Some of the stuff I'd learned was familiar to me (thanks to the work I've done on Capo Ferro for the last couple of years), while others were totally alien to me. The postures take a little work for me, but that's the simplest thing to get over for me, probably.

I'm working together with a friend on Fabris' manual. We're using the Tomasso Leoni translation, Art of Dueling: Salvator Fabris' Rapier Fencing Treatise of 1606 (available through Chivalry Bookshelf). We're taking time from our local fencing practice to work on the manual every week. I'm using this blog to keep track of my own work (and I may publish my journal for review, after a while).

I've gone into the manual today, looking to take out something to help focus. Even the preface and introductions have helped in that regard. Regarding this translation, Maestro Sean Hayes says in the preface, "It allows us to reconsider previous interpretations..." That's exactly what I need out of this kind of study: I want to reconsider what I've learned up to now. I want my previous notions of Italian swordfighting shaken up.

And away we go.

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