CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY MUSIC Cornell University Library MT 80.D18 V.I Musical ornamentation / 3 1924 022 391 092 Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924022391092 NOVELLO, EWER AND CO.'S MUSIC PRIMERS. Edited by Sir JOHN STAINER. MUSICAL ORNAMENTATION (PART I.) BY EDWARD DANNREUTHER. PRICE FIVE SHILLINGS. Paper Boards, Six Shillings. LONDON & NEW YORK NOVELLO, EWER AND CO, LONDON : NOVELLO, EWER AND CO., PRINTERS. ERRATA. Page IX. — Line 23, for appoggiaturi read appoggiature, and so throughout, wherever the term appoggiatura occurs in the plural. Page Tig. — Line 10 Page 120. — Line 8 for acciaccaturi read acciaccature. Page 143. — The G Clefs should be on the second lines as usual. PART I. FROM DIRUTA TO J. S. BACH. PART 11. FROM C. PH. E. BACH TO THE PRESENT. " Nur an Beispielen, Beispielen und wiederum Beispielen ist etwas klar zu machen und schliesslich etwas zu erlernen." (Wagner, 1879.) (Only by example, by example and yet again by example can any thing be made clear and thoroughly learnt.) " II n'y a pas de ddtail inutile en philologie. Un texte mddiocre apprend souvent autant qu'un chef-d'oeuvre. Telle particularity, qui semble d'abord insignifiante, peut devenir plus tard un 6l6ment fonda- mental pour la solution des probldmes importants." (Ernest Renan.) CONTENTS. PART I. Section Introduction ... ... ... I. Diruta II. A. and G. Gabrieli. Merulo. Sweelinck III. The Parthenia : IV. Caccini. Monteverde. Carissimi V>. Praetorius ... ... VI. Frescobaldi VII. Mersenne. Gaultier VIII. Simpson IX. Locke. Froberger. Purcell X. Mace XI. Herbst. L'Affilard. Playford. D'Ambmis XII. Pachelbel. Kuhnau. Murschhauser. Reinken. Walther. Fischer XIII. Chambonnieres. Le Begue. LuUy. D'Anglebert XIV. Couperin, Rameau ... ... ... ... ... XV. G. and T. MufFat XVI. Corelli ' XVII. Scarlatti. Handel XVIII. Tosi ." XIX. Geminiani. Tartini. Mondonville ... XX. Dieupart XXI. Mattheson. Rousseau XXII. Quantz XXIII. Marpurg XXIV. J.S.Bach Page V. — xiii. I— - 9 II— - 14 15- - 32 33- - 37 39- - 42 43- -56 57- -■ 63- -6/ 69- - 75 77- - 80 81- -86 87- - 91 93- -96 97- -107 109- -112 113- -116 117- -120 121- -128 129- -134 135- -139 141- -144 145- -149 151- -^57 159- -210 INTRODUCTION. The materials for this little book on Musical Ornamentation are arranged in quasi-chronologicaX order. Thus they serve for a general survey as well as for a special study of ornaments. Care has been taken to make each detail intelligible. But there are so many details, and the subject is so full of seeming contradiction, that the expla- nations and modifying comments of a competent master may be required, if anything practically worth having is to be derived from some of the information given. Up to Beethoven, many important points in the execution of music were matters of tradition. Tempo, for instance; pitch, in vocal music a capella; gradations oi piano and forte; the way to play accompaniments from a figured bass ; "Diminutions," "Divisions," and the way to render certain embellishments in both vocal and instrumental* music; all were left, more or less, to the discretion of the executants. Questions of taste and style have ever been de- cided by an appeal to tradition and the example of approved singers and players ; a sufficient appeal no doubt, and certainly authoritative, so long as it is made by one generation of artists to the practice of their immediate forefathers, but rather vague and puzzling after the lapse of a century - or so. In the case of practical musicians there has always been a tendency to deviate from once accepted traditions; and even when they are theoretically followed, they are frequently found to be incomplete or perverted. Hence the importance of a historical survey and a comparison of materials. If, by dint of studying the various kinds of ornaments and embellishments at first hand, we are fortunate enough to attain some measure of success in tracing the links from one phase of expression to another, much is gained. We may thus arrive at' a better notion of technique in times past, may be brought into closer sympathy with the instincts of 'older composers for time and tone, and may hope to I'each something like a correct execution of their music. No one will care to advocate the revival of a host of obsolete curlicues and twirligigs, or the resuscitation of a habit of improvising facile vari- anles or running into division. Divisions and graces have had their day and have served their purpose. They are interesting, however, and we ought at least to understand them. But we shall not understand them from the usual instruction books, because the writers, both old and comparatively new, have taken more pains to show up what they deem bad practice and hold to be re- prehensible, than to expound what they believe to be .good and right, and to teach it by clear precept and example.* The books contain an abundance of so-called "Explanations" concerning the execution of graces, and a deplorable paucity of special exam- ples — examples in which the signs for graces are given together with the context, and the execution is written out in full. The tables of signs and explanations, which a little before and during the eighteenth century formed the usual adjuncts to printed copies of Pieces de Clavecin, Lessons for the Harpsi- chord, &c., are difficult to deal with owing to their discrepancy and their occasional and apparently arbitrary substitution of one sign for another. If one attempts to apply the explanation of an ornament given by this or that composer to contemporary music or even to music of his own, a number of puzzling questions as to practice arise, towards which the tables, just because they are tables — that is to say, abstracts-^fail to furnish a sufficient answer. Some such questions are : Is the ornament diatonic, or does it require an accidental ? Does it fall on the beat of the main note, as usual, or can it be meant to precede the main note? Is 'it quick or slow? If slow, in* what relation does it stand to the main note — what proportion of the main note does it occupy ? Which has the stress — the orna- ment or the main note ? If the ornament has * Tosi, the singing master, for instance, and many more. 8157 Vlll the stress, then which part of the ornament ? The directions given in the various tutors are often copious, and consistent enough per se; but one author contradicts another. In the end, the student is forced to the conclusion that practice was somewhat lax throughout — no matter what was taught, or who taught it — and that satisfactory answers to particular questions can only be got by historical comparison. If there is any kind of law at all, it is " case law." As to Division, and especially the impromptu expansions and variations which come under that head in the vocal airs, the viol, cembalo, and flute solos of the seventeenth and eighteenth cen- turies, we fortunately possess a few completely recorded specimens — the Adagios from the first six Violin Solos of Corelli (Op. 5), the " Double de ^ Rossignol " of Franc. Couperin,* the Agr^mens and Doubles to the Sarabandes in J. S. Bach's Suites, certain florid arias of Handel, his Air with five Doubles (D minor) in the third set of harpsichord lessons, and the Adagio in F which opens his second Suite. Pieces such as the slow movements of the Concertos for the Flute, which Quantz wrote for Frederic the Great, and the collec- tions of vocal divisions contained in Burney's History are also good examples, showing the important part division played in the execution of solo music during a considerable number of years. The tables and specimens given in due order below present interesting material for tracing the gradual differentiation of ornaments proper, as expressed by signs, from the endless variety of divisions. Beginning with Claudio Merulo in Italy, and Byrde, Bull, and Gibbons in England, this process will be found to be practically complete in the time of Bach and Handel, when divisions are, for the most part, written out in full and incor- porated in the text, and a variety of signs remain to express the ornaments. Some accurate knowledge of the manifold and various stenographic signs for ornaments — graces, groppi, tremoli, tremblemens, agr^meris, ma- nieren — is indispensable to the student^ True, the signs and the quaint things they stand for are already in part obsolete, and are tending to dis- appear more and more completely as time goes on ; but several of them still occur in daily practice, * Edit. Brahms, III., p. 242, and the entire number cannot be ignored, wen it only for the fact that . Sebastian Bach makes extensive use of so many. Let any player, who is not fully conversant with Bach, try to render the Prelude in C sharp minor (Pre- ludes and Fugues, Part II.). He will find the ornaments indicated in almost every bar a source of doubt and difficulty. They form an integral part of the master's design, and it is impos- sible to play the piece without them. Yet not only in this instance, but in very many important instrumental pieces by Bach, players are confronted with a series of puzzles of the like nalure. It is, therefore, chieily with a view to illustrate J. S. Bach's ways by reference to the practice antece- dent to and contemporary with him, that the numerous details which constitute the first part of this study of ornaments have been gathered and grouped. In the second part an attempt is made to trace the use, partial perversion, and gradual disuse of Bach's ornaments up to the present day. * * * * * * *'* It would be idle to inquire where, when, or by whom any particular sort of musical grace or ornament was first introduced. Like local pecu- liarities of accent- and pronunciation, such things arise Avhenever people sing and play upon instru- ments. They are improvised by one person, imitated by another, until they become common property, and rules are laid dov/n for their execu- tion ; then a process of more or less conscious selection and rejection takes place ; and, in the end, some rapid shorthand character is devised or borrowed to record the best of them. Many indications of the presence of conventional ornaments have been found in mediaeval vocal music, both ecclesiastical and secular. In church music the grace notes, improvised and interpolated by the singers, gave rise to the so-called contra- punctus a mente, and in due course to florid counterpoint and divisions. In secular songs, the Graces (one grows fond of the quaint old English term) appear as short additions to the tune — little trills, beats, inflections of the voice, and the like. Early in the sixteenth century they are of frequent occurrence in instrumental music too. The pipers and violists, the lutenists, organists, and players upon' stromenti da penna (virginals, spinetti, clavicembali), one and all make extensive use of them. The attempts of early instrumentalists to 8157 IX introduce changes inlu their versions of popular tunes and their transcriptions of contrapuntal vocal music, led to what was called Diminution — the beginning of Figuration. In Diminution, the melodic outlines are preserved, whilst the main notes of a subject are changed into notes of shorter duration ; and the divergence between divisions on the one hand and graces on tjie other has hardly begun. The early attempts at diminution in Italy are usually no more than a conglomerate of rather clumsy graces ; though, so early as 1593, Diruta tried to establish a distinction between certain diminutions, consisting of little turns and runs, which he calls " Groppi," and certain others consisting of shakes of greater or less duration, which he calls " Tremoli." With some of the organists of the sixteenth and seventeenth century the art, or rather the trick of diminution was nothing else than a cheap and easy method of replacing the long notes of a piece of vocal music by groups of short notes or diatonic runs (" Minuti "), by the insertion of little shakes, turns, and appoggiaturi (" Groppi," " Tremolii" "Accenti "), by syncopation (also sometimes called " Accenti "), and by the use of dotted quavers or crotchets followed by shorter quavers or semiquavers ("Clamationi" — "pricked crotchets"). In Germany this process was known as "organi- siren," " colorieren " (to furbish up for the organ, to colour). From Faumann to Woltz, circa 1571- 1617, German organists " coloured " everything in a dull mechanical fashion. The colour was nothing but poor descant* indiscriminately applied to all the parts of a piece, for the sake of a busy instrumental effect.t Diminution in the hands of French organists may be studied in Attaignant's publications (Paris, 1530, and later). The process is identical with that of the Italians and Germans ; perhaps a little more reticent than the former, a little more tasteful than the latter. In Spaip and Portugal vocal pieces set out in diminution for the organ were known as " Glosas."J The favourite " Glosas " and "Alcados" (from * Descant, dis-cantus, a double song, diverse song, originally a sort of improvised counterpoint. f Examples in A. G.«Ritter's " Zut Geschichte des Orgel- spiels." Vol. II. I Good specimens in the "Obras de Musica" of the Spaniard Antonio de Cabe9on (1500-1566), and the " Flores de Musica" (1626) of the Portuguese Padre Manoel Roikigues Coelho". alcar, v.n., to flatter; v. a., to alloy) consisted of the introduction of groups of three or six notes- equivalent to our turn, mordent, and transient shake — or of some bits of florid counterpoint tastefully applied. To the great and comparatively very earl3' group of English composers and virginal players, Byrde, Bull, Orlando Gibbons,* Peter Phillips {circa 1600), &c., belongs the credit of having first made really artistic use of Diminution, or Division, as they called it. In their hands division takes the form of variations dn popular tunes — the tune being given to the treble, after the fashion of lutenists— an innovation at that time, when tunes employed as canto fermo were usually allotted to the tenor. These English variations are akin to the " Differencias " of the Spaniards and the "Partite sopral' aria " of the Itahans. Whether composing variations or merely prelu- dizing, the English masters run into division abundantly — even riotously. Like the Italians, Merulo and the two Gabrielis, they take the trouble to write out their long trills in full, or at least to indicate them with so many notes that there can be no doubt as to when and where a rather short or a prolonged shake is meant. Elaborate orna- ments — the quaint " double-relish," the " eleva- tion," for instance, which will be explained later on — are also carefully written out, note for note; but for the simpler graces, such as short shakes, mordents, beats (short appoggiaturi from below or above), and the slur or slide, they employ a stenographic sign — which amounts to no more than one or two little slanting lines drawn through the stem of the note, and of which the latter is the form most frequently met with. Such signs also occur in Benjamin Cosen's MS. Virginal Book (Her Majesty's Library Buckingham Palace) — the single line rather oftener than the double — and in other old English MSS. of virginal, music. These signs are, so far as the writer is aware, the earliest instances of a species of stenography employed to indicate ornaments in music for keyed instruments. Their probable significance is discussed in the chapter on the Parthenia. The English masters thus make division the groundwork, and use graces as true embellish- ments. It must, however, be said that they * The pieces by Byrde and Bull in the Parthenia appear to have been written not later than 1591. 8157 distribute their graces in rather an indiscriminate fashion, often indicating them profusely as per- taining to the inner parts, and in places where it is difficult to make out how they can have played any sort of grace without a sense of diffi- culty and incongruity. For a considerable time after Byrde, Bull, and Gibbons, musical publications abroad contain divisions and ornaments elaborately written out, side by side with graces indicated by a few simple signs. Such is- the case, for instance, in Fresco- baldi's works {circa 1608-1635-45), where certain short trills are marked t. and tr., whilst everything else is fully written out ; and the same method of notation is found in the works of his pupil Fro- berger, who died 1667. About 1650 a number of rather complex orna- ments begin to take something like a permanent form. At the same time, the use of various and more elaborate signs to express them, together with a steadily growing subtlety of interpretation is found to be rapidly on the increase. In 1659 Christopher Simpson, author of the " Division Violist," a capable musician and writer, acknow- ledges himself so much bewildered by the multitude of signs that, with regard to " shaked graces," he had recourse to his friend, " the ever famous Charles Colman, Doctor in Musick" (a harpsichord player-), for the trustworthy "Explication" he thought himself bound to give. Simpson's and Colman's tables have thirteen signs in all — six for "smooth Graces," seven for "shaked Graces"; Matthew Lock's " Melothesia," 1673, contains five only; Purcell's " Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinnett" (a posthumous pub- lication, i6g6), nine ; Thomas Mace's " Musick's Monument," 1676, no less than fifteen, "which we most commonly use upon the lute." In the matter of ornamentation the influence of early English, French, German, and Italian lute players upon cembalists, and even organists, is abundantly evident. Lute players, professional and amateur, went to the French Court from England, came to the English Court from France. The lute was the gentleman's instrument jSiar excellence, as the virginal was that of the ladies. Gentlemen travellilig for their pleasure often carried lute and lute book with them.* French lute music was sometimes * Vide the correspondence of Huyghens. transcribed from lute tablature to staff notation, and published for the clavecin. No instance of the contrary has come to light ; but as late as 1717 the designation " choses lut6es" is used by Frangois Couperin to express the notion of pieces | in which the chords are played arpeggio, or else * rhythmically divided or "broken," lute fashion. It is reported that about 1650-1660 Froberger, organist and* cembalist, when on his way back to Germany from Rome, went to Paris with the avowed object of watching the style and taste of the French lutenists, the " Gaultiers."* With the French clavecinists and organists of the time of Louis XIV. — Henri Dumont, 1610-1684;:; Chambonnieres, 1620-1670; Louis Couperin, 1630- 1665 ; Hardelle, who died before 1680 ; Andr6 Raison, circa 1688 ; Le Begue, 1630-1702 ; D'Anglebert, circa 1689 — the process of selection and specification from among a multitude of graces and glosses, diminutions and divisions, goes on apace. In their publications or in their MSS., which form the basis of later publications, ever5'thing that pertains to division is incor- l porated in the text, and the numerous and choice ornaments which they, as the heads of a school, approve of, are indicated by those signs with many of which we are still familiar.t In the hands of the next generation of clave- cinists, during the reign of Louis XV., the ornate French style attains its fullest develop- ment. It may be studied in the Pieces de Clavecin of Franfois Couperin (1668-1733) \X the Suites of Dieupart, some features of which J. S. Bach thought worthy of imitation ; § the Pieces and " Concerts en Trio " of Rameau, &c., and its method is clearly set forth in the * The name of Gaultier, in Paris, stood for lutenist gener- ally, like that of Bach, in Thuringia, for organist, cembalist, and musician all round. f It is the task of a historian of musical notation, an expert in the methods of philology, to trace the origin and develop- ment of the stenographic signs for graces. Herr Oscar Fleischer, in his capital essay on Denis Gaultier, has started on the right tack. ' X An admirable and accurate reprint edited by Brahms and Chrysander. Four books. London. I Charles Dieupart will have to he counted among the many obscure sources ofBach. That Bach was acquainted with the Suites of Dieupart is shown l»y Spitta {see Mr. Fuller Maitland's EngUsh translation, p. 203, 1.). The amountof his indebtedness is here stated (post, under Dieupart). It is evident that Bach made a close study of several move- ments,_ transcribed, imitated, and, according to his wont, vastly improved upon them. 8157 XI classical school of French harpsichord playing — Couperin's "L'Art de toucher le Clavecin," 1717. It was from this distinguished school of Cham- bonnieres and the Couperins that J. S. Bach got his signs. The things expressed by the French steno- graphic characters are of course much older than the characters themselves, and probably reached Bach from all parts of Europe — from the English virginal players and composers of the Parthenia through Sweelinck of Amsterdam and some of his many disciples, Buxtehude of Liibeck, • Bruhns of Husum, Scheidt of Halle, and Rein- ken of Hamburg — from Frescobaldi in Rome through his pupils Froberger and Franz Tunder, who became organist at Liibeck — through the South German organist and cembalist George Muffat, who spent six years in Paris in | Lully's time — from Pachelbel, organist at Nurn- berg— from friends and colleagues whom Bach heard and admired in his youth, such as George Bohm, organist at Liineburg, and Johann Gott- fried Walther, organist at Weimar — from the older members of his own family — and even from Faustina Hasse and the vocalists of the Italian Opera at'Dresden. However this maybe, it is certain that Bach's use of signs is mainly based on French models. When teaching the "Manieren"* to his infant son Friedemann (1720), Bach designated them by a queer conglomeration of Italian and French names, qualified by German adjectives. The German names for the French signs, as set forth in C. Ph. Emanuel Bach's "Versuch ueber die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen " (Essay on the true way of playing the Clavier), 1753, are still in use. They have the merit of being simple and definite, and for that reason deserve to be adopted. t In the matter of " Manieren," C. Ph. E. Bach also follows in the wake of the French masters, whom he praises for their accuracy, neatness, and good taste. But his view embraces a far more extensive field than Couperin's, and he goes into many subtle details, of which Couperin apparently had no notion. By the aid of numerous examples, he explains all the signs * The German term for graces, from manus =zha.nd. ■f As has been done in the excellent articles, " Vorschlag," "Vorhalt," " Doppelschlag " (turn), " Nachschlag," &c., by Professor Franklin Taylor in Grove's Dictionary of Music. separately, and adds sundry complications of his own. His book represents the high-water mark of the "clavier"* before the advpnt of the pianoforte. The chapters on " Manieren " have therefore been translated, and are given in extenso (Part ii., chap. i). C. Ph. E. Bach is admitted to be the leading representative of the German school of " clavier" playing. None the less it would be a mistake to accept him as the sole guide to his father's works, even in the matter of graces, of which he makes so great a specialty. He does not profess to be a guide to any man's practice .other than his own; and though he speaks reverently of his "blessed father" (mein seliger Vater) and quotes his words as those of a " great man," he quotes them simply to enforce his own views. The practice of J. S. Bach cannot be traced without constant reference to the works of his predecessors and the contemporaries of his early days. At the time of his death, 1750, musicians did not feel the value of his example as we now feel it, and few were aware of more than one side of his genius. Few really followed and continued in his ways as a practical organist and clavier- player, still less as a composer for keyed instruments ; and nobody thought of analyzing his style as an executant or of re- cording his precepts as a teacher. His sons and disciples started each on some by-way of his own and strove to develop some specialty. Ac- cordingly, none of that remarkable cluster of instruction books which appeared soon after Bach's decease can be taken as adequately re- presenting him, though for the most part they emanate directly from the circle of his pupils and friends. Three of these books, which are contemporary with C. Ph. E. Bach's " Versuch," and cover the same ground as regards ornaments, may be * Before and after J. S. Bach German musicians applied the term clavier in a general way to all instruments with a' key- board — viz., to the clavichord, the clavier proper from which came the square pianoforte, as well as to the harpsichord ; to the spinet, virginal, clavecin, clavicembalo, Flugel, from which came the modern Grand. Bach even includes elaborate pieces for the organ in his " clavier-uebung " (clavier prac- tice). As to the construction and mechanism of the old instruments of the clavier tribe, consult Mr. A. J. Hipkins's articles, all at first hand and perfectly reliable, in Grove's Dictionary. 8157 Xll mentioned here: Fr. Wilh. Marpurg's "Die Kunst das Clavier zu spielen" (1750), Joachim Quantz's " Versuch einer Anweisung die Flote traversiere zu spielen" (1752), and Leopold Mozart's " Grundliche Violinschule" (1756). Even a fourth, D. G. Turk's " Klavierschule," which is comparatively late (1789), deserves notice, although it is little more than a recapitulation and expansion of C. Ph. E. Bach's teaching; it forms, however, a convenient link between the old " clavier" knd the new "forte-piano." ******** The great number and variety of graces and conventional divisions constantly employed by the Italian vocalists and violists, the French and Ger- man lutenists, clavecinists, and organists of the sixteenth, seventeenth, and the first half of the eighteenth century, is only superficially accounted for by a reference to the prevailing taste of the times for elaborate and courtly finery, or an allusion to the poverty of tone and other supposed defects of the fashionable instruments — the lute and the harpsichord. From a musician's point of view, divisions and graces are part and parcel of musical speech — elements of style, having a common origin. The explanation of their rapid develop- ment lies in our instinct for variety and in the delight which variety gives. This is obvious enough. But it is not so easy to assign the cause of their minute specialization, and of so many rules being laid down for their proper use and application. With a group of poets the vocabulary may in- crease whilst the range of similes, comparisons, and images widens, until a need is felt for con- centration and a more careful choice of words. So, with a school of composers, the tendency of divisions and graces to luxuriate and run riot may bring about a desire for some check. It would seem that the curbing and regulating in- fluence which, in the end, got the upper hand of random ornamentation, was developed in thorough bass — the harmonic system with its figured con- timio. In early days, in secular songs as well as in solo music for the lute, &c., the • use of graces was permitted without much regard to regularity of time or any special rate of speed, and the instinct of executants could be trusted to secure an acceptable result. But when, in the course of the seventeenth century, a change from the contrapuntal to the harmonic method of treat* ment became more and more marked — when pieces of music came to be founded on some simple well balanced series of fundamental har- monies — it was felt that divisions and ornaments ought to chime exactly with the rhythmic move- ment of the bass. Expert harmonists among composers were thus induced to determine the exact position— the " seat," as they called it — of each grace, and to show by some sign what sort of grace was best for a particular note in a par- ^ ticular position.* On the other hand, most vocal and many instru- mental Uirtuosi chose to insert divisions and graces whenever and wherever they thought fit. They prided themselves on their apparently impromptu performances of such " fiorituri," and strongly inclined towards tempp rubato. In this connection, more and more frequently, cases arose when composers found it worth while to prevent vagaries and to describe the ornaments in small notes (grace notes) or to adopt the practice of defining the signs for such ornaments by means of a table. J. S. Bach went further than this. Not only did he accept the highly specialized signs and the practice of writing " les agr^mens " in full, but, finding that the license of execu- tants was still an impediment, he chose to incorporate many of the ordinary ornaments and virtually to embody them in his text. Minute examination discloses that he generally did this when graces occur in a position where a lax habit might have tempted an executant to misapply them, to put them in the wrong place as to time,.' to take them too quick or too slow, or to introduce! dubious accidentals. Thus, in a roundabout way it has come to pass that certain traditional ornaments fully written out form a by no means inconsiderable part of J. S. Bach's figuration. In the mature works of Bach's* two greatest successors, Beethoven and Wagner, the instinct for a grand style has led to the almost total extinction of the graces as such, and to the * The intermittent and uncertain practice of composers in this respect is the cause of the elaborate disQussions and directions in the. instruction books of Quantz and C. Ph. E. Bach, regarding the conditions under which it may or may not be proper to apply a particular sort of grace. 