Lute stop
Historical registration device on harpsichord or early piano that gave the tone a muted, lute-like color.
What it means
The lute stop is a mechanical registration device on the harpsichord and early piano that approximates the sound of a lute. A hand or knee lever brings small felt or leather pads close to the strings' plucking or striking point, damping the overtones so the tone becomes nasal, short and quieter.
On the harpsichord the lute stop usually affects one string choir; a comparable device on the early piano is also known as a mute or harp stop.
In the notation
Older editions occasionally mark its use with 'liuto' or 'con sordino'; there is no single standard sign, since the mechanism differs from instrument to instrument.
Musical use
The lute stop served mainly to vary tone color within a piece, letting a passage sound more intimate or muted without changing dynamics through touch. It should be distinguished from registration proper, where whole string choirs are switched in or out, while the lute stop only alters the character of an existing choir.
Performance practice
Use the lute stop deliberately as a color change rather than a volume control; it suits short contrasting passages or repeats to which you want to give a different character.