8157 xin absorption even of some of the simplest of them — witness the very frequent occurrence of thecommon tmn, broadly written out and fused with the context in Wagner's Tristan and Meistersinger. Many a curious fact or inference with regard to the true origin of certain things, or the connection of one thing with another has come to light. For instance: the Italian "Partite sopra 1' aria" of Frescpbaldi's time prove identical with the earlier English variations and divisions of the Parthenia. It would appear that the rather absurdly so-called cyclical forms before the sonata — the Suite and Partita— arose from the practice of lute players. Lutenists, who were in the habit of playing from the book — "a livre ouvert " — found it convenient to copy pieces in the same key one after another, so that they might be in a position to play several pieces in succession without having to stop and fumble the leaves, or to re-tune the open bass strings of the lute. This is the true origin of the "ordres des pieces," " suites des pieces," &c. The juxta- position of the movements, with a view to con- trast and pleasant sequence, is a later affair. ^ In the comments to the quotations from Caccini's - " Nuove Musiche" it is shown that the tempo rubato probably originated in the Monody {circa i6oo), when the divisions and graces of the vocal part were .sang, for the sake of expression, with certain deviations from the steady progress of the bass. The fact that time signatures — G I (U I ^ 3 1 3 4 Z 1 4 4 &c. in the seventeenth century, and probably all along, were meant — besides their usual significance — to suggest the speed of the units of time — that is, tempo in the modern sense, as we would now write Largo f — is clearly brought out in Fresco- baldi's preface to his " Capricci, Canzone, and Recercari " (1624) and in Purcell's lessons (1696). By way of analogy to this, it would appear from Diruta (before 1593) that in his time the clumsy old fingering for keyed instruments had some connection with stress, accent, phrasing : " Good fingers " are to play good notes— i.e., those that have the stress; "bad fingers," bad notes — those that have it not. And there is a survival of this sort of thing, not only in Frescobaldi, where one might expect to find it, but as late as Couperin (1717). * * See the discussion of the old method of fingering and the corollaries in the chapter on Diruta. The peculiar disposition of early Italian organs,* and their light touch compared with German organs, explains how the organists in Italy came so readily to fall into 'division and to cultivate a taste for little trills and fiorituri. A clever organ builder, like Attegnati of Brescia, produced an instrument easier to manipulate; and in the hands of iiigenious players the result was the Toccata.f Elaborate ornaments are sometimes discovered in the alto or tenor parts of old pieces written out note for note — imbedded in the text, as it were — and conveying to the eye, if not to the ear, an impression of intolerable cacophony. Yet such bits are readily intelligible and can be played in a satisfactory manner, if only the player realises that he is dealing with a "grace." Compare the remarkable case of the obsolete ornament called the " double-relish," which occurs twice over in Orlando Gibbons' Pavana, "The Lord of Salisbury," Parthenia, No. XVIII. Modern editors of the Parthenia thought such passages corrupt and tried conjec- tural emendations ; but, the grace notes being allowed for, the harmonic succession will be found correct and according to rule (see p. 22). One other point demands notice. The musicians of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, with whom our task begins, were brought up on the ecclesiastical scales — the modes. With the rise of the opera and the growth of instrumental music, thorough-bass, to some extent, replaced counterpoint, and the modern major and minor scales made their way rapidly. Yet, up to the time of Bach and later, melodies written in the modes formed the theme of many a fine piece — witness some of Bach's Chorales and Choral- Vorspiele. It is natural, therefore, that the feeling of Bach's predecessors and contemporaries should incline towards diatonic progressions generally and, in the case of ornaments, towards diatonic changing notes. This being so, it ceases to be a matter for surprise and dubious shaking of the head when we find so many instances of ornaments fully written * See the specification of one of the organs at St. Mark's? Venice, circa 1580, p. 55, and the directions for registra- tion with regard to the various modes, p. 56. ■[■ There is a good parallel in the tone and touch of the Viennese pianofortes in Mozart's time and the ornate playifig of Hummel, Czerny, and the rest of the so-called brilliant school of pianists. 8157 XIV out, in which the changing notes in shakes, mor- dents, and turns are simply diatonic. The modern ear is inclined to demand accidentals in places where their insertion would be an anachronism and a blunder. Organists will remember the case of the two mordents, on the fifth B, with which the theme of Bach's Fugue in E minor (No. III. of the first set of Six Preludes and Fugues for the Organ)* begins. The accessory note belonging to these mordents is meant to be the diatonic fourth, A — not A sharp. To say that the accessory note ought to be a semitone so as to chime with the semitone which arises when the mordent is applied to the answer beginning on the tonic E, is irrelevant. Ornaments qua ornaments were dia- tonic before and in Bach's time, and they must be so interpreted. Besides, cases of the fifth changing with the fourth are by no means rare, even in the very themes of Bach's Fugues. Compare the diatonic turn on the fifth fully written out and persistently kept up all the way through in the subject of the Fugue in C sharp major (Preludes and Fugues, Part I.), or the mordent on the fifth, also written out, with which the subject of the' Fugue in C major (Part II.) opens. A few words may be added as to matter and' arrangement. The leading authorities are presented in some- thing like historical sequence before J. S. Bach and contemporary with him. With regard to the voice, the chapters headed Caccini and Tosi should be consulted. With regard to instruments — organ and harpsichord — those on Diruta, who, as the author of the first good instruction book, stands for Claudio Merulo, Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, as well as for the composers of the Parthenia and ■ for Sweelinck; on Frescobaldi, who stands for his disciple Froberger, and indirectly for George Muffat and Pachelbel ; on Chambonnieres, D'Angle- bert, Fran9ois Couperin, and Rameau, who represent the French school ; on Domenico Scarlatti, Purcell, Handel, and C. Ph. E. Bach. For the lute, see the chapters headed Mersenne, Gaultier, Mace ; 'for the viol, Christopher Simpson, Corelli, and Geminiani. Around and by the side of these authorities are grouped the lesser luminaries. Such as Quantz the flautist, the amateurs and clever connoisseurs Matheson, Marpurg, Jean Jaques Rousseau, the garrulous clavier pedagogue Turk. * Bach Ges., Vol. XV., p. loa. The true centrepiece is, of course, J. S. Bach, who appears to embrace the whole and to include, everybody and everything. The words and notes of the quotations, with/ few and insignificant exceptions, are at first hand, and may be taken for the originals of which they are an exact reproduction. Though not always literal the translations will be found substantially accurate. The succession of tables with com- ments is intended to set forth the various orna- ments with their signs together with each master's interpretation of his own signs. Every temptation to abbreviate, condense, or systematise has been avoided. Systemisation would involve so much suppression of minute differences and so much fusion of matter which does not naturally cohere that it would produce a false impression. All authentic tables of graces are, therefore, given in extenso, and no effort has been made to lessen the amount of repetition which a complete repro- duction of the originals involves. A few of the tables are the result of compilation by the writer. Others, like the table in Mace's treatise pn the lute, " Musick's Monument," II., which exists only in tablature, have been deciphered and explained according to the author's intentions. The familiar G and F clefs have been adopted, and occasionally the hooks of isolated notes have been drawn together. It is hoped that the signs occurring in any master's works will be readily understood by a glance at the table and explications bearing his name or the name of the leading contemporary to whose school he belongs, and that in the light of the accompanying com- ments the application of the ornaments signified will be less uncertain and difficult than it has hitherto been. Corollaries regarding technical matters more or less connected with ornamentation, such as fingering on keyed instruments, tempo, the use , of accidentals, &c., are now and then discussed at some length. ^Esthetical considerations, on the other hand, have been avoided as superfluous and possibly misleading. In view of the authentic materials, sifted and arranged, the reader can at any moment satisfy himself whether or not a particular phase of the subject deserves to be called good, bad, or indifferent — detestable or desirable. Copies of the works quoted are, for the m.ost part, in the writer's possession. Some were con- sulted at the British Museum, Her Majesty's 8157 XV Library, Buckingham Palace,, and the Royal College of Music. Others came from the rich collection of Mr. T. W. Taphouse of Oxford, to whose kindness the writer is particularly indebted for the loan of Richard Aylward's curious MS. book of lute and harpsichord music {circa 1640), and, to mention but a few out of many, for Diruta's " Transilvano," Lock's " Melothesia," Mace's " Musick's Monument," the Suites of Froberger and Dieupart. To Sir George Grove, Director of the Royal College of Music, best thanks are due for the free use of those treasures of the College Library : Dr. Burney's copy of the extremely rare first edition of the Parthenia, and the splendid volume containing the complete edition (1637) of Frescobaldi's "Toccate d'Intavolatura," "Partite diverse," &c. {Lib. 1. and IL) Explanatory remarks and music notes in brackets, such as often occur among the quota- tions, are additions by the writer. The dates, in every instance, have been revised ; but where there are so many some must be wrong. Any corrections of fact addressed to the writer, through the publishers, will be very gratefully received, GIROLAMO DIRUTA // Transilvano — Dialogo sopra il vero modo di sonar Organi et Istromenfi da penna." — Venice, 1593. A dialogue upon the true way to play the organ and quilled instruments — (virginals, spinets, and the like). TRANSLATED FROM THE THIRD EDITION. Venice, 1635. I. DiRUTA conveys his instructions in the form of a dialogue between himself and his pupil, a Transyl- vanian prince, " II Transilvano." Transilvano. — " How is it that many organists do not succeed so well in playing upon istromenti da penna (virginals, spinetti, clavicembali) as upon the organ ? " Diruta. — " I might give many reasons, but I will state the most important only, and begin by saying that the instruments ought to be equally ' quilled, ' * the touch easy, and the sound powerful enough to, sustain the harmony.t The player ought to adorn his performance with tremoli and accenti (improvised changes), so that the prolonged sound which is peculiar to the organ may in a measure be reproduced. For example : if you play a breve or a semibreve on the organ the sound will continue so long as you hold down the key ; but on a quilled instrument the soiind will disappear before you have done with half the value of the note. It is therefore necessary to make up for this loss by vivacity and dexterity of hand ; and also by lightly touching the key several times in succession (con percuotere piu volte il tasto leggiadramente). In a word, if you want to play with taste and dexterity, study the works of Signor Claudio (Merulo), where you will find everything needful." Diruta proceeds to expound the correct method of fingering, which he states to be that of his teacher, Claudio Merulo (1533 — 1604). Merulo's method can be taken as representative of the Venetian school generally — Willaert, Cyprian de Rore, Andrea and Giovanni Gabrieli, Florenzio Maschera, Luzzasco Luzzaschi, — and, by impli- cation, of the disciples of that school, the German Hans Leo Hassler, the Dutchman Sweelinck, and in all probability also of the Englishmen Byrde, Bull, Peter Phillips, and Orlando Gibbons. It comes to this : two or more parts or chords in the same hand are treated as we still treat them, allowing for a somewhat less frequent use of the thumb. But in scale passages Diruta's method, and that of all players before Seb. Bach and his sons, differs from ours. The' old virtuosi did not pass the thumb, they chose to pass the fingers over one another : in the right hand — ascending, the third over the fourth, descending, the third over the second-; in the left hand — descending, the second over the third, ascending, the third over the second. J Diruta distinguishes between "note buone," notes which have the stress, and "note catttve," notes which have it not. Accented notes to be played with the second and fourth fingers, dite buone, good fingers ; unaccented notes with the first, third, and fifth fingers, dite cattive, bad fingers. Right hand, \j .^ \j o - " Left hand. ^ ^ 'HLr t a 2 3 *-J.^ ^e ^^ 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 Diruta. — "You must not descend with the third and fourth fingers, because it is inconvenient; nor must you ascend with the first and second, yet many people do so, because the thumb is not fit to play the B molle (flat — black key) though it is serviceable enough upon B quadro (natural — white key). Black keys * Quills jerked the strings, to excite their sound. \ Compare Fran50is Couperin, " L'art de toucher le Clavecin " (1717), p. 45 : — " II faut surtout se rendre trfes delicat en claviers ; et avoir toujours un instrument bien emplumfi. Je comprens cependant qu'il y a des gens k qui cela peut estre indiff6rent; parce qu'il's jouent 6galement mal sur quel qu' instrument que cesoit." I Jan van Eyk, in his picture of SL Caecilia at the Organ, altar of Ghent, represents the position of the hands upon the keyboard vyith his usual fidelity. The old mode of fingering and the position illustrate one another. Copyright, 1891, by Novella, Ewer and Co, 8157 are generally to be played with the 'dite buone' (good fingers). The third finger shall also play the unaccented notes which form skips (' note cattive che saltono '), such as skips of thirds, of fourths, of fifths." These precepts as to the use of good and bad fingers taken together seem to imply that the fingering, to a certain extent, stood for phrasing, or at least that the rules of fingering were to be applied with a view to proper accent, and that the phrasing required would suggest the fingering- and vice versd. " Skips of larger intervals require the following fingering " : — Salio buono (skip with the accent). Right hand. Salto cattivo (unaccented skip). 4 jfjg ^ j?^j=^^ Zl -«J- • ^ 8 4 S 4-^- Z^ * 3 4 3 4 • 2 Thus the second, third, and fourth fingers, "fanno tutto la fatica," and the thumb and fifth have an easy time of it. Nicolaus Ammerbach (one of J. S. Bach's predecessors at the " Thomas-schule," Leipzig), in his '' Orgel oder Instru- mental Tabulatur," 1571, has the following fingering for the scale — the thumbs being marked o and the fingers with the first three numerals : — Right. iSHi hi -^ i =^ Left. 3 2 1 _ The queer fingering for the left hand is probably meant to apply to the scale of C. Compare Cabezon's directions below. Ammerbach also describes two kinds of what he calls " Mordant " : — " If the phrase ascends, say from E to F, E alternates with D, and F with E," thus — (Written.) Played. If the phrase descends, say from F to E, F alternates with G, and E with F," thus — (Written.) Played. Lorenzo Penna, "Li primi Albori Musicali " (Bologna, 1656; fifth edition, Antwerp, 1690), gives directions for fingering similar to Diruta's. Antonio de Cabezon's "Obras de Musica," edited by his son Hernando (1575-78): — "Ascending passages with the right hand are played with the third and fourth fingers ; descending passages with the second and third fingers, the thumb being counted as one. The left hand, ascending, begins with the fourth finger, goes on to the thumb, then again starts with the fourth, and so on. Descending, the process is reversed." Henry Purcell (" Lessons," published by his widow, 1696) : — Right hand. 12 3*3434 .....,„ Left hand simile. The notation of the fingering being reversed, " your little finger is the first ; so on to the fifth." Fran(jpis Couperin, " L'art de toucher le Clavecin " (1717) :— 1 234343 i i 4 3^ Maniere plus commode, pour les tons dieses, et bemolis^s. I j ^ 1 2 3 4 2 3 < 4. 4. 4 3 j ^ ^ 3 2 Progres de tierces coulees 2 2 3 S157 HOW TO I!LAY GROPPI {i.e., HOW TO IMPROVISE DIVISIONS). Diruta. — " Groppi are played in various ways — that is, with crotchets, quavers, and semiquavers ; also with semiquavers and demisemiquavers. They move diversely, ascending and descending diatonically 4 also with accidentals, as shown in the following examples : " — * a. (Subject.) m i Diatonic Groppi, W zrzz 32Z 9' JiJXOJJ^ ^ ^ * 6. (Subject.) E5 5 T?" -rr- -Tzr (m ** J— * J *Q ^ ^3^ 35=*! ^J^J^JjJJJ.TT^ B c. (Subject.) Groppi with accidentals — (Accidentals are to be inserted at a cadence.) ^ "C7" !)' ' J. jn. Further examples of Groppi — rss- (Subject.) ^ :^ i S'JJJJJ^JJJJ^JJTO.TO (Subject. Ionic Mode transposed, requires \? for fa.) s -j'^ ^J J cj z (Subject. Doric Mode transposed, requires \> for its minor third and Jf for the cadence.) i 4' JiJ^jJ^'^^ rrrrrrfr J^''^i^^-i ->j-iJ''jjj^^ w Si * Words, notes, and accidentals in brackets are the writer's. S1S7 ^ (Subject. Doric.) TTzr 32= ^ S (Subject. Doric.) :r r - < p ' ^ ± =P2: HOW TO PLAY TREMOLI (SHAKES). Diruta. — " You should ta,ke care to play all Tremoli lightly and with agility, and you should not perform them with the key below, as some do, but with the key above. If you have ever watched players upon the viols, the lute, &c., or players upon wind instruments, you must have seen that they accompany the main note of a Tremolo with an upper accessory note and not with a lower. The following examples of Tremoli on minims will show this " : — Tremolo with the right hand Tremolo with the left hand. Transilvano. — " In this example there are eight demisemiquavers : do they constitute the Tremolo ?" Diruta. — " You must understand that if a Tremolo is to be made upon a minim, the Tremolo will last only half a minim — that is, one crotchet — as the example shows. And the same thing takes place with notes of any other value ; that is to say, the shake takes just half the value of the main note, as you will see in the various examples which follow. Moreover, to succeed well with Tremoli, you must take care of two things : first, the speed of the notes upon which Tremoli are to be made ; and secondly, the very name of these ornaments — Tremolo ; by wl^ich you will understand that sometimes the fingers are to move slowly and softly, and at other times quickly and energetically." WHEN AND WHERE TREMOLI MAY BE INTRODUCED (A CHE TEMPO SI DEVONO FAR LI TREMOLI). Diruta.-^" First, you may introduce Tremoli at the beginning of a Ricercare, a Canzone, or any other piece of music*; also, when one hand plays several parts and the other hand one part only, then the hand which plays the single part may introduce Tremoli. Furthermore, and subject to the approval of organists, I will repeat what I have said before : If Tremoli are played gracefully, and introduced in the proper place, they are sure to improve the effect and enliven the harmony, I will now give the examples I promised : The first shall be Tremoli upon minims ; the second upon crotchets; the third upon quavers. Tremoli cannot be played upon semiquavers, because they are too quick. I shall first give a subject in minims and show how Tremoli can be applied to it in two ways. Then I shall do the same with a subject in crotchets and with a subject in quavers, and I shall write out the examples for the right hand as well as for the left " : — *I.e., When a subject is given out by a single voice or part it may be embellished with tremoli. Gibbons's Fantazia, p. zy. Compare the subject of ' 8157 Tremoli on minims, right hand— i (Subject. Doric.) ^ ^— & - lE D^^^0 ^^^^ ,t= ^ J J J ^ J_JJ_J ^ S *-i-^ ^ ft: yjvj^j^jj *-•-*■ ^-^-^-w- Tr«»8o/t o» crotchets-^ (Subject.) S" IE ^ ^ g=^^ ^~^~g Tremoli on quavers- (Subject.) ^^^??^j ^^^BTJ. , ^^ ^ — j^ ^^^^ ^ Tremoli on minims, left hand — (Subject. Phrygian.) f= — ^ p' c> =f=z= Tremoli on croichets- (Subject.) ( ^^r r r ^^2^55^ ^^^ Tremoli on quavers — (Subject.) /-V IPJ. • II «tl^ i' ' .1^ — u r SJl- r TREMOLETTI (HALF-SHAKES). Diruta. — " Some players, particularly Signor Claudio (Merulo) are in the habit of introducing certain Tremoletti when the notes descend diatonically. In such cases the value of the notes suffers some change, as the following examples show " : — (Subject.) ^ P • - rj (N.B.) (iSubject.) (N.B.) ^i J J J ^ g^37^J_j^ g ^ jTjiJ—J- ^i^ ~cr 8157 B . Transilmno. — " These last Tremoletti appear to me to be more difficult than the others." Diruta. — " True — they are so for beginners ; but, on the contrary, as we are talking of Tremoletti, and especially of those which Signor Claudio (Merulo) is in the habit of using in his ' Canzone alia Francese,' where they form the principal traits, I am bound to say that if you observe the rules for Tremoli in general, you will, in the end, find all these Tremoletti easy enough." Examples of Tremoletti on quavers — (Subject.) t= ^^^i Jv?j_^ P (2 3 2) (343) (3 4 3) (Subject.) ^^ 5 3SQ ^ fe (3 4) (3 2) 0^^ mfm ^ r r^rf ^m j^it J'JJJJ Transilvano. — " In the first example I find that the first Tremoletto falls upon an accented note, and is played with the second and third fingers of the right hand. The second Tremoletto falls upon an unaccented note, and is played with the third and fourth fingers. The third Tremoletto also falls upon an unaccented note, and is played with the middle finger. Furthermore, in the second example, I find the same — the Tremoletto of four demisemiquavers falls upon an unaccented note, and the second Tremoletto falls upon an accented one." Diruta. — " You have understood perfectly. But I will tell you something more with regard to this matter. If you should find that you are short of fingers, seeing that you cannot finish the trait with the fingers at your disposal in the ordinary course, you must start with such fingers as will enable you to finish it conveniently. I hope the following example will show you what I mean " : — (Subject, left hand.)* . m -&■ (»'•«■) Transilvano. — " Here the first Tremoletto falls upon the accented note, and is played with the second and first fingers of the left hand. The second Tremoletto of four demisemiquavers falls upon an unaccented note, and if it is played with the third and second fingers it will be impossible to finish the trait in the ordinary way of fingering. Now, inasmuch as the syncopation compels us to turn an unaccented note into an accented one, we must take the Tremolo with a ' good ' finger (il dito buono — i.e., a finger which usually takes accented notes) ; therefore we must play it with the second and first finger." Diruta.—" So it is, and not otherwise; and the same thing takes place with the right hand on similar occasions." ■_ * In the original the tie is expressed by dots in a semi-cir6le : '''""'•. 8157 9 The following points demand notice here : — Shakes, according to Diruta, take up half the value of the main note and stop upon it ; they start w'.ih the main note, and they are played with the upper accessory. Like Groppi, shakes are diatonic, unless a cadence demands an accidental. But in both the first and the second examples of tremoletti (see N.B., p. 7), there is a case of the lower accessory note forming part of the shake; and the first example of diatonic groppi contains a shake with the lower diatonic accessory. Again Diruta stigmatizes shakes "with the key below" as bad practice; his examples, however, show that mordents — i.e., shakes or half-shakes, with the lower accessory tone or semitone — were common enough in his time. Moreover, his groppi exhibit shakes which start with the upper accessory and not with the main note as he demands. This ambiguity in Diruta is representative of the vexatious question whether shakes shall start with the accessory or with the main note which persists to the present day. Here, as already stated, it is case law, if there is to be any law at all. " Shakes are both slow and quick " ; it follows that, in practice, the number of notes which constitute a shake was not so rigidly fixed as his examples seem to demonstrate. With regard to " repercussion of the key " and " accenti," Diruta unfortunately does not give examples. The treatises of Caccini and Praetorius, however, contain what is wanted, and they are of sufficiently early date to stand for the practice of Diruta's time. Repercussion is called Trillo in the examples from Caccini and Praetorius ; it is further noticed by Tosi, and turns up again and again, under many a curious aspect, in J. S. and C. Ph. E. Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, and Wagner. ******************* Claudio Merulo, in the preface to "Canzoni Francese" (1599), pays a memorable compliment to his pupil and expositor Diruta : " Ha fatto a lui et a me insieme singolare honore." ANDREA GABRIELI . . . 1510-1586. CLAUDIO MERULO .... 1533-1604. GIOVANNI GABRIELI . . . 1557-1612-13. JAN PIETERS SWEELINCK. . 1561-1621. 8157 13 i II. ANDREA GABRIELI. GROPPI AND TREMOLI FROM " CANZON ARIOSA " (1596). r J J J nr:! i \ r j JJPj J (H) J=i ^^p ? :j' ^ r r r ^o g-T^ izz: -I 1- :4± f i frr^f r ^ m I* I* j | i?j J (ft) ^ rtdsn r'& ^i s ^— a^- s .^-^iJ^ J J ^^ :p=q!!= rrc^r r i !- il . .rrjjjj -J — I- i=i= :iS3 ^ ^ ^^,t::ffrr J I JJJJJ t-rn — f jj^tt^j:^. 'it^ -^-j.^ ^•■^ ^ ^ ^ jjj -J- &c. J- 231 i CLAUDIO MERULO. TREMOLI FROM "TOCCATE D'INTAVOLATURA D'ORGANO," Lift. /. (1598). — ^ I y .f.f.f . ^ — I- Eit :?2= ^ 1^ -* — •- tr^ ^ ^^^ !^ -^ ^r^££^^f-f ^a I I 8157. 14 i GIOVANNI GABRIELI. FROM THE "TABULATURBUCH" OF B. SCHMID, Jun. (1607). Duodecimus Tonus. 1 , 1 ^^^^ it^ tA -* occurs in early MSS. of music for the Virginals (Her Majesty's Library, Buckingham Palace, and elsewhere), where it is meant for a slide of a third upwards, for a short appog- giatura from below or from above, or now and then for a mordent (semi-shake, with the lower diatonic accessory). With Christopher Simpson (1659), Mace (1676), Lock, and Purcell the ascending line *— signifies a "beat," a " forefall," or " half-fall "—i.e., appoggiatura beginning from below; whereas the sign reversed **i signifies a " cadent," a " backfall " — i.e., an appoggiatura beginning from above. It is likely, therefore, that the sign — ■ in the Parthenia sometimes stands for an appoggiatura from below or from above, or for a double appoggiatura — i.e., a slide. 2. The double sign 1^ occurs with varying significance up to the time of J*. S. Bach.* With Van Noordtt (1659) it signifies a shake. With Matthew Lock (1673) the same. With Purcell (before 1696) a shake beginning with the upper accessory. With Reinken {circa 1680 — 1700) a short shake beginning on the main note. If we accept the statement of the earliest printed authority — Diruta, " II Transilvano " (1593)*-" a shake takes up half the value of the main note," it would appear that the sign ^ in the Parthenia some- times stands for a short shake or " Prall-triller ; "t prolonged shakes being written out in full. 3. The graces of the Old English lutenists were imitated by the players upon keyed instruments ; and among the favourite graces of lutenists we find — I ^''. ll ^- 11^ SF * In Walsh's reprint of certain pieces from the Suites of Dieupart ^g and -•— ■ are the equivalents of short trills and mordents. ^S has even found its way into the excellent table of graces in dementi's " Introduction to the Art of Playing on the Pianoforte " (1801), copied, presumably, from the tables of Lock and Purcell. dementi explains it as a shake beginning with the upper accessory, also as " a shake beginning by the note itself," " a transient or passing shake," " a turned shake," and " a beat," but he very rarely uses it himself. f Anthony van Noordt, " Tabulatur-Bock van Psalmen en Fantasyen,'" &c., 1659 (compare Playford's publication of "Psalms in Division"): shakes are marked by crossing the tail of a note a B ::is | and the mark x, as in Sweelinck'S Tabulatur, represents our ^. I Such is undoubtedly the case in a MS. Lute and Virginal book, signed Rich. Aylward (circa 1640), kindly lent to the writer for transcription into modern notation by Mr. T. W. Taphouse, Oxford. Is the Rich. Aylward of this MS. the R..A. of No, 1,040, a MS. volume of corantos, jigs, and airs, in the Archbishop's Library at Lambeth ? 8157. 19 The two latter are mordents — i.e., shakes with the lower accessory. Probably, therefore, ^ in the Parthenia sometimes represents a short or long mordent. 4. Diruta's " percuotere piU volte il tasto leggiadramente " — touch the key lightly several times in succession — may possibly apply. If so, we have the vibrato of the old singing masters, the " close shake " of Christopher Simpson, the " sting " or " verre casse " of the lutenists, the " Bebung " of Sebastian and ,C. Ph. E. Bach and of Mozart, of Beethoven (Op. 6g, 106, and no) and of Chopin. Accordingly it may be that ^ in the Parthenia, if placed over long notes which cannot well be sustained, and especially over prolonged notes at the end of a section, is occasionally intended to signify the reiteration of a note. Of course a true vibrato, in the sense of the lute players of old and the violinists of to-day— j.g., a very slight and extremely rapid fluctuation of the pitch, produced by a tremulous motion of the finger upon the strings — is impossible with the mechanism of keyed instruments. But an effect closely resembling it can be got upon the clavichord. Clavichord players, when they wished to prolong the sound of a note, allowed the key to rise partially only, the finger retained its hold of the key, and the vibration of the string was continued by repeated pressure, with slightly disturbed pitch. On the virginals, spinetti, and harpsi- chords, however, the process was simply one of repercussion, at more or less regular intervals. The earliest instance known to the writer in which a substitute for vibrato* is written out in full, occurs in Froberger's *' Suite de Clavessin " {fede Partita) in D (before 1650) :— Allemandb. A later and familiar example is contained in the bass of J. S. Bach's Gavotte in G minor ("Suites Anglaises," No. 3) : — ^ f I* ^ E^ &c. This latter tremolo, played with a change of fingers, often occurs in the harpsichord pieces of Domenico Scarlatti (Czerny's Edit., No. 118, &c.) ; whereas the former tremolo (Bebung) played with a single finger which, as aforesaid, simply " weighs " the key, and does not leave it, is common in C. Ph. E. Bach, who proclaims his preference for the clavichord on account of its expressive qualities, and particularly because it is capable of producing this particular kind of Bebung.t Frobergers's date is half-a-century later than that of Byrde, Bull, and Gibbons ... but since Diruta mentions such repercussions of the key as an effect which good cembalists ought to be able to produce, we may, perhaps, take for granted that the English masters were acquainted with it. The shortest piece, and one of the neatest in the Parthenia, No. VI., Byrde's Pavana " The Earle of Salisbury," will serve to show how the graces occur, and how they may be executed :— * Sweelinck's pupil, the organist at Halle, Samuel Scheldt (1587-1654), tried something of the kind. He attempted an imitation of vibrato by the rapid interchange of the fingers on the same key. " Bicinium imitatione tremula organi duobus digitis in una tantum clave manu turn dextra., turn sinistra." — See Max Seiffert's edition of Scheidt's Tabulatura Nova, p. 6a. Leipzig, 1892. f Bumey's Travels. 8157. 20 ^ ^ g A J. cxr F i2l r a f=^ j=*=^ -HS^ ^ rTn i n SE /^ 3^ -j'^r- J. ^J-V ^: J l f^ -s^ ^ ^ "i*^ Vi^ fe The writer plays it thus — [Moderato.) " 3 ^^ =P ^ 33K .;Spr=^ s ^ i dim. 1_-J- 4 -r:!- ? 4 rj t rs. {Tempo.)- 3Cia ! WD I J ife zzsb =r=F ^^r ■ ^ ^ ^ ^^ p ^^^^ ^i _^ 32= •r m ;i' rrr' r r % jjJJJJjJ j"^ J I ^^^^^^ ^ J. ^^ (Tempo.) -I m "5- .^^3-.5!^S J Blffi-r /^ P 'o' ^ In this little piece Diruta's practice of starting Tremoli and Tremoletti with the main note appears to apply perfectly. It is, however, interesting to notice that the very numerous shakes, wholly or partially written out in the Parthenia, always begin with the upper accessory, and not, as Diruta directs, with the main note : — No. v., BYRDE'S GALIARD " Mrs. MARY BROWNLO." i :^ iE tJ $ m -T , rrrrr r rrrf s .1 &c. -g-r^ r Fff In this respect the instinct and the practice of the English masters rather agree with that of the French school of the next century, and with J. S. Bach. Dr. Bull h^s long strings of shakes, all beginning with the diatonic note above — he also introduces such shakes ex ahrupto upon skips and jumps, regardless of any clash that may ensue. A curious grace occurs in Gibbons's Galiard in C, No. XVI. : — I i 9 ± Z2I ^F^? And in the fourth bar of his unpublished Fancy beginning thus : — 8157. 22 MS. 31, 403, fol, 13, p. 23. Brit. Mus. (Note the tonal fugue.) (Short mordent.) IE W T P ^^ r r f r V ^m (Slide C to E.) if' V r ^ ^ ^ (Double-relish.) ^ ^ S IC2Z ^ 3te * ' * d T r ^j^ ^ ^ &c. (Short mordent.) Here we have the " double-telish " of Christopher Simpson (1659) and the "elevation " and "double- relish "of quaint old Mace (1676). It also occurs in Gibbons's Pavin " The Lord of Salisbury " (bars 7 and 9). This latter piece is inserted below as a further illustration of graces. Together with Gibbons's superb: " Fantasia of foure Parts," No. XVII., which immediately precedes it in the Parthenia,* we have the best of extant music for the virginals. Indeed, there is nothing of equal weight in instrumental music before Frescobaldi and Froberger : — "THE LORD OF SALISBURY; HIS PAVIN," BY ORLANDO GIBBONS. (The large notes represent the text without graces.) (^) a Wrr\i J .^ -S-' m. ^^ "T^ r i st i l£ ^ "^^^m TT w A. ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ ff^^ : >r^ y?^ T T * See /losf, p. 25- -29. 8157. 23 ^p =S=FB "P: r^^ >«ij I 3iii£ S=Ni^ p=^^=gj^.^^: 31^ -Tdn j=F?^8*5B f fc F^"^fff^?^^^^ f=^- m ^m ^Tjj J'"' J dEB^^^^^ E^: :^ ~?^~ f" 1^ (or a slide from A to C.) I fefepi (or a slide froin B to D a nd A to C.) -l-« al ^ §^ -aU-^J^J ^ t^ i ^^^--gy^ 3=3=J: {simile.) m gJ^J J b i JijJ-rJ =d= ^ g rt^ -iSl-^Bi- ^ 'flW^ ^ J =pz: EfEj^ =P=^ ^ (simile.) I Ei i^^ :^ ^^^^^ r f :|^ ^^T^Q-f- r r -J^- 'HT 3:i: ^1^ r ;^M=^5Jj^^: ^ yu' I, I '-gl ^ J ^mJ^ 1 T^rrj '^ m I22Z :»* i^ EL^ ■tr'-r *!• ^ ^ =^ I22I 8157. 24 (or a slide from A to C.) ^ . ^^V i J ^ A) JJJJJ^ ^jwj J =?Pr K) Jz * ^ j r^ ,^1 (/i r 3 j^ I 7 ■:J- 2:i: TTT" ^ •P (simile.) 1/ '•' -I- j' J 1 Ml J J u^T^ '^ ^ 1 - = ^ ^ ^ r — f~^ — r — f ' ~ :S ^ fli ^ =ig& se ^SE zz ^ *^ r rmr r r ^ J- *t% ^ OT^ ^ ^ Wii :?= i?^^ ^s i= IZi; :.L:^ i ^ .^:r 'i^\ r " gj-r '"aj^T¥ ^ ^ -i- .^-j -Ji J ^ ^ ^ :A ^^^ f^r ^ ^ a'"'r Cj'r c; i ^^^— g i^r ¥ Orr cr> tjf r ^i/ ^z*^ '^V-g-^^Jii.i The accidentals, with the exception of a few in brackets, are given as they stand in the first edition, and there is no reason to doubt any, unless it be the sharps before G and F in the first bar, which notes, 8157. 25 according to earlier practice, ought to be plain G and F ; but the vacillating use of the major and minor sixth and seventh is characteristic of Gibbons. The study of ornamentation throws a curious light upon the apparently objectionable cacophony in bars 8 and g of the original. The tenor part, which repeats the treble of bar 7 — is simply a " double-relish " written out in full. Therefore the harmony must be taken to stand thus — i ^ -^ *= -^=T=^ - r \ I f- ^ ^ -J. ::P2:5 which is perfectly correct ; and it follows that Professor Pauer's conjectural emendation — D for G in the first crotchet of the alto, bar 9 (" Old English Composers," p. 64) — does not apply. As to style, the best hint is perhaps this : play the piece as though it were sung a capella. Begin the sections deliberately, observe each lead and imitation, and let the closes " have a dying fall " — i.e., diminuendo, calando. At first read the large notes only, without the ornaments ; the musical significance of the piece will thus be more readily understood. A MS. volume of music for the virginals and harpsichord, catalogued at the British Museum as No. 31,403, fol. 15, the older portion of which appears to A3.it circa 1680, contains the following signs for graces, and their explanations, which from the position they occupy in the book may be assigned to that date : • " Graces in play." ^r 1 m /TN m r ^ ~-B~ -r m izsr Vi/ ^^ ' The graces, before, is here exprest in notes." S4 S454S432 ztezil: ^£ r r ^E 43434323 i^s ^s=* {sic.) ~^' ^ :Ai T w zzzi ^v The notation of the fingering agrees with Purcell's. Signed Edward Bevin : a descendant of Elway Bevin ? Both names occur in the book. Accordingly, the simple sign .^ here signifies a sort of slide; the compound sign ^^ a slide and appoggiatura ; „^ slide and shake with peculiar closing notes; £= a shake with a turn (Purcell's " shake turned "). 8157 25 It may be then that the simple stroke — -• in the Parthenia (compare Gibbons's Pavin transcribed above, bar 14, first crotchet G, left hand, bar 19, last crotchet C, treble, and the same in the tenor, bar 20, and also last two crotchets, treble, bar 21, and tenor, bar 22) sometimes stands for a slide of a third ,4 upwards. The fact that circa 1700 such a stroke appears in general use to designate the acciaccatui'a— ' i.e., slide between the notes of a chord — makes this all the more likely. Anyway, the slide was known to Gibbons, who in his Galiardo in C, Parthenia, No. XVI., writes it out in full, both upwards and downwards, bars 3, 5, 6 : J- ^ ■-^^A J. A ^ ^ ^ g Other slides are contained in bars 20 and 35 of the same piece, bar of Gibbons's " Fantazia," post p. 29. Compare also the fifty-second Original copies of the Parthenia are extremely rare ; and .the Musical Antiquarian Society's tran- script by Dr. Rimbault, 1847, which is the source of later edition and extracts, is very misleading, to say • the least of it. The transcriber mistakes plain notes, overlooks rests, binds, and signs of prolongationyai introduces accidentals where they are not wanted, and omits the signs for graces altogether. To supply ' all the missing graces here is, of course, impossible ; but it seems worth while to note a few of the most annoying blunders : Rimbault, •" M. Ant. Soc," p. 5, bar 9 before end (Pauer, " Old Eng." Comp." p. 7), add C minim in the tenor part. Rimb., p. 8, line 2, penultimate bar of Byrde's Galiardo in G, treble F, not F sharp (Pauer, p. 9, bottom). Rimb., p. 19, line i, second half of last bar, add F natural minim, in the. alto (Pauer, p. 31, top line, bar 4). Rimb., p. 46, end of Gibbons's Galiardo in A; G, not G sharp, in the baritone part, left hand (Pauer, p. 68). Rimb., p. 16 (Pauer, p. 25), bar 3 before end, left hand : the entire bar is a third too high ; it should be — Rimb., p. 44 (Pauer, p. 64), bar i— the treble part is a third too low ; it should be— E 'J-' J ^ i J * Sic, semiquavers, they indicate ritardando. The final note of the second treble is D, not B. 8157. Rimb., p. 40, line 3, last three bars (Pauer, p. 62), has- ^^ Here the transcriber, apparently puzzled by the lack of rests and the engraver's neglect to place the notes one over another, seems to have taken a hint from the practice of the " Ecole des simplificateurs." The passage contains a number of slides written out, and should stand thus — i w=^ J"J Jij ^ ji-j- .C2. r I r r' t^ r J7i^ W^ ^ An early attempt at a simplification of this puzzling passage is contained in the MS. volume, 31,403, fol. 15, British Museum, already mentioned. The old copyist is not far out — yet he has blundered in the rhythmical arrangement of the notes — and such guesswork of his has probably given rise to Rimbault's vagaries, both here and elsewhere. The last thirty bars of Gibbons's Fantazia, to which the latter correction belongs, are so hopelessly garbled that the reader must be referred to the transcript of the entire piece which here follows — strictly in accordance with the original : — "FANTAZIA OF FOURE PARTS" {PARTHENIA, No. XVII.), BY ORLANDO GIBBONS. i 5 3; ^ ^ f r ^■■crrffffi r- -z±: :#^ifc^ ^ iri: J J J J^ i '-^- 3ij J IJ JJ J 3 i ^ -rr ¥^ m ^^ 10, ^d— sK- ^^ T ' l "T J I J' J J- J I J J J^^^ ^^^- T ■:i=^ Kp J J ^i -' 1 ^.-^^ T===P ^ ^ ^: m r - * ^ P ,J.TrJ..J lj.J ,j =fet f cTT ' rr 8157. 28 - " \ r rr v irr^r . ri,- ^^ ^ £; '^ ^ ^ J J. M l '" ! 1- ' ^^ '"^ I' - ' r'^-''^>rr'^ r r"0-f r Lq) Hf r ^ *i»^ ^ f J ; m ^ ^^ J: ^ <^^ I i — ^ .i'lJ.S AT- f" tl ^ 321 ^ ::sz i j»j j ^ J-T jj J J M J J i J'i j^^^ F- T C^f- p- -^i i ^ i p'^ptLr^^r'T ' ^ irr-n ^^^ tt ^ Ei 30. ■ J J J , n,j. =^ -^ !S>- m r \' r ife P ^ I r - #' i ;J- J =t 321 ^ ^\-^ E ^j^- ^^ ^ ^) I 4 4^4^ — [•• r If T r f 8157. 29 i i ^ ^ ^^^^^^ f^^^ *=i^ ^ J lP ft=z_ f^, ; , l ° — -^ W ^ ^ J ^ j.^jd"v^^^ A. i r? ^^ =?2= =^^==P 40. ^ J— J ^J ^ :^ =^ ^^ fj ^ ^ «S: ^ '' tJTJ 1} ^-"-J "i^.F- A -J. ^ o r - f -Jl^^J-J rf^ J jy^J J^t I p'^ J P .J j-_ gJ | jJ^J J - 'J- J 1 -^ ^ ^^^^ O Sg g J14 4"4j I i^J j* -L=L ^- ,,JJ.. r f'-fr 3E S ^ ^S 50. f^l=fc D=ii IE ^-W-g j - S ^ f rr r^— ^Cj*-' ■r c/f"- J. r r r* -^' ^J J-J ;:j ^ T" ^ -ST- i m jij — ig^ j=^ J J.- fli i f^^iia*^ disT ' -^r " r ^^^ 1^ 3-r Cj^(=;' ^ . 1 J J.-^ C, « ! 35= ^— ^ icz^ =F=^ ^ =22: T-=P i 5fe »J , ^ »4g J ^ i ' i ii i=^ Sep ^y f crf-r"fi^ r m t^=^ 3^=^ ^ cr- :i=i i^ -f— r^ ^^ ::fei: tt*^JJ J-JT ^^^ ^^ 8157. 30 ^^^^ -TJ-^-T^ ^ r ■ n J- V -^ r i '^ ¥ f r" f f=^ ^ '-' m ^ ? S ■i«-s'- 60. g^j^ J, J J g =it=:S ,^ tt » ^??Tn^ r rr E -SI- 1 -J- J^ y. Aj J I ^ j^ J J f '^f T 321 r 1 |,-n I Ig ^ ■^•"•■^ ^ "^ ^ g^J J3J n H ^ E^ ^^^ *^ y JJ^.r i-J ^ JJ.nJ ^ f^ r-gr ? W - :::p= r 1 Pp. ifegE w; 5 r r^gr ^ ^—^^ — ^ ' r r J4 „ O -»- -^1-H«r -ar-^ e St &^f-r-r 1 j i ,---.ji J ^ frJi^SJ S I U 1 I -•- i i^ .^^ j-^^ ^°i r 1 A^gj ^ i j^ sg f^ f^ s^ ■^ r - r - ■X^-.&it:U: m A ^EEi 2i f^^F^ ^5? r^'uJ^ I i J ^- ^j..i ^' ft•^j■J ■^- 'V.. j. ;j ■j' c/ ' , r H-F-i" err IT" Cf r 4-^ J > !. ^ i 4- ^J...i tt f >». J 1 J -♦ r ir r.f r ^ ^^g?^ 8157. 31 ^ m f=]^ ^^==S J J- J'J i g Ei^ g^ I ff" S f ^/— ^' f ^ , J J J- /y XJT- r f r F -si: 'J tJ .]• — J , ^ ^ E^ cr f r cr r ~g7~ i r* r 80. ^ ^ S rf :^ m — ^ M. * _ _ _ ^ r '!^f- |- :d^ 4Wf- =#^ =iat= r The Italians would have called this piece a " Recercar con sei soggette." Subjects : — a. Bar 17 — 31. m I. Bar I — 17. ^ 3. Bar 31—48. Sl=^ 5. Bar 67— 74. ^ =?^ ^ * gj : ^ ■=^==PlL :g= 4. Bar 53—64. i SXi tr =^ ^ (The scale in both directions.) 6. Bar 72 — 80. The ornaments are indicated by the sign ^ as they stand in the original. On the pianoforte or the organ they are better omitted ; except, perhaps, at bar 9, where a short mordent on C hides the lacuna ; and at bars 13 and 14, where tremoletti on G sharp and D in the alto and treble will make the crossing of the parts more intelligible. » N.B. — All the ornaments require diatonic accessories — i.e., they are to be taken without additional accidentals (except in the case of a shake upon an accidental at a final cadence, where another accidental is a matter of course). For instance, the first subject with its ornament is — ^^4&j^ &c. and not =«f^=P^ sag for the Hexacordum naturale, C, d, e, f, g, A, of which the subject consists, needs no accidental. At bars 23 -and 24 the original contains two shakes with the upper accessory, written out as if consisting of eight demisemiquavers each. But the eight demisemiquavers are not enough to fill the time, which has induced Dr. Rimbault to turn them into semiquavers, and thus to spoil the indication oi rapid shakes intended by the composer. The modern notation, as above, exactly represents the effect required. Attention is drawn to the point here in order to state the fact that very frequently in the Parthenia, and S157. 32 indeed with all old masters till past J. S. Bach's time, the notation of shakes even if they are apparently written out in full, is approximate only; the number of repercussions was left to the player, the introduction of a stop on the last occurrence of the main note, and its relative duration being also at his discretion. (Compare Frescobaldi's directions, pp. 48, 49, Nos. 4 and 6.) A correct transcription of the Parthenia, and an edition of the valuable collections of music for the virginals known as Queen Elizabeth's Virginal Book (the name is inappropriate), preserved in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge : " My Ladye Nevill's Booke," transcribed for her by John Baldwin, of Windsor, belonging to the Marquis of Abergavenny ; and the Virginal books of John Baldwin, Will. Foster, and Benj. Cosyn, at Her Majesty's Library, Buckingham Palade, would be a boon. For the reproduction of the Parthenia the writer would suggest Photography — it is only a matter of twenty-nine pages, title included — and the translation into full modern notation of one or two representative pieces, like Nos. I., II., and III., Byrde's fine Preludium, Pavana, and Galiardo " Sir Wm. Petre." With such an example, it would be a comparatively simple task to play the remaining pieces properly. 8157 GIULIO CACCINI . . . 1558 or 60-1640. CLAUDIO MONTEVERDE . 1568-1643. GIOV. GIAC. CARISSIMI . . 1604-1674. (Tempo rubato.) 8157 35 IV. Caccini, in the preface to a collection of his Madrigali and Canzoni for a single voice, entitled " Nuove Musiche," 1601 (Kiesewetter's quotation and translation into German), says : — " I will now show how various are the things pertaining to good singing, which, though written in one way, are yet capable of producing very different impressions, and by means of which it may be said this or that singer sings with more or less grace and amenity. I will show how I write the Trillo and the Gruppo : — Trillo. Gruppo. 3^ The manner of writing, the Trillo and the Gruppo shows the way I taught the execution of these graces to my wife and daughters : both are to begin with a crotchet, and the following notes are each to be articulated in the. throat separately and upon the vowel a." One aspect of Caccini's trillo, " that like the quivering of a goat makes one laugh " (Tosi) — German, " Bockstriller " ; French, " chevrottement " — has survived as a comic effect in Wagner's " Meistersinger," Act III., orchestral score, p. 642, where the Tailors of Niirnberg who sing their grotesque chorus to the tune of Rossini's " Di tanti palpiti " are directed to execute their shakes " as so-called Bockstriller." Julius Stockhausen and Hennig, in their vocal instruction books, treat it as a legitimate grace, " vocalisazione aspirata." Jenny Lind sang^ — • ^^^ S^3 ^^rrrirrrrj pp &c. and we have all heard similar and very pretty effects from Madame Patti. Caccini is reported to have been an accomplished lutenist, and the fact makes it all the more probable that his trillo was closely akin te the vibrato of lute players. He then proceeds to show some other graces — divisions — apparently insignificant little changes. A singular interest, however, attaches to them, if the writer's conjecture be admitted — that thej accurately represent the tempo rubato, which up to the present day has been so often employed, and so often misunderstood : — Written thus : Sung thus : ^ r r r r 5^ i 5 2. r i' r- - ! ^-»h ^SE 22Z 8157 36 i ^ ^ g trillo. w=^ ^ trillo. T3 & - ■^-^ I jJ S ^—Sh (Cascata doppia.) (Cascata per raccore il fiato.) (Altra cascata simile.) . To understand how little divisions, such as Nos. 5, 6, 8, 86, and 8c, can be taken as representing tempo ruhato, it should be remembered that they are extracts from Caccini's solo cantatas— operatic airs for a single voice with a bass. It was the constant tradition of the older Italian singers that all deviations from strict regularity in the vocal part must be made to chime with- the movement of the bass. In other words, the bass as a rule proceeds in time, and the vocalist is free to introdude his graces and divisions only in so far as they accord with the steady measure indicated by the bass. And this is the very essence of tempo ruhato. Witness Tosi, the recognised authority on Italian singing in Handel's time : "■ If I do not advise a student to imitate several of the moderns in their manner of singing airs, it is from their neglect of keeping Time, which ought to be inviolable, and not sacrifice to their beloved passages and divisions." The expression " Stealing the Time " {tempo ruhato) "regards particularly the Vocal, or the Performance on a single Instrument, in the Pathetick and Tender; when the Bass goes an exactly regular Pace, the other Part retards or anticipates in a singular manner, for the sake of expression."* Fancy Caccini singing the above divisions to the chords of a theorbo or cembalo — would not the effect be that of a perfect tempo ruhato ? * One is reminded of Chopin's saying : " Your left hand is to be the conductor— it must not give way. With the right hand you may take some liberties." Or Liszt's : " Here is a tree — ^the wind plays in its leaves and branches — ^the stem remains unmoved — such is Chopin's rubato." Nissen records of Mozart's playing Adagio movements : " The rubato of the right hand was never permitted to disturb the regular movement of the left." Agricola (Sebastian Bach's pupil)^n a note to his translation of Tosi's " Opinion de' Cantcjfi antichi e moderni " — gives an example with the bass : " tempo rubare, signifies to rob a note of part of its value and add as much to another note, and vice versa " — fe Written thus: — tr tr tr ^^m &c. i ^ Rubato thus : — tr. ^ or thus:— &c. ^ m ^^ &C. ^ "And this sort of thing,'' he continues, "can be applied in various ways, with different sorts of notes and figures, and different sorts of time." BIST 37 Two other graces of Gaccini's may be quoted : " Ribattuta di (jola "- &c. ^g- s g- g-p and "Qroppi"— (Subject.) ^^ (Groppi.) m ^ -I— ^ trillo. trillo. p* ^"^ U^^^^t^ * * MoNTEVERDE (1568-1643), in the "address to Charon," from Act III. of his opera " Orfeo " (1608-9}, introduces a combination of Caccini's ribattuta, trillo, and groppo — Orfeo. Tenor, In van Carissimi's " Ars cantandi " — if one may judge from the old translation into German, 1696 — need not be quoted from here, as it offers nothing referring to our special subject, which is not contained in the excerpts from Caccini already given, or in those from Praetorius which follow. The same remark applies to an English translation — without author's name or date — " A brief discourse of the Italian manner of singing, wherein is set down the use of the Graces in singing, as the Trill and Gruppo used in Italy and now in England ; written some years since by an English Gentleman who had lived long in Italy, and being returned, taught the same here." Hawkins was not aware that the " tract " iti question was a translation of Carissimi's " Ars cantandi." Playford, in his " Introduction " (edit. 1666), refers to it. 8157 MICHAEL PRAETORIUS . . . 1571-1621. Syntagma Musicum, Lib. III. (1618-19). 8157 41 V. The third volume of Praetorius's " Syntagma " contains a large number of graces fully written out, which he has compiled from Italian sources — Diruta, Caccini, Monteverde, and others. Praetorius's crotchets without stems are to be read as minims,* or, in some cases, as notes indefinitely longer than a crotchet. ACCENTI : Applied to the Prime, the 2nd, 3RD, 4TH, and 5TH. (Subject.) (Accenti.) i s ^^s s =**t ^ :* jb n J ^^_:-4==:= ::— J^T~-^ F3^- t>^^J J J .d J ^ J d J-^ J d -J «L_*_^L:_J ^fjrgj ^=z (Subject.) (Accenti.) \ i \ — h— H — \—n F3=f 1 — r=^n v )^ g' ^' ^- ^ rj ^s J-«- -^ J.J* ^- J J * ^V-«- ^- ^ J r^-*-|] i (Subject.] (Accenti.] ^ =^ :f=:i= ^ S. ^ rj :^ S •?^r- 'T'^ lez; h J- J J- =F= ^ i ^CN Z2^:=iE* w * S « rj tJ ^ (Subject.) (Accenti.) S =pr=i= d- ^ :i33t i Sl- *' JE i (Subject.) (Accenti.) * ^ 3^. r^- ^^ N' ri /^ :^ ^ -^— ■ ^ (Subject.) (Accenti.) 1^ 1— '"^ -j"^ ^^:2: =:i=3c :i=«= at==22Z 3t=3t I (Subject.) (Accenti.) -b ^^ ^ yj". /7^ (Subject.) (Accenti.) ^ =^ I eSs ,^ (Subject.) (Accenti.) /r\ 3 J y- ^ * i^^ 'S': ;* -iSi- (s»c) * Compare the Parthenia, No. XX., Orl. Gibbons's "The Queen's CDmmanci." 8157 -^* (Subject.) (Tremoletti.) JJJjJJJ TREMOLI. (Subject.) (Tremoletti.) v—^- ^ ittatt (Subject.) (Tremoletti.) ^^ w m ^ aj'^° iii 5 (Subject.) (Tremoletti.) (Subject.) («)S GROPFI. (Subject.) (Groppo.) {a) m=f^ Sjrrrr (Groppo.) W^ i (Subject.) (Groppo.) fc ^ ~?=^ (Trem.) rri^rrrr: r=i (Subject.) (Tirata.) TIRATAE. (Subject.) (Tirata.) (Subject.) (Trillo.) TRILLI, (Trillo.) (Subject.) lb J-m Jjg (Trillo.) The Accenti represent our apjjoggiaturi from below and from above, changing notes, and slides; they are interesting as examples of improvised ornament and figuration. The Groppo here stands for (a) Doppehchlag (gruppetto, turn), (i) A kind of shake with the lowei or upper accessory— our mordent and shake, (c) A combination of shake, turn, and vibrato. The Trillo is Caccini's trillo, and represents the vibrato of lutenists and violists. 8157 GIROLAMO FRESCOBALDI . . 1583-1644. Organist of St. Peter's at Rome from 1608 to i6a8, and again from 1635 to 1643. 8157 44 Dates of first editions of Frescobaldi's publications* : — i6o8. " Madrigal! k 5 voci," Lib. I., Antwerp. A copy, perhaps unique, was in Farrenc's Library, Paris. F6tis says he saw it there. What has become of it ? 1608. " Fantasie k 4 voci," Lib. L, Milan. A copy at Bologna. Consists of twelve Fantasias upon i, 2, 3, or 4 soggetti (subjects) — three of each sort. 1614-16. " Toccata e partite," Lib. I., Rome. (The edition of 1637 is from the same plates. A copy with the address " al lettore," in the Library of the Royal College of Music, London.) 1615. " Recercari et Canzoni Franzese, fatte sopra diverse oblighi " (various canti firmi). " In Partitura." Lib. I, Rome. Copies in the British Museum, at Rome, Paris, and Berlin. 1634. " Capricci fatti sopra diversi soggetti, et Arie," &c.. Lib. L, Rome. Copy in the British Museum, with a preface to the " Studiosi dell opera." 1627. " Toccate, Canzone, Versi d' Inni," &c., Lib. IL, Rome. This second book (edition 1637), froni the same plates, and with the addition of the two Partitas "sopra ciaconna" and "sopra passacaglia," is bound up with the first book. ' Royal College of Music, London. 1628. "Canzoni ad i, a, 3, e 4 voci. Accomodate per sonare con ogni sorte di stromenti," Lib. L, Rome. A complete copy — four parts and basso gen. — at Breslau ; the copy at Bologna lacks the thorough bass part. In the same year Frescobaldi's pupil, Bart. Grassi, published an augmented edition in score. " In Partitura, il I. hbro delle Canzoni a i, z, 3, e 4 voci. Per sonare con ogni sorte di stromenti. Con due Toccate in fine, una per sonare con Spinettina sola, overo Liuto e Violino," Rome. This score contains thirty-eight Canzoni and two Toccatas, as against the twenty-seven numbers of the former edition in parts. 1630. " Arie Musicali per cantarsi nel Gravicembalo e Tiorba, i , 2, e 3 voci," Lib. I. and 11. , Florence. A copy at Bologna. 1635. " Fiori musicali : Toccate, Kyrie, Canzone, Capricci e Ricercari a 4," Venice. Consists in part of pieces previously published. Sebastian Bach treasured a copy, which he acquired in 1714 ; it is now at BerUn. 1645. (Posthumous.) " Canzoni alia Francese," Venice. A copy of Lib. IV. at Berlin and of the whole at Ferrara. N.B. — The publication of 1626 — " Capricci, canzoni francese e Recercare" — ^is a sort of second edition in one volume of the publication of 1615 and 1624. That of 1637 is a second edition of the first and second books of Toccate, &c., as already mentioned. In Padre Martini's MS. miscellanies there is a note : " In Frescobaldi's house there are compositions in tablature for the Cembalo, MS. and unpublished." Fabio Constantini's Select. Cant., 1614, contains two vocal pieces : a motet, " Peccavi," for two trebles and tenor, and a duo, " Angelus ad pastores," for cantus and tenor. Modern transcripts: — Clementi, " Pract. Harmony," Vol. II., p. 138 to 157 — Canzona in G. Canzona in G. (Hawkins.) Fuga in D. Fuga in G. Fuga in E. Canzona in F. Corrente in A. Toccata di durezze e ligature in F. Farrenc, " Tresor des Pianistes," copies Clementi. A. G. Ritter, " Znt Geschichte des Orgelspieles " — Toccata XII. in C (1616). Toccata in G (1616). Capriccio pastorale in G (1616). Capriccio di durezze in D (1624). Raimund Schlecht, " Geschichte der Kirschenmusik " — Capriccio. Kyrie de B. M. V. Christe dominicale. Toccata cromatica. Fr. Commer, " Orgelcompos." : Heft 2, incomplete extracts from " Fiori musicali." Professor Pauer, " Alte Meister," No. 61-66. A rather hasty transcript of the first twelve Toccatas, Book I.; should be revised. Also, "Alte Claviermusik," I., Corrente and Canzone after Clementi. J. B. Litzau, " Capricci," &c. (1626). An almost complete and highly interesting reprint. (Rotterdam, 1873 and 1874.) A. Mereaux, " Les Clavicinists." Five pieces at second-hand, rather garbled. Lange, " Fuga in E minor, Canzona in G." After Clementi. Fr. X. Haberl, " CoUectio Musices Organicae ex operibus Hierorymi Frescobaldi Ferrarensis " (Leipzig, 1889). Sixty-eight pieces— a model edition— to be continued. It ought to be made complete, hke the edition of Palestrina. * For further details consult Haberl's biographical and bibliographical study, " Hieroymus Frescobaldi" in " Kirchenmusikalisches Jahrbuch," 1887. 8157 45 VI. Frescobaldi writes out all his divisions and ornaments except the short shake — tremolo, tremoletto — which he indicates by a sign, t — FioRi Musicals (39). ^_ t i !K'D"^/f^ ^S ^- Jbd ^^=i= m J: l?2 p p^ T 4^ r ^^ z^^ That is— r -g"^" ^&:^d. M VC/ f\^ 1 rjrrffr ^ &c. Ibid. (19). r i !j' ' Cf E£4rr- CJ E4£/r ^ E :n ^^-4fp- :^: J2^ ^ That is— i ^ ':}' w [fa &c. Very frequently shakes are partially written out. In such cases Frescobaldi's own directions apply : " Play the shakes rapidly, and dwell on the last note," i.e., the main note of the shake before the resolution, e.g., C sharp and B in the three quotations following — Ibid. (49). Ibid. (59). $ ^E ^ I'TS -irr- ^ ^i^. ■J-^L^ -!ry- Ibid. Canzona II. (57). ^ rp ^—u^rt^W /TN r s: i: ^ f I' 8157 46 Toccata II. (1614). »: ^ J— ^J 221 ^ r'-rr-j-r rrr rj-t f^r- m M TnS23. ^ ^Jid^ at: ^ (^) ^^S Toccata VI. !P I /,,,! 'J r-J^-rtftftfA- i ccfiaziJij^i^j J ^. •' "f ^ ^^ -i J^^'j^jm M ^ T=Sf^ r A perusal of Frescobaldi's works furnishes plentiful Stpeeimens of other curious and often highly original | ornaments. But they pertain rather to division, and do not properly concern us here — with the exception perhaps, of a species of appoggiatura (Vorschlag) new at the time, and of which he was fond, see N.B., p. 47. It is derived from the common appoggiatura, familiar to everyone long before Frescobaldi's day : i w ^ ^ w as .he has it written out in the 8th bar of his setting of the popular tune La Romanesca. Agiunta to the Toccatas, Bobk I. " Partite (i.e., divisions, variations) sopra 1' aria della Romanesca." Prima parte. I i i i - • :& ^ .^ 4i. -^ -^ 1 J J r W f ^ =F ^ ^^=fe^ J . ^- 4 -^lA J. d 2^ ^ i!p= ^^ $ if-r\' rfiGi ^ =f=^ $ m P^ CjLr^~£r m n ' P' r f'' hs> P Z M rj — 1^= — h i * 1 = i ^ r i r r- fe== ^^ p * ^ eS ^ -I- d J U S (O, rrfT^^ ^^ uj J J-J »g=s. s ¥ i r"f r-trr.r ^ »: ? =P^ ■«'' (Thirteen variations follow, well worth transcribing and reprinting.) 81.17 47 Now observe the ingenious use he puts this appoggiatura to at N.B., bars 5', 6, and 7 of the following prelude — "FiORi MusicALE " (44) Toccata "Avanti il Recercar." ^5^ N.B. i) ''i^ ^^ «* '^^'p^J N JJ *^ j . J ^a ^^ fi - gr- ' fj -^ ' ' ^ETV^" 1^ r ^ ^Ca A. .^->^ r^i^ £ gir r -^ P f& piacere doppio mom imento ritornando al rm^rn i^s f ^S s ^7" ■r ^ i fow^o prima. J f-fp i #- I* ) # I*- I* I * i ! *• r I * =JH^*= ^: ^ ^^■i^vjj <^ :J= ^1^ J^ ^^ ** Similar effects occur frequently in Frescobaldi's Toccatas. George Muffat, in the third Toccata of the ' Apparatus musico-organisticus," also in A minor, closely imitates them. 8157 48 After the prevailing fashion, Frescobaldi's publications present music notes only. An occasional Allegro and " Adasio " (Venetian for Adagio) excepted, the text offers no directions as to tempo, gradations of sound, fingering, registration, &c. But the composer gives a cluster of leading hints in his prefaces, which < are of very great interest and deserve attention : — PREFACE TO THE TOCCATAS (1614-16). A. AL LETTORE. Hauendo io conosciuto quanto accetta sia la maniera di sonare con affetti cantabili e con diver- sita di passi, mi i paruto dimostrarmelo altret- tanto fauoreuole, quanto affettionato con questi miei deboli fatiche, presentandolo in istampa con gli infrascritti auuertimenti : protistando ch' io preferisco il merito altrui, et osseruo il ualor di ciascheduno che gradiscasi 1' affetto, con cui 1' espongo alio studioso, e cortese Lettore. 1. Pi-^mieramente, che non deve questo modo di sonare stare soggetto a battuta ; come ueggiamo usarsi ne i Madrigali moderni, i quali quantunque difficili si ageuolano per mezzo della battuta por- tandola hor languida hor veloce, 6 sostenendola etiandio in aria, secondo i loro affetti, 6 senso delle parole. 2. Nelli toccati ho hauuta consideratione non solo che siano copiosi di gassi diuersi, et di affetti : ma che anche si possa ciascuno di essi passi sonar separate 1' uno dall' altro : onde il sonatore senta qbligo di finirlo tutto potrjl terminarle ouunque pill li sari gusto. 3. Li cominciamenti delle toccati sieno fatte adagio, et arpeggiando: e cosi nelle ligature, 6 uero durelli, come anche nel mezzo del opera si batteranno insieme ; per non lasciar noto 1' Istro- mento : il qual battimento arpiglierassi k bono- placito di chi suona. 4. Neir ultima nota cosi di trilH, come di pas- saggi di salto, 6 di grado, si dee fermare ancorche detta nota sia croma, 6, biscroma o dissimile alia sequente ; perche tal posamento schiueri il con- fonder r un passaggio con 1' altro. A. TO THE READER. Having found that a vocal and expressive man- ner of playing, combined with a diversity of traits, meets with favour, it has occurred to me to gather together these feeble efforts of mine, and to im- print them with the directions subjoined, protest- ing, at the same time, that I do not proscribe the merits of others, and that I shall feel grateful , toward every one who may approve of the senti- ment with which I beg to submit my effusions to the judgment of studious and accomplished readers. > I. First, this manner of playing is not subject to ^trict time ; it is governed rather by the (changing) beat as is the case with the modern madrigals, the rendering of which, however difficult, is facili- tated by the fluctuations of the (conductor's) beat — be it languid or quick or sustained, as the senti- ment or the sense of the words may require. 2. As regards the Toccatas, I have selected such as contain a variety of traits and expressive ornaments; the sections being so arranged as to enable the executant to choose among them, to play those he prefers, and to stop as he likes. /-- '--. 3. The beginnings of the Toccatas should be < played adagio and arpeggiando : tied, slurred, V or sustained notes, and indeed the bulk of each piece, are to be taken in proper proportion, one beat to chime with another ; but, in order to make the best of the instrument, the beat {i.e., the nuances of tempo) must be left to the good taste of the executant. 4. The last note of a shake, of a series of skips^ or of a scale passage, is to be held, no matter whether the said note be a quaver or a semi- quaver, and so fort"h. Indistinct phrasing will thus be avoided, and different passages will not be confounded one with another. (See p. 51.) 8157 49 5- Le cadenze benche sieno scritte veloce conuiene sostenerle assai, e nelle accostarsi il con- cluder de passaggi 6 cadentosi ander^ sostenendo il tempo pill adagio. II separare e concluder di passi sar^ quando troverasssi la consonanza insieme d' ambidue le mani scritta di minime. 6. Quando si trouera un trillo della man destra 6, vero sinistra, ache nello stesso tempo pas- seggiersL 1' altra mano non si deue compartire k nota per nota, ma solo cercar che il trillo sia veloce, et il passaggio sia portato men uelocemente et affettuoso : altrimente sarebbe confusione. 7. Trouandosi alcun passo di crome, e di semi- crome insieme a tutte due le mani, portar si deue non troppo veloce : e quella che sara lo semicrome doueri fade alquanto puntato, cio 6 non la prima, ma la seconda sia col punto ; 6 cosi tutte, 1' una no, e r altra si. 8. Auanti che si facciano li passi doppi con amendue le mani di semicrome douerassi fermar* alia nota precedente, ancorche sia nera : poi riso- lutamente si fara il passagio, per tanto piii fare apparire 1' agiliti della mano. 9. Nelle Partite quando si troveranno passagi et affetti sari bene di pigliare il tempo Largo ; il che osservarassi anche' nelli toccate. L' altr6 non passagiate si potranno sonaro alquanto allegre' di battuta, rimettendosi al buon gusto e fino giuditio del sonatore' il guidar il tempo ; nel qual consisti lo spirito, 6 la perfettione di questa maniera 6 stile' di sonare. Li Passachagli si potranno separatamente sonare, conforme k chi piu piacersl, con dgiustare il tempo del 1' una e altra parte, cossi delle Ciaccone. — (Signed) Christophorus Blancus, sculpsit i6i6. 5. Cadences, though written quick, should be somewhat sustained ; when they are found at the end of passages preparatory to a final cadence, the tempo should be retarded. The end of a section may be known when a consonance of minims is written for both hands at the same time (i.e., at a full close, indicated by a plain chord). 6. If the right hand has a shake, or if the left hand has one, and the other hand at the same time plays a passage, you must not divide note for note, but simply take care that the shake be rapid and the passage expressive and less rapid ; else there will be confusion. (See p. 51.) C 7- If you meet with a passage of quavers in one (liand and semiquavers in the other, you must not -take it too quick; and the hand which has the semiquavers must play them somewhat dotted ; that is to say, not the first but the second shall have the dot, and so on in succession. (See p. 52.) 8. Observe that if you have to play double passages — both hands in semiquavers— you must stop on the key (note) preceding such passages— , even if it be a black key (accidental) — then .resolutely play them, thus letting the dexterity of your hand appear so much the greater. 9. If in the Partite (pieces written in division — variations) you meet with traits and expressive "^lOrnaments, it will be well to take the time .'deliberately (pigliare il tempo Largo) ; and the same holds good as to the Toccatas. Those pieces which are not written in division (non passaggiate) may be taken at a somewhat quicker pace ; this may be left to the good taste and delicate judgment of the executants, who will choose the proper tempo ; for the perfection of this style and manner of playing consists in the tempo. The Passacagli (Cento Partite sopra Passachagli) may be played separately at pleasure, provided the tempo be adjusted from one section tc another — and the same applies to the Ciaccone. 8157 5° PREFACE TO THE CAPRICCI AND CANZONI (1624). B. A GLI STUDIOSI DELL' OPERA. Per che il sonare queste opera potrebbe riuscire ad alcuni di molta fatica, vendendole di diversi tempi, e variationi ; come anco pare, che da molti sia dismessa la prattica di detto studio della partitura h6 voluto avvertire che in quelle cose, che non paressero regolate, con 1' use del contra- punto, si debba primieramente cercar 1' affetto di quel passo, e il fine dell' autore circa la dilgt- tatione dell' udito, e il mode che si ricerca nel sonare. Inquesticomponimentiintitolati Capricci, non ho tenuto stile cosi facile come nei miei Ricercari, ma non si deve per6 giudicare la difficolta loro prima di mettergli bene in prattica nell' instromento dove si conoscera con lo studio 1' affetto che deve tenere. Come anco havendo atteso insieme la facility studio e vaghezza, paredommi cosa assai con- venevole k chi suona che se 1' opere paressero di faticha il cominciar da principio' sino al fine si pottra pigliar, dove piij piacer^ di detti passi, e finire in quelli che termineranno del suo tuono. Si deveno i principii cominciarli Adagio a dar maggior spirito e vaghezza al sequente passo, e nelle Cadenze sostenerle assai prima che si incominci 1' altro passo. E nelle trippole, 6 sesquialtere se farranno maggiori, si portino Adagio, le minori alquanto piii allegre, se di tre semiminime, piii allegre se faranno sei per quattro si dia il lor tempo con far caminare la battuta Allegra. Conviene in alcune durezza fermarui con arpeggiarle accio che riesca piil spiritoso il seguente passo : il che sia detto con ogni modistie, € con rimettermi al buon giuditio degli studiosi. B. TO STUDENTS. As these pieces may prove troublesome to play by reason of the frequent changes of time and speed, and also on account of the variety of divisions, and as it appears, moreover, that many players have given up the practice of reading from the score : * I will here remark that in those passages which do not appear to be written in the usual way (regulated by the ordinary practice of contrapuntists), the executant must endeavour to realize the musical sense and expression and do justice to the intention of the • composer, who always desires to please the ear of his audience, and is in the habit of adapting the style of his performances to that end. The pieces called Capricci are not so easy to render as the Ricercari ; but one ought not to judge of their difficulty before thoroughly practising them ; after proper study, the desired effect will readily be obtained. To facilitate the execution of these pieces and make it pleasant to listeners, the executant may be allowed to select such passages as please him best, and thus save himself the trouble of playing each piece from beginning to end ; but he must be careful to conclude with some passage closing in the key. (^ As a rule the pieces should be started at a slow pace, so that they may gain in liveliness and ' spirit as they proceed. The cadences are to be ^retarded up to the beginning of the sections following. The major triple and sextuple time {i.e., f ) is to be taken slowly (Adagio) ; the minor triple and sextuple time {i.e., f), a little quicker; | time , (also C |), in a lively manner ; f , Allegro. '' It is advisable to dwell on certain dissonances near the end of a section, and to retard the closes '^rpeggiando, so as to impart fire and animation to yvhat follows. I have ventured to say so much in all modesty, and beg to submit it to the kin^ judgment of students. *The Capricci and Canzoni are printed in score, a stave to each part; whereas in the Toccatas Frescobaldi adopts the so-called Italian tablature : a stave of six lines for the right hand and another of eight lines for the left. 8157 51 These two addresses to readers and students appear as a complete confession of faith concerning style and execution. * It may not be superfluous to illustrate the fourth, sixth, and seventh of Frescobaldi's precepts by applying them to passages from his own works. Ad. IV. and VI. The last main note of a shake to be held : the shake to be taken quicker than the passage in the other hand : — Toccata HI. Ibid. i ^ ^ ^ ^m^^4.£3 will accordingly come to something like this — 5 S?* ]^J7P-g^,.c^ 3 J. ^ -yrr- ^^ f7\ tr^ =FF W" rit. krrfrrrrr-0^ 321 And the hideous cacophony in Toccata IV., Lib. 2 — (D® ^m «=? pe: 7^=^ ^^ ^ ^ f< <^ PP ^ ^ -Mf frfTt'ffr fe^ m ^ <3J3g3r~B^ •w^^ =^ ^ ■f:!^ assumes rather a more civilized aspect, thus- jiijjiJjJJJi/S;S The last example, at the shake, is extremely difficult to play on the manuals as it stands in the text ; whereas it is simple enough if the pedals are introduced as indicated. And it is not a mere guess that the pedals are here intended. No one who has studied Frescobaldi's organ works can doubt that he made a far more extensive use of the pedals than he has been credited with. In three instances only he expressly demands pedals, and writes them on extra lines or on a special stave : Capriccio-Pastorale * " The perfection of this manner of playing consists in the tempo," might serve for a motto to Wagner's treatise Ob Conducting 1 8157 52 (Toccate, Lib. I.) and Toccatas V. and VI. {Lib. II.)— the latter entitled " Per 1' organo sopra i Pedali e senza." But in the pieces specially intended for the use of organists, caprici and recercari, as well as ii the toccatas, there are numerous instances where the pedals are obvious and, indeed, indispensable— ai in the closing bars of the Recercar (No. VI.) sopra Fa, Fa, Sol, La, Fa (Capricci, Lib. I.). ■ 1 J> J J 1 J p. p^pg h 1 \ \' — r^ 1 \ 1 1 h-" ■ rJ I'J tJ cJ ^ 1 — H_u A^ -J i^^ 2 rj -4- m ^ .. =-« ^ 1 — lf-41 1 ,. J , J J. .^ -i 4 -d- e 4 ^ P^-^ ^-^ P=^=^ -9 ^ Lp ^r r r ' ^ f — ^^^ — ' The fact that many of Frescobaldi's publications were addressed to cembalists as well as organists, " Tobcate d'intavolatura di Cembalo et Organo," and contained pieces for both instruments, accounts for the " sopra i pedali, e senza." The Capriccio-Pastorale and the two Toccatas, V. and VI., merely shcvi particular effects produced by the pedals — i.e., a species of drone consisting of long sustained notes— in one instance a D of 22 bars, C and f (Toccata VI.) — and the qualification " e senza " implies no more than that such pedal drone may, on the cembalo, either be dispensed with altogether or merely hinted at. Ad. Vn.—li quavers occur in one hand, together with semiquavers in the other, every second semi- quaver may be slightly prolonged as if it were dotted, i.e. : — Accordingly, to^take one example out of many, the following bit from Tobcate IV., Lib. I. — would appear thus : m Is there anything to account for such curious eccentricity ? Perhaps the following considerations apply :— (a) The practice of varying a succession of equal notes by means of dots is traditional, and common enough in the divisions of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries ; r r r r r f readHy becomes f 'j* f 'j* T '-T and tL-LS-C-Lr ' Such prolongations are the "clamationi" and "pricked crotchets," mentioned ante, p. viia. 8157 53 (6) Frescobaldi frequently employs the rarer form S f ! f ' as in the little Toccata quoted above (p. 47), or in Toccata II., Lib. I. : — ^^ m i H^ J J Ji i ^ ^ f * J-" m ^ ^ m iKfcn* 4. ^_ ^:71.4 ^ -^ ^ ? f=i" It may be inferred that the semiquavers forming the third and eighth minim of the left hand, and the seventh minim of the right, should also be played slightly dotted — m *: i ^P A similar practice — i.e., to write Trrr for ziirj or trtr ' obtained in France a century later — witness Fran9ois Couperin : " Pieces de Clavecin " Premier Livre, 1713, Second Ordre, I. ; the Allemande "La Laborieuse" is headed : " Sans lenteur ; et les double croches un tant soitpeu pointees " {the semiquavers a trifle dotted) : — /if MV 1 J' A'^Jn 4 -■? In " L'Art de toucher le Clavecin," 1717, pp. 39 and 40, Couperi'n, discussing the defects of " notre fagon d'€crire la musique," says : — "Par example: nous pointons plusieurs. croches de suites par degres-conjoints ; et cepandant nous les marquons 6gales ; notre usage nous a assc^vis; et nous continuons." ("We dot a number of crotchets succeeding one another diatonically ; nevertheless we write them as equal; we are slaves to our habits, and we persist in our ways.") He has just been saying, " Les Italiens 6crivent leur musique dans les vrays valeurs qu'ils I'ont pens6e " ; but this applies to the Italians, his contemporaries— whereas the French practice he reprehends is clearly that of the earlier Italians. He continues, and the passage is important, as he keeps the ancient practice in view and indirectly defends his own way of suggesting expression by means of words : — " Examinons done d'ou vient cetU contrariUt : Je trouve que nous confondons la mesure avec ce qu'on nomme cadence, ou mouvement. Mesure d6finit la quantity, et l'6galit6 des terms: et Cadence, est proprement I'esprit, et I'ame qu'il y faut jomdre. Les Sonades des Italiens* ne sont gueres susceptibles de cette cadence. Mais, tons * 5Ko«ate=sound-pieces= Klangstuecke ; he means pieces such as Corelli's " Senate da Chiesa," or Vivaldi's " Concerti." 8157 54 nos airs de violons, nos pifeces de clavecin, de violes, &c., designent, et semblent vouloir exprimer quelque sentimen^ Ainsi n'ayant point imaginds de signes, ou caractferes pour communiquer nos id^es particuliSres, nous tachons d'y remSdiei en marquant au commencement de nos pieces par quelque mots, comme Tendrement, Vivement, Sec, 4-peu-prfes, ce ijue nous voudrions faire entendre. Je souhaite que quelqu'un se donne la peine de nous traduire, pour I'utilitd des strangers; et puisse leur procurer les moyens de juger de I'excellence de notre musique instrumentale." c. With the awkward fingering which was in constant use up to J. S. Bach (see the notes on fingering, pp. 3 and 4) a jerky scale, such as— was easier to play than- i 2 » 4 3> 4 3 4 3 4 In connection with the old system of fingering, a further consideration presents itself : — It has been shown {ante, p. 3) that Diruta distinguishes between good and bad fingers — " dite buoni " and " dite cattive " — the good fingers playing notes which have the stress — " note buone "— the bad fingers notes which have it not — " note cattive " ; an,d the probability was touched upon that the rales of fingering may have been applied with a view to proper accent — that the phrasing required may have suggested the fingering, and vice versa. Couperin conveys something of the kind.— And Quantz (1753), " Versuch " XL, § iz, p. 105, as though it were a matter of course, states : " The main notes (good notes, as the Italians call them) have the stress— the bad notes pass. Because of this rule we ought to play the quickest notes in a moderately quick tempo, or, in an Adagio, somewhat irregularly, although they appear to be written equally ; so that the good notes— ».«, the ist, 3rd, 5th, and 7th note of each figure— are dwelt upon a little longer than the had ones— i.e., the and, 4th, 6th, and 8th," &c. Quaatz then proceeds to give examples— and many exceptions ; but he returns to the point again and again, always enforcing the same thing : that certain notes are stressed and slightly dwelt upon (p. 112, § 5 ; P- "3. § lo)- All along, then, from before Frescobaldi to Bach and later, fht notation of certain preludes, toccatas and the like seems to represent rigid time — but in ■practice there was tempo rubato, and more than that. * * * * * * *■* * * * ** 4i if Frescobaldi's precepts, read in the light of the foregoing comments, form a sufficient guide for the execution of his works. Applied cum grano they enable us to reconstruct his peculiar style, and in a measure to play his pieces as he played them himself. Moreover, and again cum grano, they can be taken to represent the best contemporary style of organ and harpsicjiord playing, both a generation before and after Frescobaldi— from Claudio Merulo, Sweelinck, and perhaps Byrde and Gibbons on the one hand, to his disciples and , imitators, Froberger, George Muffat, Franz Tunder, Caspar Kerl, on the other— and thus, forward to J. S. Bach. The main points may be stated under the following heads : — Tempo. Measured time, moderato, for Rccercari and Capricci. Increase of speed together and with increase of figuration, section by section. Measured time, moderato, for Canzoni and Versetti d'Hinni. Partite sopra arie (variations on airs) and Partite sopra Passacagli (variations on an ideal ground, usually of two bars) also require measured time— the character of the tune or the ground to guide the variations— each variation to be played on its own merits— speed to increase or decrease according to the amount of figuration. The transition from one section to another to be adjusted. I Pavana, slow and stately ; Gagliarda, a little quicker ; Dance Measures { Corrente, still a little quicker : Passacaglia, lively; Ciaconna, a little less lively than Passacaglia. 8157 55 Tempo rubato (improvisation) for the Toccatas. Begin deliberately ; increase the speed by degrees ; ) semi-cadences poco ritardando ; final cadences sostenuto e ritardando assai. Extremes of speed, such as ^ we are now accustomed to, are excluded. The changing pace is indicated by changes in the notes^rom I breves, semibreves, minims to crotchets, quavers, semiquavers, and by changes in the time signatures — from f, f , f to f , I, f, I — ranging from Adagio to Allegro. Cadences at the end of sections to be played broadly, somewhat ritardando, the penultimate and- final notes to be dwelt upon. Shakes to be rapid ; the last note (main note of the shake) sustained. A shake in one hand must not be divided note for note with a passage in the other. Runs and connecting passages are usually meant to be taken quickly ; dwell on the first note, and make up for the loss by playing the remainder a little quicker than it is written. Also, for the sake of clearness,, dwell slightly on the final note of a run, or of a series of shakes. Fingering. The old-fashioned fingering may occasionally suggest peculiarities of accent and phrasing, or quasi-staccato. Pedals to be used freely at discretion. Registration to be simple and robust.* The harpsichord pieces demand distinct alternation of forte and piano. Expressive phrasing is by no means excluded, but it must' depend on the relative value and duration oi the notes, rather than on any subtle gradations of power. In this connection again a remark of Couperin's is significant: "II est sur qu-un certain chant, qu-un certain passage, etant fait d'un certain fagon, produit a I'oreille de la personne de gout, un effect different." But the mechanism of the harpsichord affords little chance for expression, except by ritardation or accelleration of a note or group of notes. • * Authentic directions for Registration are so rare with the early Itahan organists, that extracts translated from Diruta will be welcome. Diruta's directions apply to the' better class of organs in Frescobaldi's time,- both a generation before and after. The organ built by Bartolomeo Antegnati for the Cathedral of Brescia, 1580, can be taken as a fair specimen: — ** 1. Principal, 16 ft. 2. Principal divided (" Pr. spezzato "), 16 ft in the manual, with a number of larger pipes not wanted for the manual, which served the pedals. The pedal so arranged that it connected, not with the pipes of the equivalent keys of the manual, but with pipes an octave lower — the result being the eifect of a 33-ft stop. 3. L'Ottava, 8 ft. 4. La Quinta decima (Octava 4 ft.), 5. La Decima nona (Quinta 2j ft.). 6. La Vigesima seconda (Octava z ft.). 7. ,, sexta (Quinta ij ft.). 8. „ nona (Octava i. ft.). 9. La Trigesima terza (Quinta J ft.). 10. Another Vigesima seconda (Octava 2 ft.) to connect with Octave 8', Flauto 8', and Decima nona 2f ', which produces the effect of Cometti. 11. Flauto in Quinta decima (4 ft.). (Ritter asks : " Gedackt 4'." ?) 13. Flauto in Ottavo (8 ft.). (Ritter: " probably a Gedackt-8', of wood.") The principal organ at St. Peter's, Rome, circa 1620, had fourteen registers. An acceptable modem equivalent for Frescobaldi's " organo pleno " would therefore probably be ; — Manual: Principals (Open Diapason), Octaves, and Quints; to these couple the foundation stops of the pedal (16 ft.) and add a 32-ft. bass. The flute stops were not as a rule employed in " organo pleno," being reserved as " extraordinary- registers " for special effects. What chiefly concerns us, however, is the total effect, which must have been bright, penetrating, and by no means ignoble — though, perhaps, rather feeble as compared with contemporary Geirman organs. ** " L'Arte Organista de Constanzo Antegnati," Brescia, 1608. Mattheson, in his VoUkomener Capellmeister, p. 466, mentions, on hearsay, an old organ in St. Mark's, Venice, which had nine registers. 8157. 56 Diruta, like everybody before and after him, assigns a peculiar character to the several Modes or ecclesiastical Tones, and the registration he recommends is intended to express this character — I. " The iirst Tone " (Dorian Mode or Scale : D, a, d) demands a dignified and touching " Harmony," and requires Principal and Octave, also Flauto or Ottava sopra. II. "The second Tone " (Hypodorian Mode : a, D, a) requires Principal and Tremulant. III. " The third Tone " (Phrygian Mode : E, btj, e) is plaintive : Principal (i6') and Flauto (8'). IV. " The fourth Tone " (Hypophrygian Mode : b, E, b), like the second tone, demands a sad and sombre " Harmony " —both tones should be played with Principal and Tremulant, at the " Elevation." This may be applied to Frescobaldi's "Toccata cromaticha— Per I'Elevation " (edit. Haberl, No. 17) ; also Toccata 33 and 46. V. "The fifth Tone " (Lydian Mode : F, c, f), with its moderate hilarity, may be expressed by Octave, Quinta decima, and Flauto. VI. "The sixth Tone" (Hypolydian Mode: c, F, c), with its dignified and devotional "Harmony," should have Principal, Octave, and Flauto. VII. "The seventh Tone" (Mixolydian Mode : G, d, g), being mild and lively, has Ottava, Quinta decima, and Vigesima seconda. VIII. " The eighth Tone " (Hypomixolydian Mode : d, G, d), of a free and pleasant effect, is best expressed by Flauto, or Flauto and Octave, or Flauto and Quinta decima. IX. " The ninth Tone " (Aeolian Mode : A, e, a) of a similar effect, may be expressed by Principal, Quinta decima, and Vigesima seconda. X. "The tenth Tone" (Hyposeolian Mode: e, A, e) is, to a certain extent, sombre; it is therefore best played with Principal and Octave or Flauto. XI. and XII. " The eleventh and twelfth Tones " (Ionic Mode : C, g, c ; and Hypoionic Mode : g, C, g) require an agreeable and lively sound. For the eleventh Tone take Flauto, or Flauto and Quinta decima, or both together with Vigesima nona ; also Ottava with Quinta decima and Vigesima seconda ; but for the twelfth Tone take Flauto, Ottava, and Quinta decima, or Flauto solo.f * Which character consists in the different position of the semitones (mi, fa) and the finals, and in the various cadences resulting, when the notes of the scales are accompanied contrapuntally. The " Finals " are here indicated by capital letters. Brackets mark off the writer's additions. f " II Transilvano," Part II., book 4. 815V MERSENNE. " Harmonic Universelle et Trait6 des Instruments k Cords," 1636-37. DENIS GAULTIER. " Pieces de Luth," published 1660, and " La Rh6thorique des Dieux," circa 1650. (Edit. Oskar Fleischer, Vierteljahrsschrift fiir Musikwissenschaft, 1886.) 59 VII. MERSENNE.— THE LUTE. Names and signs of " tremblements " with their probable effects : — Table subjoined : It should be understood that the letters on the left of the perpendicular line denote the frets on the neck of the lute — i.e., if a finger of the left hand " stops " at one of the frets, as on a guitar or banjo, the pitch of the sound elicited will depend on the vibrating length, size and tension of the string ; and every system of " Tablature " for the lute, theorbo, and similar instruments rests' upon this understanding.* Names of graces and their signs : — Tablature. " Tremblement." "Accent plantif." " Verre casse." . b b Effect : Sign. i written out in directions :- (effect.) accordance with Mersenne's (effect.] W f=^S^ i ,. A species of vibrato upon the lute, resembling the Trillo and Tremolo of Caccini, Monteverde, &c. — or something between the two. Mersenne further mentions the " Martelement " and the " Battement " as modes of playing with which lutenists adorned their performances ; but he gives no signs for them — and, indeed, they are not, as he under- stands them, graces proper. The term "Battement," besides standing for the repercussions of a shake with the lower semitone, or of a single note.t was used to denote certain arpeggii (the notes of a chord played in succession and in any order) as well as various kinds of short and strident shakes (akin to a very rapid mordent, or to a Schneller), which were taken for an equivalent of staccato, such as lute players applied to the repetition of one note thus : — % i ¥ =?=FF \ * Italian tavolatura, for keyed instruments, is simply our staff notation — six or more lines and the familiar G» C, and F clefs. \ Couperin's " Batemens redoubld sur un mfeme note qui ne lui (le clavecin) convient pas extremement." t Compare L'Affilard's example 4, p. 82 : " Martellement avec deux notes," for the voice ; and Tiirk, " Battement, for the clavier, post. Part 11. 8157 6o DENIS GAULTIER.— " LA RHETORIQUE DES DIEUX." Signs. II. III. IV. / ^ Effect. or A shake, long or short, which begins with the main note, the second, usually the major second above, being the accessory note : — i A species of vibrato (verre cass6) akin to a shake with the lower semitone ; the finger is placed on a fret, and the hand vibrates quickly; effect something like : and or, rather, something between the two. io:- rfiE^ Arpeggic The single stroke ascending to indicate an arpeggio occurs frequently in French publications oi music " for the lute or the clavecin." It was thus transferred from lute tablature to staff notation. Herr Fleischer, in his valuable edition of Denis Gaultier's " Rhetorique des Dieux " (Leipzig, 1886), quotes a Pavana in staff notation, where all arpeggi are so indicated. As a good instance of the close connection between French music for the lute and the clavecin, this delicate little piece deserves a place here. It is given in modern notation. The writer plays it on the pianoforte, with full tone, but with the soft pedal throughout ; a soft and lute-like effect is thus obtained.* "PA VANE." BY DENIS GAULTIER. (Tempo di Marcia, molto moderato.) f\ q^ ^ -g ^'jr^-'j rop- f> m Se m ^ 2Z T" ^ . \it J: J }J S^ siz IE fTTr-^F^^rT^^^rW- S ^ m ^^ i-^- * It will be found worth while to compare No. 55 of the " Rhetorique," Hamilton Codex (edit. Fleischer), with (Jie present version, which, after Fleischer, is taken from " Perrine : Pifeces de Luth en Musique — avec les regies pour les toucher parfaitement sur le Luth et sur le Clavecin." Paris, 1680. 8157 6i fe ^ -1^ ^ ilj_i ^ / J^J J^ -J: :^ ^ ^ iT izzr ^ r r - ^ it^^^-^Tp :r 7 -^ r p r ^ s &F ■23" ^ (A" wrrn — :5l: S r'-^-f"- fp ^g ^ U: ji Si * r- "f r T j r"~^ i ^ =-,-N- -^— ri — i-JTltJ ^ !!!' J- Jj i-^ll j I J J ZZ2L ±i -P =1 . ^ 1 ^'- ^ . J, S P ?^S Perf. g ^^^ -tg- P f' (risohito.) i^rrzir rL_&u ^ zai i^ f=r^ -hi- 3 ^i^'^ 'r ^ f ^ / Q*" iph-*- --• 1' r r' r-^ {vibrato.) (battement.) "For these I am obliged to the ever famous Charles Colman, Doctor in Mustek." After thus candidly confessing that he had consuhed an expert upon keyed instruments as to the more elaborate graces,* the " Master of Division " concludes as follows :— " Of these (graces) some are more rough and masculine; as, your shaked Beats and Backfals; and therefore more peculiar to the Basse. Others more smooth and feminine ; as, your close-shake and Plain- Graces, which are more natural to the Treble, or upper Parts. Yet when we would express Life, Courage, or Chearfulness, upon the Treble, we do frequently use both shaked Beats and Backfals : as, on the contrary, smooth and swelling Notes, when we would express Love, Sorrow, Compassion, or the Like ; and this, not only on the Treble, but sometimes also upon the Basse. And all these are concerned in our Division-Viol, as imploying the whole Compass of the Scale, and acting by turns all the Parts therein contained." * Simpson ought here to have distinguished Dr. Colman's notion of a " cadent " and an " elevation " from his own, as a shaked cadent and a shaked elevation , for Simpson's table of smooth graces contains them both in a much less elaborate form. 8157 MATTHEW LOCKE (1632 or 33-1677). " Melothesia," 1673. JOH. JAC. FROBERGER (+1667). HENRY PURCELL (1658-1695). " Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinnet." A posthumous publication. 1696. 81j7 71 IX. In " Melothesia " the signs for graces and their names are given as follows : — A Fore-fall. A Back-fall. A Shake. A Fore-fall and Shake. A Beat. A curious double shake, partially written out, occurs in Matthew Locke's " Prelude" (p. 13) :- m ^ # ^ ■wj-jj-jij^ ^ J-J-JJ-JJ-JJJ ^nT 1 rj [| "^^ Here the sign ^, in treble and tenor, may possibly mean vibrato. If this be so, Locke's tour de force in the way of a double shake is a combination of the old " Trillo " and " Tremolo," something like this — _fl 1^ ' And a very good shake too, a.d. 1673 Prober ger, who was in England 1662,' has shakes of the sort in his Toccatas i, 2, 3, 5, and 6 — printed in 1693 (twenty-six years after his death).* Toccata 2 contains : — i ^m t- ^ T-'i-r-ir-T^f -^f.^f^f^7fT^rf r m B -J J J j jjg Jj a •^ J I J ,n im ^ i s= ^ ^ So far as his works have been printed, Froberger, Frescobaldi's best pupil, offers nothing in of ornaments that is not covered by the examples and directions quoted under Frescobaldi. MS. works are up to the mark of those already printed — and there is little doubt that . they Froberger will stand forth as a forerunner of J. S. Bach, hardly second to Buxtehude.t the way If his are so — * Johann Jacob Froberger: "Diverse curiose et rarissime partite de tocata, ricercare, capricoi e fantasie," &c. 1695, Mayence. 10 Suites de Clavecin. 1714, Amsterdam. Both so rare as to rank as curiosities. f " Frobergern hat der selige Leipziger Bach jederzeit hochgehalten, ob er schon etwas alt" (Adlung's Anleitung zur Gelehrsamkeit, p. 711. 1758). "The late Bach of Leipzig at all times thought highly of Froberger, spite of his being rather old-fashioned." 8157 72 Froberger ought to be edited literally — in modern notation, of course — but without addition or subtraction. A representative Toccata or two, and perhaps a Partita, written out in accordance with Frescobaldi's directions as to style, would suffice to indicate the proper reading. Froberger himself calls some of his series of pieces Partite. Like the suites of later composers they consist of an Allemande,' Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue— but they are properly Partite, that is to say, divisions, variations, inasmuch as they are written in the shape of variantes on a single subject— which, by rhythmical transformation, is made to represent the various dance measures. Later on, this peculiar method of construction was given up and the name Partita remained. Thus Froberger, together with Buxtehude and Kuhnau, forms the link between Frescobaldi's " Partite," which are essentially Variations, and J. S. Bach's " Partitas" (Clavieruebung, L), which are collections of pieces in the same key. A shake is mark'd thus : . A beat is mark'd thus : . A plain note and shake thus : « A fore fall mark'd thus :" . A backfall mark'd thus : A mark for the turn thus : The mark for the shake turn'd thus HENRY PURCELL. ; explain'd thus m ^ ■^ .£ 3 explain'd thus : (j) > jg~^ S • ^ explain'd thus ■ ^^ explain'd thus : ?^ \ P*^ m ■ ^ ^ g explain'd thus explain'd thus explain'd thus -^ w m ^^ " Observe that you always shake from the note above, and beat from ye note or half note below, accord- ing to the key you play in ; and for ye plain note and shake* if it be a note without a point, you are to hold half the quantity of it plain, and that upon ye note above that which is mark'd and shake the other half, but if it be a note with a point to it you are to hold all the note plain and shake only the point."t A slur is mark'd thus : The mark for ye batt'ery thus : . . Wy^ TT — 4. explain'd thus explain'd thus ■■ ^ ^ ^ * I e., appoggiatura and shake. t I.e.', the appoggiatura -takes about half the value of the main note— if the main note is dotted, two-thirds. 8157 73 The "explanation of ye Battery" in the original stands thus (cleff jg: )— I £ obviously a bundle of blunders. The notes for the thumb and index are engraved a line too low ; and the ties connecting the quavers for the middle and little finger are missing. So much rectified, the question remains : why the dotted minim G, or rather B ? And the answer is : to set free the thumb and thus reduce the stretch. In Beethoven's notation (compare Sonata C sharp minor, Finale) the explanation would accordingly stand — P -ti*'^ i,e., an appeggio of four notes legato, of which the upper three notes are to be held down. There is no need of further comment — the names and signs for Purcell's graces are obsolete — but the things intended still exist and the directions apply — graces are diatonic " according to the key you play in," shakes generally begin with the upper accessory, etc. Musicians may well be grateful to Professor Pauer for his reprint of Purcell's Lessons in " Old English Composers." The text is correct as far as the notes go, and carefully presented ; the ornaments, however, require completion and revision, table in hand. A task for the Purcell Society. Subjoined is one of the best of Purcell's pieces with the graces as they stand in the original edition. Sharps, it will be seen, are used instead of naturals. " Almand " : Purcell's Lessons, pp. 8 — 9 — 10, published 1696. ^^'ej'l | ;J^^n^|J.;j;^jj;;rj;j^3jJ feb rzjr J J , ^ ^-j^=^ A o^y^ it^ iL-i- m ^ -a^- i" % dtra^ n , niT. -, >;^ au I'-^rrir^ r i " , nm m :^ J ^ IJ- . r 4 1=^ ^ J 4 u. ^ m tF=W^ ^ (§) ■it \^ ^m ^m ^ i\^ ^^ftr7^r^"r--£r' ' f ^m M ■±- t^ 8157 (li) ■2^~~ -^— T* 74 h^m£3^^^ vi ^- g5=aJ..-^:J^iJ. ^ \^ :fc 'T*^ ^ B* 3t=«! ^ =w 5fe ^ rh-*-^ i r "S^JV 1 PURCELL ON TEMPO. Attention has already been drawn to the fact that in early days various time signatures served to indicate the speed of a piece. In this respect Purcell's evidence italicised below supports and completes that of the Parthenia and of Frescpbaldi — ante pp. 46 and 51. " EXAMPLE OF TIME OR LENGTH OF NOTES." There being nothing more difficult in Musick then playing of true time, 'tis therefore nefsesary to be observ'd by all practitioners, of which there are two sorts. Common time and Triple time, and is distmguished by this Q, this ^ or this ^ mark, y^ first is a very slow movement, y next a little faster, and y last a brisk and airry time, and each of them has allways to y« length of one Semibreif in a barr, which is to he held in playing as long as you can moderately tell four, by saying one, two, three, fom, two Minims as long as one Semibreif, four Crotchets as long as two Minims, eight Quavers as long as four Crotchets, sixteen Semiquavers as long as eight Quavers. Triple time consists of either three or six Crotchets in a barr, and is to be known by this | this ^6 this 3 or this f . marke, to the first there is three Minims in a barr, and is commonly played very slow, the second has three Crotchets in a barr, and they are to be play'd slow, the third has y same as y former but is play'd faster, y last has si» Crotchets in a barr and is Commonly to brisk times as Jiggs and Paspys. 8157 75 The attempt to suggest some workable measure of speed, " one semibreif in a bar to be held as long as you can moderately tell four, by saying one, two, three, four," shows that Purcell, like his contemporaries, felt the want of some such measure. Thus Mersenne, 1637, indicates the duration of half a " tactus," a minim, as that of one beat of the heart, i.e., about ^nd of a minute. Diruta's groppi and tremoli seem to show a somewhat slower rate for the average minims in his time. Mace's words, 1676, cover Purcell's. The 17th edition, 1718, of Playford's "Introduction to the skill of musick" virtually repeats Mace's and Purcell's direction ; but with an addition " Stand by a large chamber-clock and beat your hand or foot to the slow motions of the pendulum, telling one, two, with your hand down as you hear it strike, and three, four, with your hand up ; which measure I would have you observe in this slow sort of common time (marked C)i the second sort of common time is a little faster 0, the third is quickest of all, $. You may tell one, two, three, four, in a bar, almost as fast as the regular motion of a watch." In the 8th edition, 1732, of Christopher Simpson's "A Compendium or Introduction to practical music," the counting process is applied to crotchets and quavers : " Pronounce the words (one, two, three, four) in an equal length as you would (leisurely) read them, then fancy those four words to be crotchets, which make up the quantity or length of a semibreve, and consequently of a time, or measure ; in which let the words (one, two) be with the hand down, and (three, four) with^t up, etc." — " Some speak of having recourse to a lively pulse for the measure ol crotchets ; or the little minutes (seconds) of a steady-going watch for quavers, by which to compute the length of other notes ; but this which I have delivered will, I think, be most useful to you." Quantz, " Versuch," 1752, xvii., 7, par. 46, 47, et seq., after alluding to Loulie's project of a " chronometre"* — which he knows only through Walther's Lexicon, and which failed to gain approval — proposes " the pulse at the hand of a healthy man " for a unit. He takes (i) allegro assai, (2) allegretto, (3) adagio cantabile, (4) adagio assai as types of speed for comparison — subject to various modifications "for the sake of expressing the passions." In common square time : allegro assai each minim = one pulsation ; allegretto ........ „ crotchet = one „ ; adagio cantah'h' . . . ... „ quaver = ,, ,t \ adagio assai „ quaver = two pulsations. He proceeds to explain the same thing in alia breve time : that each beat has half the above value ; and also in simple and compound triple time : how in 1 1 f V groups of three quavers form one beat or pulsation. All this shows a gradual change in the notation of music from what Beethoven called big pound-notes (Pfundnoten) to our crotchets, quavers, and their sub-divisions. In the writer's opinion, it further indicates a slow but unmistakable increase of speed in the execution of music all round — instrumental music especially. This subject is further discussed in the chapter J. S. Bach. * Loulie's " Principes," etc., quoted p. 91. 8157 THOMAS MACE. " Musick's Monument," 1676. (The Lute). 8157 79 X. " The Names of such Graces which we most commonly use upon the Lute, be these : Tablaturc. Explanations written out in accordance with Mace's directions. The ist and chiefest is The Shake, marked thus : /. a ,, Beate, ,1 /a i ^^ HfS e^ 5 [gj also : -^ - -j^ -J -^ — — — ■ m * • • • • a Tremolo or vibrato. & ^ ^^ di=d 3. „ Back-fall, 4. „ Half-fall, " 5' II If Si ^ f^PP S e^P 5. ,, Whole-fall, „ „ + a ^ 6. „ Elevation, i< "Hr-a (ascending.) (descending.) 7. „ Single Relish, „ „ ,«, a 8. „ Double Relish, „ „ I ', a 0- 10. „ Slur, „ Slide, „ the same a i( r r r) ii r/[:ffrffe ^]ii^^ y This Grace is akin to the true shake : it is played with the fingers as upon a Viol. {sic) i :it=?tz:z^ i-^ ^ ^ I' {Legato-glissando.) II. „ Springer, ,j thus ; a ' 12. „ Stiag, II ,1 -6-^^ - ^ Vibrato. 8157 8o 13. The Tutt, marked thus :a V p : stop the sound _( > • rf ZpZ ^ 14. „ Pause, I'TS or; /^ Q ' n (Fermata). Also used in the sense : " " ^ or tills: a ^_j^j^__.. g£j^..gggg^^i(jjj.. — j.«., a little pause : S^ ° before a. note, thns: (See Fr. Co^-^^ _,.,.,. • under Suspension.) The 15th and last, ^ ' Soft and Loud so : lo : (" which is as Oreat and Good a Grace, as any other whatever"). " Directions " culled from Mace. Page 105. — " Whatever your Grace be, you must, in your Fare-well, express the True Note perfectly ; or else your pretended Grace will prove a Disgrace." Page 103. — " You must likewise know that a Shake is not always to be made two Frettes off (which is a full Note's distance), but as often from one Frette (which is Half a Note Distance)." The " Frettes " upon the fingerboard of a Liite, indicated by the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, represent intervals of semitones ; thus, the tuning of the Lute-strings being known, the tablature can be deciphered with ease. Page 104.— A Back-fall (appoggiatura from above) explained : " Let your Note be what it will ; it must first partake of the Tone of another Note or Half-Note above it, before it sound." Page 104. — ^A Half -fall explained (short appoggiatura from below) : " As soon as E — that is, the finger stopped at fret E — has given its perfect sound, my next finger must fall smartly into F; so that F may sound strongly only by that fall ; which will cause a pretty, neat, and soft sound, without any other striking." Effect: -^- f Page 106. — The Elevation " is generally to be made in the ascension or descension of a 3rd " (major or minor) " and always upon the middle note." It consists " of five letters " (notes), " as you see, hnked together by a hooped stroak " (compare table), " none of which are to be struck, but only the first, and all the rest are to be performed by the activity of the left hand in the manner of falling or sliding " (glissando).* Page 107. — The Double Relish "is a Grace, very profitable to practice, for the making of the hind nimble, quick, and even ; but upon the Lute is not used to be performed, by any sliding or falling of notes, as others are ; because it consists of too many notes, to be performed, without some other help than by the left hand." — " In encient times, the well and true performance of it, upon the several keys, throughout the instrument (either Lute, or Viol) was accounted an eminent piece of excellency, though now, we use it not at all in our compositions for the Lute."t Page T09. — The Springer " is a Grace, very neat and curious, for some sort of notes ; and is done thus, viz., "After you have hit your note, which you intend to make the Grace upon, you must (just as you intend to part with your note) dab one of your next fingers lightly upon the same string, a frett, or two frettes below (according to your Ayre) as if you did intend to stop the string to sound, in that stop (so dab'd) ; but only so, that it may suddenly take away that sound which you last struck ; yet give some small tincture of a new note ; but not distinctly to be heard, as a note : which Grace, if well done and properly, is very taking and pleasant." Pages 109, 110.— The Pause, "which although it be not a Grace, of any performance, nor likewise numbered among the Graces, by others, t yet the performance of it, in proper places, adds much to Grace ; and the thing to be done is but only to make a kind of cessation, or standing still, sometimes longer and sometimes shorter, according to the nature, or requiring of the humour of the musick ; which if in its due place be made, is a very excellent Grace." * The " elevation " occurs in the Parthenia. See Orlando Gibbons's Galiardo in C, penultimate bars of the 3rd and 5th parts. t It occurs in the Parthenia : see Nos. xvi. and xviii., Orlando Gibbons's Galiardo in C, bar 7, part i, and his Pavin in A minor " The Lord of Salisbury," bars 7 and 9. X See Couperin's Table, under " Suspension," post p. loi. 8157 JOH. ANDREAS HERBST . . . 1588-1666. (A German Capellmeister and Singing-master.) " Musica moderna prattica, overo maniere del buon canto" (1658). MICHEL L'AFFILARD. " Principes tres faciles pour bien apprendre la Musique " (First Edition, 1635). JOH. PLAYFORD. " Musick's Handmaid; New Lessons for the Virginal or Harpsichord" (1663). D'AMBRUIS. (A Parisian Singing-master.) " Livre d'Airs, avec les seconds complet en Diminution " (1685). 8157 83 XL Herbst (1658), quoted from Rob. Eitner's Monatsschrift fur Musikkunde, x., 103, amongst other illustrations of Diminution, has the following : — ExCLAMATio LANGUIDA {after Dav. BolUus). N hi I • h J^ i I Jl Passaggi {i.e., G ^ (Subject.) ropp 0- B w^w Ff P Ffrffl ^^_J J_ *J — J s ^ ^-J-m \-m-— « -• i#^^^ J 3 i i Exclamatio effectuosa. m --m Exclamatio viva. &c. $ 122. 3S3-IJ J jg% ->°. Exclamatio piu viva. i SE F?f^ft 3=* ^fe# ZZ2. ^S P &c. Exclamatio con ribattuta di gola : ■CD " .} x:/3JiJ3^.i:^ ^ ^-- ^^ 3j.3r^lJ-j^^ ■&c. (I ^ J j . . / ^ 4 5 ^^ ■&c. Lr'AFFiLARD's " Principes." — The fourth and fifth editions of this po'pular Tutor, 1702 and 1705, are here quoted from — seven editions altogether. In the fourth edition it is asserted that "the signs are those used by famous masters for a long time past "—and they do m fact occur in most " Recueils d'Airs" — such as those by De la Barre, Berthet, D'Andrieu, Du Pare, Desfontaines, De la Croix, Desvoyes, Marchand, Monteclair, Montcuilly, Prunier, Regnard, and may be taken to represent the ways of French amateur vocalists ; on this ground they demand attention. Like Playford's early publications, the editions of L'Affilard are clumsily printed from moveable wooden type. The stiff woodcut sign for the "accent " (|) has been reproduced here by the true sign (;) as it occurs in contemporary engraved music. " Marques dont on se sert pour designer les Agrements iu Chant." 1. Accent. (Written.) i ^ i 2. Port de vaix, (Written.) i ^ ^ 3. Port de voix double. (Written.) . # V i ^ " Notes signifiSes par les marques prec6dentes." Z^SZ i (Sung.) -■^--l J M (Sung.) ■^ ^a-:=^r:^ . =^ 8157 4. Cadence coxipee avec v,ne Note. Martellemeni avec deux Notes ^i'' r f '^ ^u^j^ 5. Double cadence coupee. (Written.) (j) I (N.B.) ^^S^ ^(Sung.)(D , s ^ge (N3.) 6. Feinte et Pince. (Written.) « ^ IE ^ f±: V _£2_ i (Sung.) . ^ ftp" S (tt) 1*-^ ^ 7. Tremblement subit. (Written^ (N.B.) - — ^^-^ i ? ^ (Sung. S' (N.B.) 8. Balancement. (Written.) 1 IE ^ ^ (Sung.) (/. e., " Bebung.") ^ IT I "TNTBir^ t2^=JS 9> Coulemenis. (Written.) $ ^ 10. HelaH qui est compost d'un Port de voix et d'un Accent. (Written.) n ^' ^^ S s (Sung.) (e- 5 3^ (Sung.) fe ^ 5=rS 10a. The fifth edition, 1705, has : " Helan ! ou aspiration un peu violente." (Written.) (Sung.) vJ ±i= i)^ flj J'. ^ W S ^ f ,iJ_/>C^^ =^ 11. Double cadence battue, (Written.) -»v< iF ^ ^=g: 32 (Sung.) (N.B.) 1 ^ M3a lla. (Fifth edition, 1705.) Double cadence battue. (Written.) (N.B.) jt^f^^^r^ (Simg.) (N.B.) m ^ m 8157 85 12. Cadence soUtenue. „ (Written.) n zzr QE i (Sung.) ^ I (N .B.) ^ 12a. (Fifth edition, 1705.) Cadence soutenue. (Written.) ^ P :3r-yzr 3E Cadence appuyee, batue et fermie. (Sung.) ^ , e Ab i". / 1 J.^^J^ ^ ^ These interesting examples, mostly in the same time and key, and evidently intended to be representative, require the following comments : — The sign + not written out, to which attention is drawn by (N.B.), stands for our tr., and signifies a shake with the upper accessory. The sign *v, also not written out, which occurs in No. 4 as sung, stands for a semi-shake A °^' f r f ^ ^"F—- — — .-^- The use of the dot as a somewhat indefinite sign of prolongation (in No. 4) was a matter of common practice till late in the eighteenth century. Thus the phrase — M ^ dm is meant for ^ ^ ^ Compare J. S. Bach's Fugue in D major, " Forty-eight Preludes and Fugues," No. 5, Part I., where — r cj^y In No. 6, the " Feinte," as marked and explained, is identical with the " accent " in No. i. In No. 7, the " port de voix " V is left partially unexplained : the last note C in the explanation requires two tiny preparatory notes, as shown in No. 2. The " Balancement " in No. 8 is the true " Bebung " (slow or quick vibrato) of Ph. E. Bach and Beethoven — XT 5^ m nearly identical with Dirutas' " percuotere piii volte il tasto," Caccini's and Praetorius's vocal " trillo," and the vibrato of lutenists and violists. In the examples from the fifth edition, at loa, the " port de voix" V requires two little notes before the final D in the explanation (as at No. a). this- The example of a " cadence appuy^e, battue and ferm^e," No. 12, when fully written out, comes to h'r 1 ^' tti tfiJt^ ^1 " -fi t> J^—- ^ 1^^^ t»d^ J^d^ m^ =: : 8157 86 Playford, " Musick's Handmaid " (1678), 2nd Edition, Part I. Here the sole sign for graces is still t!iai of the Parthenia ^ and no explanation is given. In Part II. **' occurs for a shake, and Vs for " a plain note, and shake," as Purcell has it. In the " Introduction to -the Skill of Music " (17th edition, 1718) Playford has — " A Springer": Expl. (a sort of " A Cadent" : Expl. (an antici- - N-aphsohlag).-- pation). P ^^a i y "A close sha ke " : Expl. (Vibrato) _j5 I — ^ A specimen from D'Ambruis's "Livre d'Airs avec les seconds (the repeats) completsen Diminution" (in Division) may be compared with " Les Agr6emens de la m6me Sarabande," in Baches time. Air. ; i ^ IS'-^ 5 i i \f r ^ ^ 5 ^^ ^m ^ 321 &c. ^r Diminution. J? ji p- 0-0-\- -^ ^_5" N^= — ^ ^ -H P-- „ * ^. 1*^1* ». tJ -?' It*- b=h-}- (Li* r f ^^ -1 #''* # + ""=i j~i f M f l*"~'W — m ^M — ' " — tJ — 1 H LX-gi ' L/ J ^ ^ «— ^^J — .L ^* * * \ -S. [^ 1* g "-E-. &c. 5 = Short Mordent ; + = Shake. ■8157 JOH. PACHELBEL . . . 1653-1706. JOH. KUHNAU .... 1667-1712. FRANZ XAVER MURSCHHAUSER 1670-1733 OR '37. JOHAN ADAM REINKEN . 1623-1722. JOH. GOTTFRIED WALTHER 1684-1748. J. CASP. FERD. FISCHER . Circa 1700. 89 XII. Pachelbel's " Hexachordon Apollinis," 1699, has t for shakes. His Organ Toccata in C major, printed from a MS. (Ritter : Geschichte des Orgelspiels II., p. 132), contains a number of bars marked thus :— .^^Ti j-^^i JTT^ J-^m &c. the mark —«•, which Ritter does not explain, is the lutenist's sign for arpeggio. Therefore the passage should be played — (6) Or (legato) thus : (a) (quasi staccato) thus : ■ ■■ 1 — r- k:) — i — ^-M-^-J-^-JL^_t ?±Ji -^ J \ J ^ -J-J-.I &c. d) j ^J J «^ J J J Wl jr ^ &c. KuHNAU (Bach's precursor as Cantor at the Thomas-schule, Leipzig) uses (1695) ^ for the " pinc6 ' (mordent, short shake with the lower accessory) — i -fi Murschhauser's "Prototypon longo-brevis organicum exhibens," I., contains a series of shakes perhaps worth quoting : — |#fc=F=== r—=^ — ] -, J -) , /c\ ^^ ^r-rr-rrr-i ^^fffrr rtj^- rrrrrrr ■'^-r-rrirfY'^ h^.i~^ ms=^ *^= -J- ^ — ^ 1 iHa-n "^■^—7^. r-^— - H- i^ S157 go His shakes written out almost invariably begin with the main note. His table of Graces is as follows : — " SIGNA QU^DAM NONNULLIS EXPLICANDA." ^ -?-#■ ^ w t Acquivalet huic. Acquivalet huic. Acquivalet huic Acquivalet huic. Acquivalet huic. J. A. Reinken : " Hortus Musicus,"* describes : "Tremul qui inferne tonum ferit," and " Tremul qui superne tonum contingit " : — i s ^ «.«. ffi ^ pr^Tf' " Admonitio, — Si quis forte ignoravit, quidnam simplex X sibi velit is sciat tremulum significare, qui inferne tonum feri,at : quemadmodum hae duse |! tremulum notant, qui superne tonum contingit." If any one be ignorant of the signification of the sign x , let him know that it means a trill, in which the note below the principal note is used as the assistant grace note, while II indicates a trill in which the note above is employed. H * ii H * Seb. Bach's friend, Johann Gottfried Walther (they were togefhti^^t "Weimar, 1708-14), has the following signs and explanations : — j The examples at A are slides (Schleifer) and turns (Doppelschlag). At B. : I is the " Nachschlag," 2 and 3 ^, and ^, (the old English sign from the Partheuia) is here used to signify a short shake or a short mordent ; 4 and 5 are again slides (Schleifer). In his Musicalisches Lexicon, 1732, Walther indicates the "Accent," appoggiatura, by means of the sign (, or »*•, ascending, ), or •»•, descending; and he further says, " appoggiaturi are generally short, taking very little of the time of the main note ; sometimes, especially when marked in the French way — i.e., by means of a tiny note preceding a main note of short duration, they may take up something like the half of such main note." Descendens. Played. Written : ^) g W fiiS Ascendens, -i Written ; Walther also states that the Frenchman, Louli6, in his instruction book (Paris and Aihsterdam, 1698) : " Elemens, ou Principes de Musique," p. 80— a copy in the British Museumt— has explained the accent * Edit. Riemsdijk (Leipzig). f The author's name is there spelt without the accent on the final e. ■ 8167 91 differently ; Louli6's sign being a little perpendicular stroke | which, applied to various intervals signifies a small grace note connecting two main notes, thus : — n • 1 1 1 ', 1 y 1 1 1 1 yr 1 1 . " If n '^ "^ 1 ^\' f^ ../^ rJ (-J ^ ^ — — Ci' (i^ ^ Execution thus : i^ (sic) V 1 Is h. 1 k. 1^ 1 . ; ■ _'. ■ A r ^ 1 J bV 1 ^ r J rJ J . • ^ « . l<* 1 1 ^ li. J «! • ,• rJ * • - -J —' 1 "^ J •^ cJ cJ LouliS, p. 79, has the same thing with the grace note descending, and calls it " chutte " = fall. It is the " Nachschlag" of J. S. Bach's German contemporaries. Walther adds further that Janowha, in Clave ad Thesattr. magnce artis Musicee, under the head of " Einfall " (Forefall), has two little descending strokes which signify a sort of appoggiatura — again a " Nachschlag " or else an " Anticipation" — thus : — I Written ; 1^ 5 itc^ =f^:^ II II \ h : II >» '■ fil ' \ ^ ]0 > '\ ^ 1 ^ ] ^ « i 1 U U it^ i i Sung: In te, in te. Do - mi-ne, spe- ra - vi, spe - ra - vi, spe-ra - vi, spe ra vi. ^ m S W=Ff^ ^^ S=g: i Under "Aspiration" Walther quotes another grace — once xnovQ a. Nachschlag — marked: upwards thus a- downwards ^ : — ^ Written : v Played : i.e. -J- "" — F — p — ^,— —A-f, — f — ^=v-p f"r r — f — ^-^^^-F — ^^ \ — e ^fe 1 — f-i--f -^ \ — !!=•—?=. Louli6, it may be added here, calls Martellement what Frenchmen usually call Mordent or Pincement : his sign for the "Martellement simple" is v; "Martellement double," -♦w; "Martellement triple," mvv: — \J. C. F. Fischer. " MusicaHsches Blumen-Biischlein, oder neu eingerichtetes Schlag-Werklein,' Op. II. (a copy in the British Museum, printed at Augsburg, no date, circa 1700-20). " Ocicurrent frequentius in sequenti hoc meo " I^ ^^^ following little work of mine certain rather opusculSs^ qusedam adhuc ignota signa, quae ne unfamiliar signs appear frequently, and to make matters Philomusicum dubium subinde detrinent his prse- clear to amateurs, I will here set forth and explain metto et/explico." them." pi Signum < tremuli vulgo trills. Semitremuli vulgo mordant. Tremolo, semi tremolo. Modi ibri vulgo cola. Harpegiatnra. 3-A- 8157 CHAMBONNlfeRES .... tl670. LE BEGUE ....... 1630-1702. LULLY '. . 1633-1687. D'ANGLEBERT Circa 1650. 8157 95 XIII. "Les Pieces de Clavecin de Monsieur de Chambonnieres " (Livre Premier), published in 1670, the year of his death. (British Museum). " Demonstration des Marques" : — c/o ^ ^ g Cadence. Pincement. Port de voix. Double cadence. Coul6. ^ i Harpfegement. g. 1^ ^ :^ -•a^ nr " Les Pieces de Clavecin. Compos6es par Monsieur le Begue,* Organist du Roy et de I'Eglise Saint Frederic." Paris, 1677 (British Museum). " Demonstration des Marques " : — j± ! ^ m Cadence ou tremblement. Pincement. C011I6. f [ ( ( . WA^J -II ^ ^ Harp^gement. In the second edition (1686) of Lully's opera " Armide, trag^die mise en musique," the sign for the shake (t) is replaced by x . i Henry D'Anglebert's " Pieces de Clavecin," 1689. " Marques des Agr6ments et leur signification ": — or> cr g S ^^ w tJ Treinblement Tremblement simple. appuye. Cadence autre. Double cadence CX> t cw e^ ? autre iV5 sans tremblement sur une Pinc6 tierce. autre. Tremblement et pinc6. ff^rrrrrrrrr V SlUlA^^^^ ^ E&^^ * There are two Livres d'orgue of Le Begue, the first of which only is in the British Museum. 8157 96 ^-^ Cheute o ^ — yf) (N.B.— The coul6 starts from the space a.) w—t^ P^ ^ Cheute ou port en descendant de voix en montant ^^ aescenaant. Cheute et pince. m Could sur une tierce autre (could) sur a notes de suitte autre. - ^-hr & rJ" -f-hJ-J^ g ^ ^^ (The could starts from the line 6.) 4 m Cheute sur Cheute sur Double cheute idem a une une note. z nottes. a une tierce notte seul. Arpegd autre ^^ m 1^ #^ i-=*= 'i i.=^=^ s^ ^ ?E5- autre autre. Detachd avant un tremblement. Detachd avant un pined. 8157 FRANQOIS COUPERIN. . . . 1668-1733. " L'Art de toucher le Clavecin " (1717). RAMEAU 1683-1764. " Pieces d§ Clavecin " (1731)- 8157 99 XIV. The publications of Fran9ois Couperin are : " Pieces de Clavecin." Premier Livre, 1713 (Five "ordres," or sets). „ „ Second Livre, 1716-1717 (Seven further " ordres "). ' L'Art de toucher le Clavecin." 1717 (" Y compris huit Preludes," and an Allemande). " Pieces de Clavecin." Troisieme Livre, 1722 (Seven " ordres "). „ „ Quatridme Livre, 1730 (Eight " ordres "). A Total of 236 pieces. " Les gouts reunis, ou nouveaux Concerts, augment^s de rapoth6ose de Corelli." " L'Apotheose de I' incomparable Lully." " Trios " for viols. " Pieces de vide." Brahms and Chrysander have edited an admirable reprint of the four books of " Pieces de Clavecin " (Denkmaeler der Tonkunst IV. ; and, London : Augener, 1888). L'Art de toucher le Clavecin — "ma methode," as Couperin calls it when referring to it in his pieces — is the representative method of French Clavecin playing. The book was known to Seb. Bach and his sons, and highly esteemed by them.* It can be taken to represent the French style during at least a quarter of a century anterior to the date of publication. In the dedication " Au Roi," Couperin says : " it is twenty-three years since your Majesty has listened to my compositions." Contents : Position before the instrument, and position of the hands. Ornaments. Preliminary exercises. Remarks on fingering, illustrated by examples from the author's " Livre de Pieces," I. and II. An " Allemande " (the prototype of Seb. Bach's " Allemande " in B minor. Suites Fran9aises III.) Divers " Preludes," eight in number, " Merits sur le ton de mes pieces, tant de mon premier livre, que de mon second " — fingered and arranged in order of difiiculty and interspersed with observations showing how they are to be played " in good taste." L'Art de toucher le Clavecin was issued immediately after Couperin's first two collections of "Pieces," and forms an indispensable adjunct to them. There are frequent cross-references from the one publication to the other : " Voy6s ma M6thode," whenever in the Pieces there is anything out of the way as regards fingering, expression, or ornamentation, and the reverse. The eight Preludes of the M6thode (very valuable, some of tjiem) are " composes sur le ton de mes pidces " ; and may be played by way of overture to this or that " ordre " or suite, according to the key.+ Couperin's remarks on graces form an amplification of the " Explication des Agr^mens, et des Signes " given in the " Table," which accompanies his " Premier Livre des Pieces." With regard to ornaments in general, Couperin states his views tersely enough. His table can be applied to his pieces, and his " explications " are readily intelligible, as soon as one has mastered the quaint old French terminology for " Les Agr^ments." * Copies are now extremely rare, and it ought to be reproduced by photogravure. f In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, the habit of French and German violists, players of wind instruments, ' cembalists, and organists, to form a group or a series consisting of an indefinite number of pieces of similar or diversant character, in the same key, was derived from the practice of earlier or contemporary lutenists, with whom it was an advantage to be able to play a succession of pieces without having to re-tune the open bass strings. 8157 100 The disturbing features are that, whilst Couperin is treating of graces, he also treats of matters which would, now-a-days, come under the head of phrasing, or style, or expression, and that he chooses at the same time to enforce certain innovations in fingering, of which he is justly proud. But such lack of perspicuity (with musicians it is simply a lack of literary skill) is the rule in early instruction books. An attempt at re-arrangement would lead to further complication. It appears best, therefore, to reproduce Couperin's Explications des Signes, Table d'agr6ements, etc., strictly as they stand— to translate his words, and append a few elucidations. EXPLICATION DES AGREMENS, ET DES SIGNES, from " Pieces de Clavecin,'- Premier Livre, 1713. ^^ ^ ^ Signe. m Pinc6 simple. I li^ ^ Effet. Port de voix simple. ^£^ ^^ Effet. i^'J'J J|J.^ s Port de voix coul6e. $ Pinc6 double. *^ Effet. m k E* Port de voix double Effet. i S 1221 Tremblement appuy6, et li6. ^ ^ i s Tremblement ouvert. Tremblement 116 sans etre appuy6. ^^ ± Effet. i S ^ =fet :& Tremblement ferm6. Tremblement d6tache. ^m Effet. J. ^^ B#e<. (if> -1 r r eIe Double. Double. ^ ^^ B#«<. ^^ £#«<. Unisson. I c";,ic r — rr^ 8167 102 i i AGREMENS QUI SERVENT AU JEU, from " L'Art de toucher le Clavecin," 1717. Signe. /»|V Pinc^-simple. ^ C'est la valeur des notes qui doit, en general, d6terminer la dur6e des pincfis-doubles, des ports-de-voix-doubles ^t des tremblements. The value of the main notes determines the duration of the graces — such as Pinch-doubUs (long mordents, i^., shakes with the lower accessory); Ports-de-voix-doubUs (appoggia- tura from below joined to a long mordent) ; and shakes. I 5 Pincfe-double. f- r r r r r Tout pinc6 doit 6tre fix6 sur la note ou il est pos6 : et pour me faire entendre, je me sers du term de Point-d'arSt, qui est marque cy-dessous par une petite 6toile ; ainsi les batemens, et la note ou I'on s'arfete, doivent tons 6tre ccfmpris dans la valeur de la note dssentifele. Every mordent must be fixed upon the main note: over which it is placed : to explain what I mean I use the term Point-d'aret (stopjping place), which is indicated below with a httle star ; thus the repercussions and the stop are all comprised in the value of the main note. Example : i ^^ rrrrirrj Pinc6-double. La pince-double, dans le Toucher de L'orgue, et du clavecin, tieat lieu du martSlement dans les instrumens k Archet. The Pince-double (long mordent) in organ and clavecin playing takes the place of the martelement (long mordent or tremolo played with the bow) upon instruments of the viol class. fiy 1^ A>y -vv -♦v —, , 1 — ~ J- ^ fL E. "^ ''-' '^ vn f^ ^-~. i'~^ <-^ "'•32 32 32 32 3 Premier progr^s en montant. ,0V /»iv /ny f»f^ Aly r- 1 p*" ' r^^ 111' \''^ <^ IM A ^-J -cs ''• 43 43 43 43 4 Deuxifeme progr&s en montant. Manilre pour Lier plusieurs pinces de suite par degr6s-con- jointes, en changeant de doigt sur la m^me note. How to bind (play legato) an ascending or descending suc- cession oi pinch (mor- dents) by means of a change of fingers on the same key. R Si 34 34 34 34 3 Premier progrfes en descendant. 4.5 45 45 45 4 Deuxifeme progr^s en descendant. a.1 ar 3 1 2 r E ^ 221 Premier prcgr&s en descendant. • ^-\ ^*^ /"^ .'■s 21 21 31 21 3 m sz Alv ^ m zzsz Deuxifeme progr6s en descendant. M6me manifere pour les pinc6s-li£s de la main gauche, The same for the left hand. 13 13 ^^ 13 13 I m =^z Premier progrSs en montant. 33 33 23 23 2 m3^ j^L/ m^^ Affc* Al^ ^C^ f^t^ *^^ ^w ^1^ Deuxitoe progr&s en montant. Couperin's object is to show the fingering he deems best for strings of shakes with the lower accessory (" Pinc6-doubles ") ascending or descending, legato. The examples are interesting in connection with his " Point-d'ar^t," by means of which he arrests the pinc6 and fixes it upon the main note ; thus the " premier progres en montant " comes to this : — ,. iiNjiiM JJJJJJJJ J- 1 JJJJJJJJ J JJJJJjJ'jH^ IZ32 3232 3233 3232 32 &c. 8157 103 Les pinc6s-didz6s, et b6inolis6s que j'ai introduit dans la gravure de mes pieces, ne sont pas inutiles : d'autant qu'on pouroit souvent faire Ips uns pour les autres, contre mon intention. Le port-de-voix 6tant compose de deux notes de valeur, et d'une petite note-perdue ! J'ay trouv6 qu'il y a deux mani^res de le doigter : dont, selon moi I'une est preferable k I'autre. Les notes-de-valeur des ports-de-voix sont marquees par de petites croix dans les exemples cy-aprSs. Fagons modernes. * * 123 23 Premier progrfes. Je ne passe la maniSre ancienne que dans les occasions ou la main se trouve obligee de faire deux parties differentes; allors on est trop g&n6: sur tout quand les parties sont eloy- gn6es, I'une de I'autre Ou lorsque le chant vient de descendre. * * 234 34 Deuxieme progr&s. Raisons de Pr'efirence pour la Fagon Nouvelle des Ports-de-voix. Le doigt marque 3 dans le troisifime progr&s ; et le doigt marqu6 4 dans le quatrifeme, 6tant obliges de quitter la demiire crocbe de valeur ou il y a une petite croix, pour rebatre la petite note perdue, laissent moin de liaison qu'au premier progrfes, ou le doigt marqu6 3, est plutot remplac6 par le doigt 2 ; et au deuxifeme progrfes ou le doigt 4, Test aussi plutot par le doigt marqu6 3. J'ai 6prouv6 que sans voir les mains de la personne qui joue, je distingue si les deux batements, en question, ont 6te foits d'un m&me doigt on de deux doigts differens. Mes 61eves le sentent comme moi. De li je conclus qu'il y & nn vray, dont je me raporte a la pluraKte des sentiments. Je faut que la petite note perdue d'un port-de-voix, ou d'un coule frape avec I'harmonie, c'est k dire dans le tems qu'on devroit toucher la note de valeur qui la suit. Les tremblemens les plus usit6s de la main droite se font du troisifeme doigt avec le second ; et du 4feme avec le 3&me. Ceux de la main gauche se font du premier doigt avec le second ; et du 2 avec le 3. Quoi que les tremblements soient marqu6s 6gaux, dans la table des agrdments de mon premier livre, ils doivent Dependent commencer plus lentement qu'ils ne finissent : mais cette gradation doit hire imperceptible. Sur quelque note qu'un tremblement soit marqufi, il faut toujours le commencer sur le ton, ou sur le demiton, au dessus. The' Pinces-diezes, et bemoUses (mordents with sharps or flats), which I have caused to be engraved in my pieces, are not superfluous— inasmuch as the one might often be taken for the other, against my intention. As the Port-de-voix (Appoggiatura from below followed by a mordent) is made up of two notes de valeur {i.e., notes which count in the bar) and of a little note which is not counted {note perdue), I find that they may be fingered in two ways : one of which appears to me preferable to the other. The notes de valeur of the ports-de-voix are indicated by little crosses in the examples subjoined. I do not permit the old-fashioned way of fingering, except in cases where two parts have to be played with the same hand — because, then, the player would not be at ease — especially if the parts happen to be somewhat apart from one an- other, or if the melody has been descending. Fagons anciennes. ^m w ^ * * 123 34 Troisifeme progres. w= ^ ^^ ■■^ * * 234 45 QuatriSme progres. Reasons for preferring the new way of fingering Ports- de-voix to the old. The finger marked 3 in the third progression, and the finger marked 4 in the fourth, beinig obliged to quit the last quaver in the bar (at the little cross) so as again to strike the little note perdue (grace note) necessarily produce a less complete legato than the fingering given in the first progression — when the second finger at once replaces the third — or, in the second progression, when the third finger at once replaces the fourth. I have found that I can distinguish by ear whether the two repercussions in question are played with the same finger or with a change of fingers, even if I do not see the hands of the player. My pupils concur — and I conclude that there is some truth in the matter — as to which I appeal to the concensus of opinions. The httle note perdue (grace note) of a port-de-voix (appoggiatura and mordent) or of a coule (the term is used here in the sense of an appoggiatura from above or below) must be struck with the harmony — that is to say, it pertains to that part of the bar which would be occupied by the main note that follows it (».«., it takes the place of the main note, which thus loses some portion of its value). Shakes in the right hand are commonly played with the third and second finger, and with the fourth and third. In the left hand they are played with the first and second, and with the second and third. Although shakes are indicated by notes of equal value in the table of graces given in my first book of pieces, they ought, nevertheless, to commence slower than they end, but the gradation must be imperceptible. No matter upon what sort of note a shake is indicated, it should always commence with the upper accessory — i.e., the tone or semitone above the main note. 8157 T04 Les tremblements d'un valeur un peu considerable, reuferment trois objects, qui dans I'execution ne parrois- sent qu'une mfeme chose. i°. L'appuy qui se doit former sar la note au dessus de I'essentiele. 3°. Les baUments. 3", Le pomt-d' arrest. Tremblemmt. All shakes of some duration {i.e., other than tremoletti, transient shakes) have three constituents, which in the execution appear as one and the same thing — First, L'appuy, sustaining, dwelling upon the initial upper ac- cessory; Second, the repercussions {Les batements) ; Third, the point-d' arrest — the stop. i ^ Effet. m A r6gard des autres ti emblements ils sont arbitraires. 11 y en a d'appuy6s; d'autres si courts qu'ils n'ont ny appuy, ny point d'arrest. On en peut faire m&me d'aspir6s. I. 3- 4- 5- other sorts of shake (».«., transient or half-shakes, " Schneller," or any attempt at vibrato, repercussion at intervals of one and the same note) are arbitrary. Some have the upper accessory sustained ; others are so short that they neither have an initial note sustained nor a final stop. Even shakes " aspir6e " (cut short, ending with an abrupt rest) can be played. Couperin's Table of Graces further explained. The " Pinc6 simple " is our short mordent. The " Pinc6 double " is our prolonged mordent. The " Port de voix simple " is a short mordent preceded by a short Vorhalt (appoggiatura). The " Port de voix coul6e " is a long Vorhalt (appoggiatura). " Coulee " (adj.) = slurred. The " Port de voix double " is a long mordent preceded by a long Vorhalt. The " Tremblement appuy6 et li6," written out above, is a shake starting with the upper accessory and played in this wise : dwell upon the accessory for about half the value of the main note, then play the repercussions ; finally dwell somewhat on the main note. Remember Couperin's direction : " Shakes ought to commence slower than they end, but the gradations should be imperceptible," and the three constituents of his shake "L'appuy" (the dwelling), " Les Batemem" (the repercussions), " Le point d'arrest" (the stop). 6. The " Tremblement ouvert " is a shake with the closing note ascending. 7. The " Tremblement fernl6 " is a shake with the closing note descending. These terms are intended to show that if the melodic main notes ascend or descend the shake must terminate accordingly. 8. The " Tremblement li6 sans etre appuy6," judging from the " effet " written out, appears to be an anticipatory shake, slurred, the repercussions of which belong to the time of the preceding note. g. The " Tremblement d6tach6 " appears similarly to be anticipatory, but not slurred. If this be so, both come under the head of " Nachschlag." 10. The " Accent " is a plain " Nachschlag." 10 and II. Arpeggio. The sign for a descending arpeggio is obsolete. A matter for regret perhaps.* 12. The Coul6s quoted are to be played thus : P S i=*: m and the direction that the second note of each beat should be plus appuye, means that the finger of the harpsi- chord player must force or snap the key ; German " schnellen " = to snap ; the effect being as indicated. 13. "Pinc6s di6sds, et b6molis6s " = mordents with accidentals— jf, fa, and b. Observe that b is the equivalent of [| : m s £3^ ■ i^rrrrr \ ^ * Compare Liszt's transcription of Schubert's " Sei mir gegrusst " ; Grieg's Albumblatter, No. 4, &c. 8157 i'^5 j" Pinc6 continu "--prolonged mordent. 1" Tremblement continu " = prolonged shake. 14 and 15. 16. "Tierce coul6e, en montant" = slide ascending. „ ,, en descendant = „ descending. 17. " Aspiration." Strict legato was the rule, and the sign Couperin calls " aspiration " indicates a quasi- staccato — i.e., a note with a breathing space after it. 18. " Suspension " = breath before the note and thus slightly retarding it. This comes under "Tempo rubato." * 19. The " Double " is our turn. Page 15 of the M6thode contains Couperin's comments on the two agrements " L'aspiration " and " Suspension," which graces he specially claims for his own. " As the sounds of the harpsichord," he says, "are isolated one from the other, and as the power of each sound can not be increased or diminished, it has hitherto appeared almost inconceivable that a player can play with expression upon the instrument (donne de I'ame k cet instrument). . . . The expressive effect I mean is, in fact, owing to the cessation and suspension of the notes, introduced in the right place, and in accordance with the character of the melody of the Preludes and Pieces. These two agr6ments being opposed to one another leave the ear in suspense (laissent I'oreille indeterminS) ; so that in cases where stringed instruments would increase the volume of sound {i.e., stress, crescendo) the harpsichord may, by means of the ' suspension ' (slight retardation of a note — rubato — the note being played a trifle late), produce the effect desired. "With regard to the expressive effect of L'aspiration (the sound of a note being stopped = quasi^staccato) the notes must be detached less abruptly in tender and slow movements than in light and rapid ones. " The Suspension is employed in slow and tender movements only. The duration of the rest which is to precede the note over which it is marked must be left to the taste of the executant." Page 42 has the following remark as to tempo : — " With regard to pieces of a delicate and tender character which are to be rendered on the harpsichord, it is well to take them a little less slowly than they would naturally be taken upon other instruments ; and this mainly on account of the fact that the notes of a harpsichord can not be sustained very long. Never- theless, the peculiar expression and style of a piece (la cadence, et le gout) can be preserved in spite of some slight change in the speed." There is also a note, perhaps worth transcribing, as to modification of tempo : " II ne faut pas s'attacher trop pr6cisement k la mesure dans le Double cy-dessus,f il faut tout sacrifier au gout k la propret6 des passages et k bien atendrir les acceas marque par das pinc6s." Finally, Couperin's very frequent use of a sign for a sort of breathing — a rhetorical pause, an indication of phrasing — deserves notice (?) thus J — \ JIM r.:;fr f i r/r/gf -^f t ^ f^-^r ^Yfif ffy-^^ ^^^fe &^ ^^i^ijL ^ i pt^ J^^ ^^ r r 1 -t=F=gi rP=:P= ^ r r r J i^3 This very useful sign ought to be revived. It has been adopted by Brahms and Parry (5) and ( 'J )• * Compare Caccini, ante, uiid Geminiani, post. t See the Double de Rossignol in the Quatorzi^me Ordre des Pifeces already mentioned. Edit. Brahms III., p. 242. I See Edit. Brahms and Chrysander IV., p. 446. 8157. io6 Jean Philipp Rameau : " Pieces de Clavecin, avec une table pour les agr6ments," Paris, 1731 and 1736. Reprinted by Walsh, London. NOMS ET FIGUKES DES AGr£mENS. NoMS ET EXPRESSION DES AGR^MENS. Cadence : i s Cadence; flj-^^^^^; Cadence appuy6e ; SI L»»v nee 3 1 1* Cadence appuyee : St f ff Double cadence : i ■ua Double i^ ( r rT rf - ;adence : Sizzilsb— SSS ^ NoMS ET FIGURES, ETC. {cont'muecl) — NoMS ET EXPRESSION, ETC. {continued) — Double : i s Double : i 5 Pinc6 . i iE fS>-5- s pinc^: 4 rrrrrrr ^ In the Concerts pour le Clavecin avec une Flute ou Violon at Viole (i.«., Bass Viol), 1741, Rameau marks the shake thus +). Port de voix : fc \^ <- Coulez : i ^ 53S Port de voix : ^ ^ \:^ ^ Coulez : : ^ S A^ i i f A^ (The semiquaver rest indicates when the finger shall leave the key.) (Idem.) Pinc6 et 3^ 0. roix: S T L- port de voix : \y i '-^- r^' Pincg et ^ ( ^ [ ~ port de voix: v-) Son coup6 :i ¥ Son coup6 : :^ 5 Suspension ion: ll 5^ Suspension :i ^ :t=b=: Arpfegement jgf fe'r^=fl~£?:z=: Arpfegement 3; #''^'» ' 11 fr:jm simple: ^^ H^.= simple: C|) ^^^ Ih ^ f Arp&gement figure : Arpegement >K ' J W'"'y -i figure : ^Q) p* ~ figure : w^ 8157 107 i ^ ^ s ^ ^ r ^ ^Et= 1- g- ^ .p^ =1=^ tg ^ Liaison. ? Expression. m Une liaison qui embrasse deux nottes differentes, come I j-'^^ZZp; ^ marque qu'il ne faut lever le doigt de dessus la premiere qu' apr^s avoir touch6 la seconde. La notte li6 k celle que porte une Cadence ou un Pinc6, sert de commencement k chacun de ces agr6mens. Example. Expression. i n _ — y^ 4 ^ 1^' I I r F F ^ m Une liaison qui embrasse plusieurs nottes, marque qu'il faut les tenir toutes d'un bout de la liaison t I'autre eI mesure qu'on les touche. Example. ^ Expres sion. 4 ^W{& F= 8157 GEORGE MUFFAT 1635-1714. " Apparatus musico-organisticus " (i6go). TEOFILO (GOTTLIEB) MUFFAT . 1690-1770. " Componimenti Musical! per il Cembalo " (1727). 8157 Ill XV. George and Gottlieb Muffat, the father an organist, the son a cembalist, may be quoted together, though thirty-seven years separate the dates of their principal publications. George Muffat, in a dignified, and often rather interesting sort of way, follows Frescobaldi ; Gottlieb (" Theofilo," as he chooses to call himself), a much weaker musician, apes the contemporary French masters. George Muffat's " Apparatus " consists of a series of twelve Toccatas for the organ, with addenda— Ciacona, Passacaglia, and a sort of Cappriccio entitled "Nova Cyclopeias Harmonica." It contains a Latin address to the reader anent the signs for ornaments and their explanation, as follows : — AD BENEVOLUM LECTOREM : Porro signatum t simplex, tremulum ordinarium, quo nota ita signata cum proSdma ciavi superiore tremiscit, significato i vero cui similis virgula subducta cernitur, semitremulum vulgo mordant, quo nota ita signata cum clavi inferiore proximo, eiqae saepe (ubi aures id not vetant) per semitonium majus distante tremiscit, fc ita circumflexum, tremulum recentioris modi, soil, qui post absolutum tremulum ordinarium more solito cum not4 superiore exhibitum, inferiorem etiam notam unicd vice tantum assumit, denotat. Hoc vero signatum (tm) tremu- lum longum, ad extremum usque continuatum, indicat. Litterae P.M. Pedale ad libitum, ad Manuale claviarium simul usurpandum, significant. P.S. Pedale solum. M.S. Manuale solum. A simple t signifies an ordinary shake — ^the note thus marked shakes with the upper accessory. t with a stroke through the letter (thus, *) designates a half shake, commonly called a mordent — the note thus marked shakes with the lower accessory, which is often (if /^the ear does not forbid it) a major second', fc thus bent round designates one of the shakes of recent introduction — viz., an ordinary shake with the upper accessory, to which is added a short close introducing the lower aocessory. A shake marked thus (tm) signifies a shake prolonged to the end of the note. The letters P.M. indicate pedals ad libitum — to be used together with the manuals, as the player chooses. P.S. = Pedals only. M.S.= Manuals only. Organists are indebted to Herr S. de Lange, of the Hague, for a new edition of George Muffat's Apparatus (Leipzig, 1888). The representation of the text leaves nothing to be desired; but one or two statements regarding ornaments in the editor's German preface do not agree with the directions in the fore- going authentic address to executants. See p. ib of the Vorwort : under " Bemerkungen," paragraphs 3 and 4, before " Pralltriller " insert Triller, sowie ; for " Doppelschlag " read Triller mit Nachschlag. The attempt at an English version of the " Preface" and " Remarks" is a failure and should be cancelled. Preface, p. I, paragraph 2, for "renowed" read mentioned. Remarks, p. i, par. 3, for "collapse" read coincide, or collide with. Par. 5, for "trilletta" read ordinary shake and transient shake; for "double- turn " read mordent ; for " slur" read slide. P. VIb., last example, after "Quintole" add or septole, thus: — i i I — — — <- p. VII., under N.B. to page 39, read : the transient shakes, Pralltriller, should be added in the bass part, as indicated in the line for the pedals. Theofilo (Gottlieb) Muffat, " Componimenti Musicali per il Cembalo," 1727. PARTICOLARI SEGNI DELLE MANIERE. (Segni.) t^s f \\ P li b ^ SpiegazicJoi 1 sopradettil m ioni dei ~ / —^ ^ ttil Segni. 1% ) ^-j — f— f^p- 1 1 ^ ^^ 8157 112 i pt tc tujt lE^ ^ . ^^"^^^^ —7* *T— 7" ^ ^^ f :st=^ ^- "■ I ri rr #"»#!* ai ■W-'-wt i Job to O. II J ^ #^ ^^=^ ^ S (f)^ rrTnrr- lli (oKJa.) "^rm — n — H — ^ — V — n— ^ssaaf ^i^^J.II J>J J^ J. I I ^r^rr ff I! JJ ^ ^ n 1 .^ (i i ± ^ ^f "r^=F ^ ^ (ossia.) (oma.) i jcqt: ^ ^=^ ^ ^^ .S )B^ '^ -t -K ^^ ^- H- ^ ^ V II ^' i'' II k4 ^ s -( — '^ (ossin.) g {ossia.) ' (o«Ja.)' J ' g-gj^-T ^^ ^ fc^ I H i i 1- T d ^^ 4- ^ ^. ±_ iMir i i < II w f I I * s=^ ? ^ f=r f r^ ;- '-f I ' inxsia.) ' ' {ossia.y {ossia.} (OSSM.) ^^E ^11 ,j J^^ii^fi \w f=r r i — ^ * ^*'^^^J ^f a S afe ;^ai U^^l 8157 ARCANGELO CORELLI . . « 1653-1713. 8157 .11''. XVI. CoRELLi's Opera Qumta contains the solo sonatas whidi tta composer used to perform on special occasions. The work is entitled "XII. Suonate a VioHno e Violone o Cembalo," &c., was published at Rome (1700) and several times reprinted in London and abroad. It -consists of a plain violin part over a bass, sometimes figured, sometimes not. * The particular edition that concerns us here is the rare and curious one containing Corelli's own embellishments to the first six sonatas; reprinted in London about 1711 by J. Walsh and J. Hare, who recommend it as possessing "y° advantage of having y" Graces to all y* Adagios and other places where the Author thought proper." The authenticity of these graces is vouched for by the Dutch musicseUer, Etienne Roger, who, according to Hawkins,'" in one of his printed catalogues signified thai: the original copy of them, as also some letters of the author on the subject, were open to the inspection of the curious at his shop." Compare the admirable edition of Corelli's works by Joachim and Chrysander, London. The writer can see no reason to doubt the authenticity of these " graces," or rather, divisions ; and the Adagio from Sonata II., which here follows, is quoted as representative: — Ye Graces, Violin. Bass. ^ ^^~. it u* r Ljr ^=^^fe ^^^ fe ^ "SS^ I e£ 2^^=!^ ^ ¥^ ^e ;S=3= ^^^^^^^ ^^E^^g ^^^^^ ¥=^ f Jt 76 be y— r ^^^^ ^ ^ -^— £^ ^ m ^ tr — ^-^ - f h^^^ i =S S -r^-^ ^ :£= ^ m i y=f= \) f f V, ' t 6 6 5 4 :e 8157 Ii6 r rrrrrrrrrvr.r^ ^ ^ =st =#*= :*i^ ^ 5t=^ fe=it: ^ ^ ^^ 176 To some extent, of course, such ornamentation iniplies tempo rubato — i.e., the bass proceeds in time, but the grace notes may be taken quick or slow, as the player chooses, so long as the bass is not very per- ceptibly retarded or accellerated. Practically this amounts to little more than that the longer notes of the solo part are sometimes dwelt upon beyond their proper duration, whilst the shorter notes are played quicker by way of compensation, and vice versa. Compare " tempo rubato " antef under Caccini, Tosi, and post, under Geminiahi. Shakes are shown by the sign x ; and it is a matter of tradition that many other short shakes, mordents, appoggiaturi, not specially indicated, were constantly employed by virtuosi of Corelli's day. 8167 DOMENICO SCARLATTI . . • 1683-1757- HANDEL 1685-1759. 8157 irg xvn. The practical good' sense whith underlies Domenico Scarlatti's treatment of the harpsichord prompted him to avoid the use of all but the most familiar ornaments. There- is no need to pass them in review here^ as no one can mistake the common shakes, mordents, turns, and appoggiaturi (the latter mostly short), which appear in Czerny's edition of aoo of his pieces and subsequent reprints, in Cadi Banck's edition of: thirty further " Sonatas,"* or in any of the recent copies of Walsh's early English editions of " Lessons." It is- sufficient to state that Scarlatti's shakes may as often be begun with the main note as with the upper accessory— ah old Italian practice which dates from Gabrieli and' Merulo (see " Tremoletti " uader Diruia). He is fond of the slide — and, inordinately so, of the acciaccatura', the arpege figure — even a veritable glissatiAo occurs. The. following slides and acciaccaturi are from a lute-fike piece in G minor — "piece lut6e," as Fr. Couperin would have called it — Czerny, No. 13 — ^ ^ ^r^T-T^ Q^ .^^' ^ ■^-ly^r r ^ ^^ tat ^ W n=a= *'=f=^ :ip=^ H^ I V SS i=i ^ i J=FJ tJ I ^ ^ 3 5=^ ^ Compare also Czerny, No. 91 — ^ ^1 jT^ j j, ^ : ^^ ^ , i ^^ ^ i w^. i {sic) T f ^s>-- i &c. f i Here the notation for which Czerny may possibly be responsible — the MS. from which he worked is not accessible — appears misleading : e is meant for w f^fi- &c. " The chord is to be broken and the dissonant acciaccatura to be touched as though the key were hot." (Geminiani.) A violent and most eccentric passage of this sort is quoted from Czerny, No. 68, in the preface to H. V. Billow's "revised" version of eigh-teen pieces by Scarlatti. * Rather cooked. • 8157 120 Handel, like Scarlatti, has comparatively few signs, and none that are ambiguous. His shakes may sometimes, but not as a rule, be begun with the main note — "in the Italian manner." If Handel's harpsichord lessons were not in every English musician's hands this would be the place to quote those fine specimens of combined graces and divisions : the Adagio in F which begins the second Suite and the Air in D minor from the third Suite. Those who happen to find the latter piece somewhat of a puzzle should refer to Billow's selections from Handel, where they will find every detail written out. Concerning the arpeggio chords in such pieces as the preludes to Handel's Suites I., V., the player is at liberty to break them up and down several times in succession — to widen them and even intersperse them with acciaccaturi as he sees fit, and as Handel has himself done in the last four bars of the prelude to the Suite in D minor, No. III. Of course, in such cases, the tempo is also entirely at the player's discretion. Preludes of this type were written, or rather partially written, in measured time (Couperin's " mesurS "), merely to facilitate reading. It is interesting to compare the older {"non mesure") way of writing such things — which derives from the practice of the lutenists. Curious specimens in Fleischer's edit, of Gaultier — especially a Prelude by Louis Couperin — and in the "Pieces de clavecin," by Le Begue and by D'Anglebert, in the British Museum. The dot, with Handel, as with J. S. Bach, in many cases has but an approximate value: for instance, ^ Fj 11 1,1 , in the Overture to the Suite in G minor, No. VII., signifies something like ^ rTj I,, R 1,5 •* After short shakes the dot often stands for a short rest : AUemande, Suite in D minor. No. III. tr ^^^ Q^S^^"^^ m .m J- 5^ f^ * Sir William Cusins has conclusively established this point with regard to Handel in his essay on " The Messiah." Compare Frescobaldi, ante, and C. Ph. E. Bach, post. 8157 PIER. FRANCESCO TOSI . . Circa 1650-1730. " Opinion! de' Cantori antichi e moderni, o sieno osservazioni "sopra il Canto figurato." Bologna, 1723. English translation, by Galliard, London, 1724, second edition, 1743, " Observations on the Florid Song, or Sentiments of the Ancient and Modern Singers." German translation, by Agricola, J. S. Bach's pupil, Berlin, 1757, " Anleitung zur Singkunst," with explanatory notes and additions. 123 XVIII. Tosi's book was considered authoritative. J. S. Bach's pupil, Johann Friedrich Agricola, translated it from the original Italian into German and augmented it. It deals with the art of singingj as understood a little before and during Handel's time, in almost as complete a way as C. Ph. E. Bach's " Versuch," a generation or two later, deals with that of harpsichord playing. The chapters on graces are here reproduced from the second edition of Galliard's English translation,"' 1743, and with Galliard's notes, which from their professional character are valuable. It should be borne in mind that Tosi's experience belongs to the time before the tempered scale came into general use. Hence his puzzling way of showing the fitness of certain appoggiaturi, shakes, &c., and the unfitness of others. Instead of resting his precepts on the rules of thorough bass and correct part- writing, or on some intelligible system of harmony, he chooses to appeal to the sense of just intonation — "major and minor semitones." By the Ancients he means those singers who, like himself, were in their prime about thirty or forty years before the publication of his book ; and by the Moderns the singers then before the public. OF THE APPOGGIATURA (VORSCHLAG, VORHALT). § " I. Among all the Embellishments in the Art of Singing, there is none so easy for the Master to teach, or less difficult for the Scholar to learn, than the Appoggiatura. This, besides its Beauty, has obtained the sole Privilege of being heard often without tiring, provided it does not go beyond the Limits prescribed by Professors of good Taste. * "Appoggiatura is a word to which the English Language has not an Equivalent; it is a Note added by the Singer, for the arriving more gracefully to the following Note, either in rising or falHng. The French express it by two different terms, Port de Voix and Appuyer ; as the English do by a Prepare and a Lead. The word Appoggiatura is derived from Appogiare, to lean on. In this sense, you lean on the first to arrive at the Note intended, rising or falUng ; and you dwell longer on the Preparation than on the Note for which the Preparation is made, and according to the value of the Note. The same in a Preparation to a Shake, or a Beat from the Note below. No Appoggiatura can be made at the beginning of a piece ; there must be a Note preceding, from whence it leads." § " 2. From the time the Appoggiatura* has been invented to adorn the Art of Singing, the true reason why it cannot be used in all Places remains yet a secret. After having searched for it among Singers of the first rank in vain I considered that Musick as a Science ought to have its Rules, and that all manner of ways should be tried to discover them. I do not flatter myself that I am arrived at it ; but the judicious will see, at least, that I am come near it. However, treating of a matter wholly produced from my Observations, I should hope for more Indulgence in this chapter than in any other. * " A Semitone Major changes Name, Line, and Space : a Semitone Minor changes neither. To a Semitone Major one can go with a Rise or a Fall distinctly ; to a Semitone Minor one cannot. N.B. — From a Tone Minor the Appoggiatura is better and easier than from a Tone Major.'' " 3. From Practice, I perceive that from C to C by B Quadro (B Natural), a Voice can ascend and descend gradually with the Appoggiatura, passing without any the least Obstacle through all the five Tones, and the two Semitones, that make an Octave.* * " These are all Tones Major and Minor, and Semitones Major. $ ^ ^^ ^^m ^ £ J <^ =f=i= ^ s ^3^ * John Ernest Galliard, 1687^^1749, a musician of German origin who settled in London. siar 124 "4. That from every accidental Diezis, or sharp, that may be found in the Scale, one can gradually rise a Semitone to the nearest Note with an Appoggiatura, and return in the same manner.* * " Because they are Semitones Major. 4 tJ jJ II i^i-^^H-^-^^^^^^ ^ " 5. That from every Note that has a B Quadro, or Natural, one can ascend by Semitones to everyone that has a B Molle, or Flat, with an Appoggiatura.* * " Because they are Semitones Major, #^'i'^ J jJ Ik =!^ St ^3g ia S= ^ " 6. But, contrarywise, my ear tells me, that from F, G, A, C to D, one cannot rise gradually with an Appoggiatura by Semitones, when any of these five Tones have a Sharp annex'd to them.* * " Because they are all Semitones Minor, which may be known by the above-mentioned Rule, of their not changing Name, Line, or Space : ^ e * m =P2= m And which makes it manifest that a Semitone Minor cannot bear an Appoggiatura." " 7. That one cannot pass with an Appoggiatura gradually from a third Minor to the Bass, to a third Major, nor from the third Major to the third Minor.* * " For the same Reason, these being Semitones Minor, $ S :a ^ f ■jf" II ^^f^=q :t ip-s- m " 8. That two consequent Appoggiaturas cannot pass gradually by Semitones from one Tone to another.* * " Because one is a Semitone Major and the other a Semitone Minor. ^ ° U' S"^ i^i- " 9. That one cannot rise by Semitone, with an Appoggiatura, from any Note with a Flat. * " Because they are Semitones Minor, $ s =is ^ W =N ^ " 10. And, finally, where the Appoggiatura cannot ascend, it cannot descend. " II. Practice giving us no Insight into the Reason of all these Rules, let us see if it can be found out by those who ought to account for it. " 12. Theory teaches us that the above-mentioned Octave consisting of twelve unequal Semitones, it is necessary to distinguish the Major from the Minor, and it sends the Student to consult the Tetrachords. The most conspicuous Authors, that treat of them, are not all of the same opinion : For we find some who maintain, that from C to D, as well as from F to G, the Semitones are equal ; and meanwhile we are left in suspense.* * " The Tone, or Mood, you are in, will determine which is a Tone Major or Minor ; for if you change the Mood or Tone, that which was the Tone Major may become the Tone Minor, and so Vice versd : Therefore these two Examples from C to D, and from F to G do not hold true." 8157 125 " 13. The Ear, however, which is the supreme Umpire in this Art, does in the Appoggiatura so nicely discern the quaUty of the Semitones, that it sufficiently distinguishes the Semitone Major. Therefore going so agreeably from Mi to Fa, (that is) from B Quadra to C, or from E to F, one ought to conclude That to be a Senpitone Major, as it undeniably is. But whence does it proceed, that from this very Fa, (that is, from F or C) I cannot rise to the next Sharp, which is also a Semitone ? It is Minor, says the Ear. Therefore I take it for granted, that the Reason why the Appoggiatura has not a full Liberty, is, that it cannot pass gradually to a Semitone Minor,* submitting myself, however, to better judgement. * " This perplexity comes from a wrong Notion, in not distinguishing those two Semitones. . . . • Every one knows not that there is a Semitone Major and Minor, because the Difference cannot be known by an Organ or Harpsichord, if the Keys of the Instrument be not spUt. A Tone, that gradually passes to another, is divided in nine almost imperceptible Intervals, which are called Commas, five of which constitut^the Semitone Major, and four the Minor. ... If one were continually to sing only to those above-mentioned Instruments, this knowledge might be unnecessary ; but since the time Composers introduced the Custom of crowding the Operas with a vast number of Songs accompanied with Bow-Instruments, it becomes so necessary, that if a Soprano was to sing D sharp, Uke E flat, a nice Ear will find he is out of Tune, because the last rises.' " " 14. The Appoggiatura may likewise pass from one distant Note to another, provided the Skip or Interval be not deceitful ; for in that case, whoever does not hit it sure, will show they know not how to sing." * " All Intervals, rising with an Appoggiatura, arise to the Note with a sort of Beat, more or less ; and the same, descending, arrive to the Note with a sort of Shake, more or less — m :P=S= 1^12^: :^ J* tr J^ tr -y-i- One cannot agreeably ascend or descend the Interval of a third Major or Minor- m ZZ±L ^ ^ ^E^ -ft- 3 But gradually very well — i Examples of false or deceitful Intervals — m 3^ ^^ ^ ^ * ^1 irz - ^i " 15. Since, as I said, it is not possible for a Singer to rise gradually with an Appoggiatura to a Semitone Minor, Nature will teach him to rise a Tone, that from thence he may descend with an Appoggiatura to that Semitone ; or if he has a Mind to come to it without the Appoggiatura, to raise the Voice with a Messa di Voce, the Voice always rising till he reaches it.* * " So in all Cases where the Interval is deceitful — ^ s * zriz m ^ ^ With a Messa di Voce. (By " Messa di voce " the author means " the holding out and swelMng of a Note ") — i yji m II k =#rf :) " 16. If the Scholar be well instructed in this, the Appoggiaturas will become so famUiar to him by continual Practice, that by the Time he is come out of his first Lessones, he will laugh at those Composers that mark them, with a Design either to be thought Modern,' or to shew that they understand the Art of Singing better than the Singers. If they have this Superiority over them, why do they not write down even the Graces, which are more difficult, and more essential than the Appoggiaturas ? But if they mark them, that they may acquire the glorious Name of a Virtuoso alia Moda, or a Composer in the new Stile, they ought at least to know, that the Addition of one Note costs little trouble, and less Study. Poor Italy I pray tell me ; do not the Singers now-a-days know where the Appoggiaturas are to be made, unless they are pointed at with a 815" 126 Finger ? In my Time their own knowledge shewed it :them. Eternal shame to him who iirst introduced these foreign Puerilities into our Nation, renowned for teaching others the greater part of the polite Arts ; particularly, that of Singing ! Oh ! how great a Weakness in those that follow the Example ! Oh, injurious Insult to you Modern Singers, who submit to Instructions fit for Children .! Let us imitate the Foreigners in those things only, wherein they excel.* * " In all the Modern Italian Compositions the Appoggiaturas are mark'd supposing the Singers to .be ignorant where t3 place them. The French use them for their Lessons on the Harpsichord, &c., but seldom for the Voice." THE SHAKE. " § 4. Let the Master, by Means of verbal Instructions, and Examples vocal and instrumental, strive that the Scholar may attain a shake that is equal, distinctly mark'd, easy, and moderately quick, which are its most beautiful Qualifications. " 5., In case the Master should not know how many Sorts of Shakes there are, I shall acquaint him, that the Ingenuity of Professors hath found so many Ways, distinguishing them with different Names, that one may say there are eight Species of them. " 6. The first is the Shake major, from the violent motion of two neighbouring Sounds at the distance of a Tone, one of which may be called Principal, because it keeps with greater Force the Place of the Note which requires it ; the other, notwithstanding it possesses in its Motion the superior Sound, appears no other than an Auxiliary. From this Shake all the others are derived.* * " The first Shake of a Tone— —\ ^ 3B=|t rtesta g i " 7. The second is the Shake Minor, consisting of a Sound and its neighbouring Semitone Major* , * " The second Shake of a Semitone Major — and i =F where the one or the other of these two Shakes are proper, the compositions will easily shew. From the inferior or lower Cadences, the first, or full Tone Shake is for ever excluded.* * " Superior and Inferior Cadences are thus explained in the 8th Chapter. Superior Cadence. Inferior Cadence. ** La Sol Fa. -TT- **: Fa Me Fa. w *3H= " N.B. — From the inferior or lower Cadences, the first, or full Tone Shake, is not always excluded ; for in a sharp («.«., major key) it is always a Tone, and in a flat key {i.e., minor key) a Semitone — r^mrmhM ^^^ " If the difference of these two Shakes is not easily discovered in the Singer, whenever it is with a Semitone, one may attribute the cause to the want of Force of the Auxiliary to make itself heard distinctly; besides, this Shake being more difficult to be beat than the other, everybody does not know how to make it, as it should be, and Negligence becomes a Habit. If this Shake is not distinguished in Instruments, the fault is in the Ear. " 8. The third is the mezzo-trillo, or the short Shake, which is likewise known from its name. One, who is Master of the first and second, with the Art of beating it a little closer, will easily learn it ; ending it as 8157 127 For this Reason this Shake pleases more in brisk and lively soon as heard,, and adding a little Brilliant. Airs than in the Pathetick.* * " The third, the short Shake — " 9. The fourth is the rising Shake, which is done by making the voice ascend imperceptibly, shaking from comma to comma without .discovering the Rise.* * " The fourth, the rising Shake— " 10. The fifth is the descending S^afe, which is done by making the voice decline insensibly from comma to comma, shaking in such manner that the Descent be not distinguished. These two Shakes, ever since true Taste has prevailed, are no more in vogue, and ought rather to be forgot than learn'd. A nice Ear equally abhors the ancient dry Stuff, and the modern Abuses.'^ * " The fifth, the descending Shake— i I' f fr A r r r '" r*r ri- fr-f^^f ^ ^ &c. "11. The sixth is the slow Shake, whose quality is also denoted by its Name. He, who does not study this, in my opinion, ought not therefore to lose the Name of a good Singer ; for it being only an effected Waving, that at last unites with the first and second Shake,, it cannot, I think, please more than once.* * " The sixth, the slow Shake— A gradual accelerando. ^ :&c. " 12. The seventh is the redoubled Shake, which is learned by mixing a few Notes between the Major or Minor Shake, which Interposition suffices to make several Shakes of one. This is beautiful, when those few Notes, so intermixed, are sung with Force. If then it be gently formed on the high Notes of an excellent voice, perfect in this rare quality, and not made use of too often, it cannot displease even envy itself.* * "The seventh, the redoubled Shake — ^^ i'ri'-f>ri'r^' m :t " 13. The eighth is the Trillo-Mordente, or the Shake with a Beat, which is a pleasing grace in singing, and is taught rather by Nature than by Art. This is produced with more velocity than the others, and is no sooner born .but dies. That Singer has a great Advantage, who from time to time mixes it in Passages of Divisions. He wJio understands his Profession, rarely fails of using it after the Appoggiatura ; and he who despises it is guilty of more than Ignorance.* * The eighth, the Trillo-Mordente ; or, Shake with a Beat — rrrrrrrr^ "14. Of all these Shakes, the two first are most necessary, and require most the Application of the Master. I know too well that it is customary to sing without Shakes ; but the Example, of those who study but superficially, ought not to be imitated. " 15. The Shake, to be beautiful, requires to be prepared, though, on some occasions, Time or Taste will not permit it. But on final cadences, it is always necessary, now on the Tone, now on the Semitone above its Note, according to the Nature of the composition. 8157 128 " i6. The Defects of the Shake are many. The long holding-out Shake triumph'd formerly, and very improperly, as now the Divisions do ; hut when the Art grew refined, it was left to the Trumpets, or to those Singers that waited for the Eruption of an E Viva ! or Bravo ! from the Populace. That Shake which is too often- heard, be it ever so fine, cannot please. That which is beat with an uneven Motion disgusts ; that like the quivering of a goat makes one laugh ; and that in the Throat is the worst ; That which is produced by a Tone and its third is disagreeable : the Slow is tiresome ; and that which is out of Tune is hideous. " 17. The Necessity of the Shake obliges the Master to keep the Scholar applied to it upon all the Vowels, and on all the Notes he possesses, not only on MinimS or long Notes, but hkewise on Crotchets where in Process of Time he may learn the Close Shake, the Beat, and the Forming them with quickness in the Midst of the Volubility of Graces and Divisions. " 18. After the free Use of the Shake let the Master observe if the Scholar has the same Facility in disusing it ; for he would not be the first that could not leave off at Pleasure. " 19. But the teaching where the Shake is convenient, beside those on Cadences, and where they are improper and forbid, is a lesson reserv'd for those who have Practice, Taste, and Knowledge.* * " Shakes are generally proper from preceding Notes descending, but not ascending, except on particular Occasions. Never too many, or too near one another ; but very bad to begin with them, which is too frequently done. The using so often Beats, Shakes, and Prepares is owing to Lessons on the Lute, Harpsichord, and other Instruments, whose Sounds discontinue, and therefore have Need of this Help." OF AIRS (Ch. vii., p. 91). " 4. Among the Things worthy of consideration, the first to be taken Notice of, is the Manner in which all Airs divided into three parts are to be sung. In the first Part they require nothing but the simplest Ornaments, of a good Taste and few, that the Composition may remain simple, plain, and pure ; in the second, they expect that to this Purity some artful Graces be added, by which the judicious may hear, that the Ability of the Singer is greater; and, in repeating the Air, he that does not vary it for the better, is no great Master. " 5. Let a Student, therefore, accustom himself to repeat them always differently, for, if I mistake not, one that abounds in Invention, though a moderate Singer, deserves much more esteem, than a better who is barren of it ; for this last pleases the connoisseurs but for once, whereas the other, if he does not surprise by the Rareness of his- Productions, will at least gratify your Attention with Variety. "6. The most celebrated among the Ancients piqued themselves in varying every Night their Songs in the Operas, not only the Pathetich but also the Allegro. The Student, who is not well grounded, cannot undertake this important Task. " 7. Without varying the Airs the knowledge of the Singers could never be discovered ; but from the Nature and QuaUty of the Variations, it will be easily discerned in two of the greatest Singers which is the best. " 9. Let a Scholar provide himself with a Variety of Graces and EmbelUshments, and then let him make use of them with judgement; for if he observes, he will find that the most celebrated Singers never make a parade of their Talent in a few Songs ; well knowing that if Singers expose to the Public all they have in their Shops, they are near becoming bankrupts. " 18. If I do not advise a Student to imitate several of the Moderns in their Manner of singing .4 m, it is from their Neglect of keeping Time, which ought to be inviolable, and not sacrificed to their beloved Passages and Divisions." OF CADENCES (Ch. viii., p. 128). " 5. Every Air has (at least) three Cadences, that are all three final. Generally speaking, the Study of the Singers of the present Times consists in terminating the Cadence of the first Part with an overflowing of Passages and Divisions at Pleasure, and the Orchestre waits ; in that of the second the Dose in encreased, and the Orchestre grows tired ; but on the last Cadence, the Throat is set a going, like a Weathercock in a Whirlwind, and the Orchestre yawns. " 41. Whosoever does not know how to steal the Time in Singing, knows not how to Compose, nor to Accompany himself, and is destitute of the best Taste and greatest Knowledge.* * " Our Author has often mentioned Time ; the Regard to it, the Strictness of it, and how much it is neglected and unobserv'd. In this Place speaking of stealing the Time, it regards particularly the Vocal, or the Performance on a single Instrument in the Pathetick and Tender; when the Bass goes an exactly regular Pace, the other Part retards or anticipates in a singular manner, for the sake of Expression, but after that returns to its Exactness, to be guided by the Bass. Experience and Taste must teach it. A mechanical Method of going on with the Bass will easily distinguish the merit of the other manner." " 42. The Stealing of Time, in the Pathetick, is an honourable Theft in one that sings better than others, provided he makes a Restitution with Ingenuity. 8157 FRANCESCO GEMINIANI . . . 1680-1762. " A Treatise of Good Taste in the Art of Musick. 1749." (The Privilege, George II"., printed on the same sheet with the Table of Graces, is dated 1739.) GIUSEPPE TARTINI . . . . 1692-1770. JEAN JOSEPH CASSANEA DE MONDONVILLE .... 1711-1773. 8157 13^ XIX. - Geminiani, a great vidlin player,* and a master of style,t in His "Treatise of good Taste," offers an elaborate table of graces. It consists of fourteen items : " I recommend the Study and Practice of the following Ornaments of Expression, namely : " ist, A plain Shake (tr); 2nd, A turri'd Shake (y); 3rd, A superior Apogiatura (j^); 4th, An inferior Apogiatura (j*); 5th, Holding the Note (■■); 6th, Staccato ( 1 ); 7th, Swelling the Sound (>); 8th, Diminish- ing the Sound (\); 9th, Piano (P); roth, Forte (,/) ; nth. Anticipation ( J*); 12th, Separation (j*); 13th, A Beat (^) ; 14th, A close Shake (^)." From the following explanation we may compreTiend the Nature of each Element in particular — (First.) Of the Plain Shake. The plain Shake is proper for quick Movements ; and it may be made upon any Note, observing after it to pass immediately to the ensuing Note — (Second.) Of the TMrn'd Shake. The turn'd Shake being made quick and long is fit to express gaiety ; but if you make it Short, and continue the Length of the Note plain and soft, it may then express some of more tender Passions — ^l f r r rr rrrrfrf-r-f i f ^f-f f This is J. S. Bach's "Trillo und mordent." (Third.) Of the Superior Apogiatura. The Superior Apogiatura is supposed to express Love, Affection, Pleasure, &c. It should be made pretty long, giving it more than half the Length or Time of the Note it belongs to, observing to swell the Sound by Degrees, and towards the End to force the Bow a little. If it be made short, it will lose much of the aforesaid qualities ; but will always have a pleasing effect, and it may be added to any Note you will — i m (Fourth.) Of the Inferior Apogiatura^ The Inferior Apogiatura has the same qualities with the preceding, except that it is much more confin'd, as it can only be made when the Melody rises the Interval of a second or third, observing to make a Beat on the following Note. See (6) and {d) below— * He published his " Art of Playing the Viohn " in 1740 ; sixteen years" before Leopold Mozart's " Violinschule." \ Witness his version of CoreUi's Solo Sonata in A (No. 9, Op. V.), quoted in Hawkins's History, p. 904 of Novello's reprint. 8.1.')7 132 (Fifth.) Of Holding a Note. It is necessary to use this often ; for were we to make Beats and Shakes continually without sometimes suffering the pure Note to be heard, the Melody would be too much diversify'd — -4- (Sixth.) Of the Staccato, This expresses Rest, taking Breath, or changing a Word ; and for this Reason Singers should be careful to take Breath in a Place where it may not interrupt the Sense— EE s - (Seventh and Eighth.) Of Swelling and Falling the Sound, These two Elements may be used after each other; they produce great Beauty and Variety in the Melody, and employ'd alternately, they are proper for any Expression or Measure — (».«., ■ ") (Ninth and Tenth.) Of Piano and Forte. They are both extremely necessary to express the intention of the Melody ; and as all good Musick should be composed in Imitation of a Discourse, these two Ornaments are designed to produce the same Effects that an Orator does by raising and falling his Voice — ^ Pia. f—0- i g / (Eleventh.) Oi Anticipation. Anticipation was invented with a View to vary the Melody, without altering its Intention. When it is made with a Beat or a Shake, and swelling the Sound, it will have a greater Effect, especially if you observe to make use of it when the Melody rises or descends the Interval of a Second — '(") - -T - . w . S , w , j^ ^ ^^ M ^ F i IE ^^i£ i In modern notation these graces are as follows : — p - e. w ^^m V They are akin to J. S. Bach's " Nachschlag." (Twelfth.) Of the Separation. The Separation is only designed to give a Variety to the Melody, and takes place most properly when the Note rises a second or third ; as also when it descends a second, and then it will not be amiss to add a 8157 133 Beat, and to swell the Note, and then make the Apogiatura to the following Note, By this Tenderness is express'd — in) tK (6) 4' A- (c) ^ (d) -^ $ r-^- ir II r-- 1" In modern Notation we should express the " Separation " by a short rest ; for instance (a)- («) ^ {d) I W ^m^^M"^^ This is Couperin's " Tremblement aspires " — shake cut short — ending with an abrupt rest (see ante, p. 104). (Thirteenth.) Oiihe Beat. This is proper to express several Passions; as, for example, if it be perform'd with Stiength, and continued long, it expresses' Fury, Anger, Resolution, &c. If it be play'd less strong and shorter, it expresses Mirth, Satisfaction, &c. But if you play it quite soft, and swell the Note, it may then denote Horror, Fear, Grief, Lamentation, &c. By making it short and swelling the Note gently, it may express Affection and Pleasure — This is the French " battement " — i.e., prolonged mordent. (Fourteenth.) Of the Close Shake. This cannot possibly be described by Notes as in former Examples. To perform it, you must press the Finger strongly upon the String of the Instrument, and move the Wrist in and out slowly and equally, when it is long continued, Swelling the Sound by Degrees, drawing the Bow nearer to the Bridge, and ending it very strong it may express Majesty, Dignity, &c, But making it shorter, lower, and softer, it may denote Affliction, Fear, &c., and when it is made on Short Notes, it only contributes to make them Sound more agreeable ; and for this Reason it should be made use of as often as possible. (This is the vibrato of the old lutenists and singers, still in use, and often abused.) The following Examples shew how several of the Elements may be perform'd on one crotchet * — Observe that at (») the position of the signs — and ^ is the reverse of (6). In the original, by mistake, the engraver has repeated the example here indicated by the letter [b). ^^H ..... \k' ^ '\ii^ '^ frrr^p-^l -l^Jii^y— -g pj^c-rfipn^r -^^ H l^t=s=.t±icrwr-rr'^r- -• — \Mir^ f > p — ^'"1 1 1 i L.L,i ' B-^ — ' 1 n n N ten. ■+4-HH- II — ^ — ' ' - 1 1 1 M "I"!' 1 1 H * For clearness' sake, the modern signs for crescendo and diminuendo the author's > and f ; and sometimes the vi'ord tenuto (ten.) instead of his sign ■ are employed here instead of 8157 134 -t- G-iusEPPE Tartini (1692-1770), " Trillo del diavolo " (Violin Sonata in G minor). ^ tr. tr. tr ^ ^ ^ &c. m >- -r •J- t: JC-L-T f- r r~r r Shakes start with the main note. MoNDONViLL^, a French violin player, in his " Pieces de clavecin en Sonates avec accompagnement de Violon, euvre 3"" {circa 1737), indicates shakes in the Violin part by: x ; and in the clavecin part by: ^, with the remark " Les Agr^mens du Violon doivent 6tre exprimgs come ceux du Clavecin." 8157 CHARLES DIEUPART . . Circa 1^90-1740. " Suittes de Clavecin." Amsterdam, and London. No date. 8167 137 XX. The original edition of Dieupart's " Suittes de Clavecin," now extremely rare, was engraved at Amsterdam "chez Estienne Roger." Forty-eight pages lafge octavo, G clef for the right hand, F clef on the third line, sometimes C clef on the first or third Ime for the left. Dedication to Lady Sandwich in French and without date. The Suites are followed by the " Explication des Marques," " Rules for Graces," French and EngUsh names side by side. The publication, apparently intended for English subscribers,* is complete for the Harpsichord as it stands— the words on the title-page, " Mises en concert pour un Violon et Flute avec une Basse de Viole et un Archilut," merely signify an arrangement— j.«., additional instruments at pleasure.-)- J. Walsh published a partial reprint, also without date, f Select Lessons for the Harpsichord or Spinnett, plac'd on five lines in ye EngUsh Cliff," bass clef on fourth line, comprising— Suite L in A, overture omitted, otherwise complete; Gavot, Paspie, and Jigg from Suite IL in D; Gavot and Minuet from Suite HL in B minor; Gavot and Minuet from Suite IV. in E minor. There is no table of graces. In the extracts from the first Suite in A the signs correspond with those of the original edition; some are missing— from p. 7 to lo |^ stands for short shakes, with or without closing notes; appoggiaturi iire marked ^ ; and -♦♦v signifies a mordent. Contents of Dieupart's Suites . Suite I. — A major. Ouverture, AUemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gavotte, Menuet, Gigue. „ II. — D major. Same order. Passepied instead of Minuet. -B minor. Same order. III.- IV. — E minor. V. — F major. VI. — F minor. Menuet en rondeau. An autograph copy by J. S. Bach, of the entire Suite No. VI. in F minor, is preserved at Berlin, and there is strong evidence that Bach knew and valued the other Suites. The Prelude, for instance, to Bach's Suite Anglaise, No. I. in A, proves to be a transformation and expansion of the Gigue from Dieupart's first suite, also in A. J. S. Bach, bars 3 to 11. W?9 i£g§ g z-'^^:?^^ ^ 3*is; TL^ir~^ jija^/r-j ^.0m * Dieupart was a fashionable teacher in London, circa 1700-1712. He died about 1740. ^ The Spectator, No. 258, December 35, 171 1, and No. 278, January 18, 1712, contains letters referring to concerts Dieupart was holding in York Buildings. Were these Suites played there ? 8157 138. ^m DiEUPART, bars i to 14 M. -w=^ i ^- g^J!!^ m m=fz s ^ ^ T^ ^^^U\r g^ g ^ ^ ^ ^j= ^ fefe ^ S ' — &c H ^ ^^ ^3^ Bach seems to have got at his version of the subject by a sort of contraction of Dieupart's third and first bars- and ^^^ Observe the logical procedure by which Bach in the third and fourth bars of the above quotation- ^ expands the exposition of the subject — how in the fifth bar he joins Dieupart's seventh bar | and so reaches. the dominant, without losing hold of his theme. In the second part Dieupart's feeble attempt at an inversion prompts Bach's true inversion — - I* fc^^^^ Then,.afler the madiilation to B minar, bars ten and eleven of Dieupart's pieECj, Bach procfiedB.on^conBJsteitt-lines-of hisown to the close. Coinpare aJso the middle of the ouverture to Dieupart's Suite in E minor with the Prelude to Bach's Suite Anglaise in G minor, or the middle of the ouverture to the B minor Suite with- the Prelude to Bach's Suite Anglaise in F. The reminisGences in both cases are fiar from being so palpably evident as- the above, but there can be no doubt that Bach took many a hintTrom- Dieupart. There is an unmistakable flavour of Bach in Die,upart's Allemandes, Courantes, and Gigues, and the slow portions of Dieupart's Ouvertures shadow forth similar movements of Bach's — thus the ouverture to the Partita in B minor, for a harpsichord with two keyboards, the companion piece to thei Ltalian Concerto'. Cla-wier-uebusjg. 11. ^ is simply. Dieupart trMisfigurealandi glorified. Dieupart's " ExplicatioJi des MTarques " — " Rules for ©races." /»♦•■ T F^ -^f—i ^ P Pince, N.B. Double cadence, a beat. a shake turn. Tremblement pinc6, Port de voix, Cheute, a shake beat. fore fall up. back fall. [U I f£^^ - m:^ ss ^ 8157' i ^ ^ =C?cJ: ^ 139 F= d — ^— ^ ^^Eci Port de voix et pince, CouI6, Harpegement, fore fall beat. slur. battery ^ - r-^-t r^r (^)- m i ^ ha |g 'v^U 1- -v=s4»- Ss^fei -Jl •- ^^ -P=i r i^ I r -^ ' ' or :> >^— ^^ I i T^^^?'=frmr-it^E^HM' Compare the third bar of Bach's Prelude ^ above and his so-called Goldberg Variations, VII. This grace was not understood and therefore suppressed in the edition Peters and that of the Bach Gesellschaft. 8157 JOHANN MATTHESON . . . 1681-1722. " Der Vollkommepe Capellmeister," (1739). JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU . . 1712-1778. " Dictionnaire de Musique " (1767). 8157 I4i XKI. From Mattheson's " Der Vollkommene Capellmeister." (-- S Groppo.' T Ascending. Descending. V^ ^^ w m if:^ =^=p= rr--i* r r->.^ Halb-Circkel. i ^=^ iSi Ascending, Descending. ^^^=££^ i^i^p§ Tenuta. Rihatuta. - Mordent. \^^ ^^ ^^ (^ ^: ^i^ ^= ^3 ^ 8157 144 jf. J. Rousseau's " Diet, de musique, 1767," contains a list of " Agremens du Chant frangois," represent- ing the practice of amateur singers in France. It is subjoined merely for the sake of completeness, and may be compared with the examples from L'Affilard, Chapter XI. ante. Written. Sung. i s 1 Accent. ^ (= — ^i»^ ~r:r- ? Cadence pleine. Cadence bris6e. -PZ- !^=mf^ rzsr rssz ^i tr m m =?2= Coule I r- r Martellement. Flatte. Port de voix. ^ «& ^ 17 # Port de voix jet6. (sic) 8157 JOHANN JOACHIM QUANTZ . . 1697-1773. " Versuch einer Anweisung die Flote traversiere zu. spielen ..." "Essai d'une methode pour apprendre ajouerde la Flute traversiere . . ." Both editions, accompanied by 24 pages of musical illustrations, were issued at Berlin, 1752. 8157 147 XXII. QuANTZ appears a trifle retrospective and sentimental — an attitude not unbecoming perhaps to the flute-master and musical favourite of King Frederic II., whose taste he is supposed to have controlled and may in some respects have followed. We are here concerned with Quanta's chapters on divisions and graces proper. With regard to the latter, it is enough to say that his explanations cover much the same ground as those in the book of his better known associate in the great king's private band, C. Ph. E. Bach.* It will, therefore, suffice to refer to Quantz's teaching only inasmuch as it differs from that of C. Ph. E. Bach. In a few details — legitimate, details however — Quantz sides with some of the older and contemporary solo players and singers. Being essentially a melodist he does not share C. Ph. E. Bach's dislike of passing, appoggiaturi, and is rather inclined to make much of them. He is careful to distinguish them from the common appoggiaturi, calling them passing appoggiaturi, "Port de voix passagers"; and he adds that "they serve to connect one main note with another and may be introduced when the melody descends in skips of thirds, as at example 3 below." I. Vorschlag (Ital.,^ App'oggiatura ; Fr., Port de voix), " may be taken short or long " — M s i m ::^= ^ 2. " Anschlagende Vorschlage " (appoggiaturi, siich as start with the time of the main note)- Written thus : ^ t- m Played thus : ^ — ^ f--p- i ^t & r r I* =H» Written. Played. Written. (|> g I !-• c r^rai^ Lf ir rr iiii r ^ Played. * • * ^^^ W 3. " Durehgehende Vorschlage" (passing appoggiaturi, such as start before the time of main note)- Writtenthus: Playedjhus: t ) ' ■ T -f I H '^f ^ K m Not to be confused with ; i s Nor with : ^r rry-r- i rv^- ^ ^^^^^m Written thus : ^^=^ 1 ^ Played thus : 4. Other Vorschlage Written. Played'. Written. Played. Written. Played. i ^ ^ i ^ ^ ^ ^ * C. Ph. E. Bach acted as " accompanist to the king " from 1740 to the outbreak of the seven -years' war, 1757. fll57 148 Battemens "—«.«,, short and long mordents- i I^^Sh 6. "Triller: the shake should' begin with an appoggiatura either from above or below the main note " — " it also has a close, consisting' of two notes "— Written. Played. tr tr^ ^ Jfr A chain of shakes. fr tr ^ tr tr tr_ tr_ Jr ^ ^''. ^ if—''^=d 7. Anschlag. 8. Passing notes ascending. Subject. U j f*^^-j^^^ 1 i Ei; fca. d£ ^ g Written. ^ ^ i^ ir „ .. ^/f ^ , ., =.M J:^ p 3r ? :s± =?= :^:t (^sic) Played. 221 /' N g S # #■ ^^ ^M^ S S i»^ Passing notes descending. ^ e1 ^. ^ IZ2I Written J Played :^ f #=#ii%3^^Eg;^ ^^TJg^ ^!i:ift 8157 149 Commenting on the passing. appoggiaturi, Nachschlage,* example 3 above, Quantz states that such graces pertain to the French manner of playing the flute, and he might have added the French manner of singing. See ante, chap. XI. Quanta's " passing notes ascending," example 8 above, represent the same sort of thing. Quantz devotes an entire chapter and no less than eleven out of twenty-four pages of his engraved illustrations to an attempt at explaining " the Italian manner " (his own) of playing divisions " in good taste," Ch. XIII., and plates IX. to XIX. Flautists who care to play i8th century compositions for their instrument will find Quantz's examples of graces and divisions excellent. In this place, however, as 175a is rather late for divisions, we must be content with a few bars : Written ; Adagio. r i E ^=* ^^ ^=31 m ^ May be played. Flaitto Soh. FlautoSoh. ^^ N.B. ^^ 1 ^.^ N.B. f ' 'f^0 -J ^ i tr ISI£Z>I^ i. s W ^ Continuo. ^ E^& f f f m m f ■ ^-^ \ i s U UI^ At N.B. bars i and a contain the above-mentioned " passing appoggiatura" which belongs to the time of the preceding main note. These divisions represent the sort of thing Dr. Burney heard Frederic the Great play, and which Carlyle, in his rhetorical manner, mentions as the king's "Thrilling Adagios." J. S. Bach, by the way, has written such an adagio for a Berlin amateur. See the fine first movement of Bach's Sonata for flute and cembalo in E major (Ed. Peters, No. VI.). • Compare bars a, 6, 12, 18, 20, and 25 of J. S. Bach's Aria mit 30 Veraenderungen, ^os*, p. 202. 8157 FR. WILH. MARPURG .... 1718-1795. " Die Kunst das Clavier zu spielen". Berlin, 1750. French version, " Principes du Clavecin," — re-written and augmented — engraved examples. Berlin, 1756. 8157 153 XXIII. FR. WILH. MARPURG. Le Balancement. Signe. ■i5=:Si Effect. . (Written.) Le Pqrt de voix simple. "T-JI Ital., "Tremolo " ; German, " Bebung." {sic) W (Played.) Vivement. ^ ^ ^ -I — m - ?^ e±^ W s ■m ! ■ ■ m (^ JUr- iiTi'-r r\^.r—Hi^^~n^'^=fT7'\\' H^w^=^F=f~N ^)— ^tf- ■ — 1 — 1 — == — F^ ^-1 — ' — -^ ' — — ^- — ' '- y-'- f:^_^^^^^ r 1 r r r II "^i ^^^^ii ^ \ ^^¥r t ii ifTi rr iiM 1 1 1 1 r r II ^mj^ ' lU 1 ^Cc^J^^rf-^^ /mal ecrit ! V badly written ! ^gB^-I^^^^ / i rrHrt^f^-^ I gEg ^ rfr r^^ i .^ t ^ j i ryd i ry rij , i --i .m^ --^ ^ r ' r^-^ ■■ r 1 rr p=^ iM r r r: From the German edition (^ i 2S ^2 ^ i y — at: S ^^ ^ 8157 154 L' Aspiration. t (sic) (sic) (sic) (sic'\ 1 r^ r ir-^ ^ w — ^^ -I >^ 1 \ ,i ^ ^ =^ ^=n ' i Lrm ^ ^^ ■i w^ (sic) (sic) ^^3^=--^ ^ i ^> rj ^ ii ^^^f^^^ m =i- he Port de voix double. t t^ -y-r :^^ ^m ff i W S ^ feE^BbS p^gg* a^=^ iS fee ^,=M^ ^3^ P^^Sip ^t? Le Flatte (the Slide). Ss Wl^ r.'^^- ^ ^-^ si ;:^^i^ m .^^ ^^^^ ^ ^tc^ ^^ ^^^^g a^^iiii F^ ^ 1,6 Double. (sic) JTTTna CV) JX*) p ^^j^^^^^gr^g ■^^ m ^ (or) ^ L« Pince. (Ital., " mordente ") autrefois " martellement." " Le battement commence par la note essentielk.' 4- ^ ^ 4' ^ 4- m g =P2= ;(:p= ^ i ^ y5-j ^ jiiinrc i:i r^^ril r^Tl ^Tll b^ ^ ^g^'^^^ -rwfwr^ ^ 8157 »~ 155 S li ^ =F=& t S -J— J ^(feV Port ie fO«';i; ^j»ce. ^ r— ^J J I J \>Jt^ J ^ Ta 1 - ■ l^.'jj J? A ^ A ^ii^^ ^^p i j^ 5 SEE* ^ Pi»ce reverse (AUemaad, " Schneller," " Pralltriller ' Find lent. A) ^ ' 3 J 'PJ- J I I r fl 7* *N"- £L^ i irjj-J ^^ i Le Tremblement (Ital., " Trillo "). " Le battement commence par la note acciientelle." tr -♦♦v (or -♦v) -j- t>,*w (or ^ #AW (or X-) A*0(or) ^O y=. Sign used by Violin- ists and Flautists. Le tremblement double. ' >«v /*V *v e^ (or) ::t -♦v rO '^-VV -_ /:. - • -•■! 1 • v^(or)_^- (or) " '♦^ , — ^-^^ (or) O^ (or)0^~ (or) i^i^y r i i c ^ ,-♦♦0 (or) . -♦♦N^ {pr)^ ^'♦K) ± P m £ t.7 ± ■^^=t- Le tremblement coule en montant. ,♦♦0 A«0 /♦♦O L'Arpegement. i -^ s ^ -+- iirrJ^-^ (arpegement figur6 par le moyca d'un coule.) ^ tnr^^^±-r^. $ ^ •w (^ r--^ -1-r 1 — '*"'" ig a S S ^ (or) i ^ s ^ ^^^-^^ iiJ -TZJ- A ± (avec un groppo.) J^- ^=F ^F ^ ^=^=F =^=f^ ^ ^ -.(-^ m r -i -^S ^\ w F3 Avec un pinc6 StoufK (con acciaccatura). Avec an port de voix. I ¥ ' £r^r r£^ Avec un double. Avec un tremblement. 4- n ~' I I 1 1 !! I I iri !!!! ^^ ^^^ a2± 8157 i 157 From the German edition of 1750 i^ 1 I I* i s i J^ s^3 ^ i£ S (or) Groppo. ^^ ^S (Port de voix piiic6) Vorschlag mit dem Mordente. ^— . ^ =-1 H ^^ F=^tfril£££ i^ (or) :^ (or) ^ n r ^^ffii^^i^ P=F ^ Vorschlag mit dem Doppelschlag. Doppeltriller (der getrillerte Doppelschlag). /P 1 hH i 1 1 r 1' II II r-tt-T 1 1 J 1 1 1 1 H-i — J ' ' ' ' 1 — 1 1 .^) ^' ^^.^ M- ^jdjdjd^- — ^ -J 'd^d-Jd " :->' ^^d'd-jJ c — — mj 3 V ^ » .^ ^ iU w^ u t^ f^^ :St±: ^ =^=i: Der Anschlag. Der Schleifer mit dem Doppelschlag. ^S^ ^s w ?ss i jtibit i^ S33^^ Out of the nine sorts of " Agremens " described by Marpurg, two only demand special notice : those among his " Ports de voix simples" (Appoggiaturi) which he indicates by small semiquavers having their flags turned towards the preceding main note, and " L'Aspiration," which he writes in the same way, or expresses by means of a sign A and V. The peculiarity of these two ornaments consists in the fact that they are used to connect two main notes and are to be played in the time of the first of such two notes. C. Ph. E. Bach speaks of them as " Nachschlage " (afterbeats) " which are now so common," and stigmatises their use as " bad practice." Marpurg also does not care about them and opines that if they are to be .employed at all they ought to be written out in full. However, be they approved of or not, they are old and favourite graces with vocalists as well as instrumentalists. Compare the tables of Simpson, Mace, and Playford, under " Springer," L'Affilard, Herbst, J. G. Walther, Geminiani, Quantz, &c. J. S. Bach uses them sparingly ; but, undoubtedly, his text contains them — and, as he has not always clearly written them out, they have been overlooked or misunderstood. Several cases are quoted and discussed in the chapter on J. S. Bach, under " Nachschlage." 8157 JOH. SEBASTIAN BACH .... 1685-1750. The quotations for the most part are from the Bach Society's edition, which professes to give the text as Bach wrote it, without addition or omission. Thus, Ausgabe der Bach Gesellschaft vierzehnter Jahrgang — fourteenth yearly issue of the Bach Society — is cited as Bach Ges., Vol. XIV. The 48 Preludes and Fugues, Dag Wohltemperirte Clavier, are referred to as Prel. and Fugues, Part I. or Part II., with specification of the number and the key. i6i XXIV. In view of the examples already quoted from the works of J. S. Bach's precursors and contemporaries, the writer ventures to state a few precepts for the execution of such ornaments, both instrumental and vocal, as Bach has expressed by signs. 1. Bach's ornaments are diatonic — i.e., they are to be sung or played with the notes of the scale. Chromatic inflexions alien to the scale are permitted only in case of modulation, or to avoid an abnormal interval. Augmented intervals cannot form part of an ornament; and ornaments comprised in a diminished interval — e.g., a chromatic turn in a diminished third — such as E flat, D, C sharp, D — are inadmissible unless fully written out by the composer. 2. Ornaments belong to the time of the main note. On keyed instruments, organ, hafpsichord, pianoforte, ornaments and the notes or chords supporting them in the same hand must be struck together ; if a chord is played arpeggio the ornament forms part of the arpeggio. 3. All ornaments, whether indicated by signs or by tiny notes, are subject to the beat — they must be treated as essential to the melodic progress of the part in which they occur, and rendered so as to agree with the domihant pulsations of the time. Ornaments occurring in recitatives, at a pause, or at a final cadence, which latter it is customary to retard somewhat, are ad libitum as regards speed and duration. 4. Shakes — prolonged shakes more than short ones, generally start with the upper accessory. They do so particularly when the main note has been touched upon just before the shake. This traditional rule is set aside by Bach only in cases where the shake starts ex abrupto, after a pause, or where the melodic outline of the part in which the shake occurs would be blurred. For example, where the preceding note is one or more degrees higher than the note bearing the shake. Shakes upon a note with a dot stop at or near the dot — a short note following the dot is usually taken somewhat sh'orter than it is written. Shakes and mordents upon a prolonged note, when such note is tied on to another and shorter note of the same pitch, stop before the latter; without emphasis and without closing notes. The speed and the number of repercussions of shakes and prolonged mordents is at the player's discretion. The closing notes of a shake, when not specially indicated, may be added or omitted as the player chooses; traditionally they are required at the end of an air or an instrumental piece of some pretension. 5. Vorschlage (appoggiaturi) are far more frequently short than long. Long appoggiaturi, which are comparatively rare in Bach, before notes divisible by two, take about- half the value of the main note; before notes divisible by three, two-thirds. The duration of appoggiaturi depends upon the speed of a movement, upon the harmonic basis, and the prevailing rhythms. All prolonged appoggiaturi have the stress and the main note following a long appoggiatura is meant to be taken rather softly. 8167 1 62 Bach's own table of ornaments, which he wrote out for his infant son Friedemann, here follows. It seems to contain all that he thought essential and good for practice ; but it is by no means exhaustive. " Clavier-Buchlein vor Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, angefangen in Cothen den 22 Januar A°, 1720." Little Clavierbook for W. F. Bach (his eldest son, set. IX.), begun at Cothen, &c.* " Explication of various signs, showing how certain manieren may be played neatly." ,»♦ ^ wi»/ ff£ (>*v C\*v (>mJ»' E Trillo. Mordant. Trillo und Mordant. Cadence. Doppelt-cadence. Idem Doppelt-cadence und Mordant. N.B. — The last sign, which should begin with a perpendicular line, thus Uw, is wrongly given in the edition of the Bach Ges. Preface, Vol. III. The terms " Cadence, Doppelt-cadence, Accent," may be translated as follows : Cadence = Doppelschlag, turn, Doppelt-cadence = turned shake. Accent = Vorschlag, appoggiatura from below or from above. Complete List of J. S. BACH'S ORNAMENTS AND THE SIGNS FOR THEM. Triller, long ... ... ... ... ... ... sign — **v or -^. Sometimes t, t**v> rarely t/i, -«', or -f. The latter occurs only in MS. copies. Prall-Triller, Praller, Schneller — short ... ... ... ... sign— •*» Triller, with prefix from above ... ... ... ... ... ,, c^w Triller, with prefix from below ... ... ... ... ... „ ow Mordent, short ... ... ... ... ... ... ... „ ^v Mordent, long ... ... ... ... '.. ... ... „ 4^ N.B. — Sometimes shakes, with or without a prefix, have their closing notes indicated by means of a perpendicuIaT stroke on the right, thus :— -^i (\«V, 0*f. This aspect of the signs for shakes must not be confounded with the sign for a long mordent, which always has the perpendicular stroke in the middle, thus : ^, or on the left, thus : 4*v, * For details as to the- contents of this MS,, partly in the handwriting of J. S. B., partly in that of his son, see Preface to Vol. III., Bach Ges., p. 14, and Spitta, I., pp. 660-6.3 — EngUsh translation, II., p. 50. 8157 1 63 VoRSCHLAG, from above, short ... ... ... ... ... ^ or ■">— ^* from below, short ... ... ... ... jT °^ ^^^1*' These signs for appoggiaturi in the edition Peters, edition Steingraber (Dr. Hans Bischoff), and, unfortunately, also in Vols. III. and XV. of the edition of the Bach Ges., have frequently, and far from consistently, been replaced by tiny notes of uncertain value — a source of much confusion and misappreheiision. The double sign ^ has sometimes been reproduced in Bischoff's edition and correctly throughout in Bach Ges. Vols. XXXVI. and XXXVIII. The upper or lower curved stroke is supposed to represent the legato of the Vorschlag, from above or below, as the case may be, but this is a mere guess. Nachschlag ... sign — 'w placed o/ife?- a note, thus : — J ; or else expressed by means of a tiny note resembling an ordinary appoggiatura, thus : — • J". DoppELSCHLAG ... ... ... ... ... ... sign — co and 2 ScHLEiFER ... ... ... ... ... ... sign— /v»^ (rarely-—). Anschlag ... ... A sort of double appoggiatura, always written out -^ Arpeggio ... ... ... ... ... ... sign—? and the reverse r ign— ^ ^ ^^ AccTACcATU«A ... ... ... ... ... sign- Bebung ... ... ... ... ... ... sign — Groppo (Gruppo). — ^The word only ; no distinct sign — very rare. DOUBLE SIGNS. Combination of appoggiatura and mordent ... ... ... sign — (.'^, (}^ Combination of appoggiatura and trillo • ... ... ...sign — (^/»w, orO-^-; and {^^^ Combination of Doppelschlag and Prall-triller ... ... ... sign— {^ (The latter is of doubtful authenticity. C. Ph. E. Bach has it as " Prallender Doppelschlag.") Combination of arpeggio and acciaccatura ... ... ... sign — 1«-*' It is worthy of note that graphically nearly all the signs employed by the French masters, Bach's precursors in this respect, and by Bach himself, admirably shadow forth the thing intended : thus, the vibration of short shakes is rendered by '■>*■, of long shakes by mv, or a»>**w, or t»*v ; shakes with preliminaries from above or below, by c*w o*v; shakes with the /ow«r accessory (mordents)'are distinguished by a downward stroke ^ >fv (preliminaries as with shakes) ; appoggiaturi from above and below, by '"^^ . /J. The sign for the turn, Doppelschlag, as used by Bach, vs, is the only anomaly— for, graphically, it seems to indicate the reverse order of notes required. But the remaining signs for the slide, the acciaccatura, the arpeggio, and the slow tremolo, rTTTT^:. or -^ -, are perfectly expressive. The entire system, therefore, is consistent enough and eminently practical, since it leaves the melodic outlines intact, and saves much time and trouble to the copyist ; no mean advantage in the old days when engraved music was rare and paper expensive. 8157 164 DETAILS CONCERNING THESE ORNAMENTS. Shakes. Shakes beginning with the upper accessory are marked aw, av, t, \k — * :&c. The repercussions may vary from upwards ; their number is entirely at the player's discretion Shakes should always be started with the accessory when the main note has just been struck : Written. tr Played. Accordingly the writer plays the first bars of the two Gavottes in the Suite anglaise, D minor, thus— ^K^r nr ' r r i r ^- ^^^ The accessory note which ought to start a shake may be omitted when on a keyed instrument the proper execution of a persistent shake together with a melody in the same hand would be difficult or impossible. Bach was the first to write this out in full. Compare 30 Veraenderungen ueber eine Arie — the so-called Goldberg variations, No. 28 : t Shakes, with closing notes. The closing notes are frequently written out ; where they are not so written they may be added or not as the player chooses. Fugue A min., Prel. and Fugues, Part I., bars 51 and 53 — Written Played. /K ■ =i:fc^ -j -1* ^ 1* J 1* - — -^ M.fM0 FfPf^fmf s^^^-^te^i^^^toMfii Often also the closing notes instead of being written out are indicated by a perpendicular stroke to the right of the sign /»*f /w^jo or -*\

p M f i fTf it& ^ iBt ^-0- i^ #4^-^:^ y ■^p- Slurred shakes. The slur should be clearly expressed. Sonata for violin and cembalo V., F minor. Largo, bar 8, et segue— t P Violin. Cembalo. i fc^E ^ S ii^^^=^^ =§^ i^ ?^^ * It may be that the prefix of this sign is here meant for a short appoggiatura preceding the shake. 8157 i68 Organ Choral. Bach Ges., Vol. XXV., p. 26. tr J^J V l±L J= -H^ ri— * — *— S or JFrr^ :.N= S^ m because it sounds like the long Vorschlag Bach wants, and yet avoids the ugly consecutive fourths with the bass which ensue when the appoggiatura is taken strictly according to rule. 8137 i8o Similarly, the long appoggiatura in the Prelude A maj., Prel. and Fugues, Part 11. , bar 19, may be rendered thus — '■ J'^^ZJZ : LLIlSj which seems better than — or Combination of the sign for appoggiatura and shake ^~^ti. Johannes Passion, Aria, " A;h mein Sinn," bars 9 and 11- Written. Effect. (or) ^ g^ '' i\ ^ -p-^-p- y^i^- ^ ^r=^ Another sign for the same thing is i,^^, the French trille appuye ; Bach's " accent und trillo." Compare Prel. and Fugues, part i., Prel. IV., C sharp min., bar 29 — I Written. ' Pl ayed . _ m V r!'irr ^^ Organ Choral " Komm, heiliger Geist," B. G., Vol. XXV^ p. 86. The signs u^ may be thus interpreted : jj, (Lvw) (l**v) 4e («)i ^ ^JiUjB-JTJ-^^J- (or any greater number of repercussions). Though strictly according to rule, the signs signify- ai (*)^ -wj j^ i j^jg^..;^ ^ But a comparison with the signs of the older version, B. Ges., Vol. XXV^ p. 153, shows that the two bars are meant to be played as at {a). Combination of appoggiatura and Schjieller. Double sign ^ -** Sarabande, Double, bars. 3, 3, Suite A min., B.Ges., Vol. XXXVI., p. 5— I Written. w^ -f=^=i^. 1^ a ^s ^q^j-^^»j | ,j g r i -c:,r^ji,;^ Pla:yed. i^M^^^^^ri^ ^ ^ i^ftr^ri ^ ^^ See also the Menuet, C min.. Suite franc, II. (edit. Bischcff)- 8157 i8i Combination of appoggiatura and mordent, Q^ ,^^. See the Sarabande in E flat, bar 4, quoted above, p. 177 ; the Inventio, No. III., in D, quoted p. 175 ; also Menuet, C min.. Suite franc, II. (edit. Bischoff). Execution- Compare Dieupart's table, ante. Appoggiatura and turn -^—'£- (Doppelschlag), ^osi!, p. 185. Combination of Appoggiatura and arpeggio. Chromatic Fantasia, bars 49, 50, end of arpeggio and before recitative : Written. _ Played. Arpeggio. i 3 ^^T=f^ ^^ '->j- :^ m Lento. I S 8 /T\ 9' J^g^ >^P ^ ^ The Vorschlage, short and long, in the Sarabande, Partita V. I E W=^ ^^ s m^F— ^ 3E^ ^^ i3E ^ ^ i &c. rfary.-.ft" ^ ^ :t=t ztt ^ may be played thus — g=i=fe ^^ ^:*^ i^ ^ ='^ 8 (^ 1 J^'J'iPC'^ ^3 ^ =^ ^ &c. ^s 3 r ^ i*-'-?^ ^^^ ^ ^ ^ The second part of this Sarabande begins thus in Bach's printed edition of 173 1 — I j'f f f i r r fff|t ^'tP^ i ^v 1Z/f1u! gga i^^ P IrnT ir "^ &c. The sign ( in bars 4 and 6 has hitherto been a puzzle. But Bach, it appears, was familiar with D'Anglebert's Pieces and Dieupart's Suites, and Dieupart, as well as D'Anglebert, uses the sign ( or > to indicate a mordent of a semitone as well as an appoggiatura. See the Tables of D'Anglebert and of Dieupart, ante. " The proper reading is therefore — ^^g=^ .^ •Jr>f- ^ , -p-- =s= 8157 i8a Nachschlag— literally, Afterbeat (Plural, Nachschlage). A grace expressed by means of a little hook, similar to the hook of a Vorschlag, but so placed as to follow one main note and precede another, thus forming a link between notes descending in thirds, or in seconds — Written. B ^^ .± ^ Sung or played. ±1 j» ^ gf II ^ r au The example under B is usually written as at C (Couperin's way). This sort of thing occurs constantly in old French chansons and pieces _de clavecin, and is sufficientiy explained, by Walther, Marpurg, Quantz, and Leopold Mozart.* J. S. Bach does not make much use of it, but h& has it in some important pieces and students of his works cannot ignore it. C. Ph. E. Bach merely touches upon the Nachschlag as a grace a la mode and expresses disapproval — rightly, perhaps, for there is something rather weak about it. Still, respect for C. Ph. E. B.'s estimate can be no excuse for the errors of editors, who choose to leave the Nachschlag out of count altogether or to amend, that is to misunderstand and misintetpref it. Organ Choral " Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr," B. Ges., Vol. XXV^ p. 122— Written. Adagio. A 4, # Played. tt # ^""s^" tt ft ^^-^y""- Flute soTiata, E maj . ^m Aria mit 30 Veraenderungen, " Goldberg variations," bar 2 Written. ^^'^ i S '-^0=^ ^ Compare Cantata 84, B. Ges., Vol. XX., p. 80 — {sic) m ^^ "f tirlr ^ nem Gliicke Ich bin ver - gniigt mit mei That this is simply a case of appoggiaturi treated as Nachschlage is proved by the violin part, where the first bar stands thus : ^ S fe * for the latter writer's remarks, see Part II., post. 8157 IS3 Suite in A, for violin and cembalo, Courante, B. Ges., Vol. IX., p. 48, bars 22 and 23, probably contain Nachschlage, though the text as there given, and in the Edit. Peters, shows ordinary appoggiaturi. Execution thus : W- ^ ^r^=^ ^ fijj j^ Sonata for viola da gamba and cembalo. No. I., in G, close of andante Written. Played._,..^ glrf ^m £2_ ! I I I I ! P 3 i Also allegro moderato, bars 6 and 7- ^ Written. _'T~> ^ ^E ± i Played. ^ 3 i^i Combinations of Nachschlag and trillo, and mordent and Nachschlag are thus indicated in the Aria /ariata alia maniera Italiano, bars i and 3 — Played. wntten. .^r^e Played. ^ ^ Nachschlage consisting of two notes written out by Bach : Cantata, No. 85, on the Choral " Allein 3-ott in der Hoh' sei Ehr "— i ± ^ ^ i^3 ^r ^^ 'f , * f f * ^^ g I I )er . . . Herr ist Prel. XVII., A flat, Prel. and Fugues, part ii.- ge treu er Hirt &c. ^ ^E <«1^ E^ In the Cantata " Halt im Gedachtniss Jesu Christ," B. Ges., No. 67, Aria " mein Jesu ist erstanden," here is a passage, the notation of which seems to shadow forth some delicate distinction between ippoggiaturi expressed- by tiny notes and others expressed by the customary little curve (v„-) — Oboi d'amore & Violino. (sic) 0^^^--r^'^^r=^=t^^^,MJ=^ The writer surmises that the little curve is meant for a Nachschlag to the preceding note FJf; thus the ffect would be : — '&- ^B espressivo. & £=^i=^ i'-Q) {Q) 8157 i84 DOPPELSCHLAG— TURN : svs and g a. Indicated above a note ^ b. Between two notes — ^ffl?^ir^T3iii ir r wrri i c. Over a dot — CSS r^^ d& S This ornament in Bach begins with the upper accessory ; it is always diatonic ; exceptions, rare, are written out in full. 30 Var. ueber eine Arie. B. Ges., Vol. III., p. 269, Var. 5, bar 12 — ^ c>» ^ Ibid, bar 19, written out — Duetto I.— m ^ s ^ ^ :^ go rrs ^T\ -^ The Doppelschlag, like the shake, stops on the dot. Suite angl. in F, Prel. — CV) 3 r r r rrTri When some other rhythmical solution is intended Bach writes it out ; " Agremens'de la Sarabande "—Suite ang. II., A min., bar 11 — ff_r !• ^as in the t ) I — L S Compare also Suite ang. I., Sarabande, bar 3 — Written. ^ j,^ iJ.'r/T- 1^ &c. rTr^^i^'\- s J. r A Doppelschlag upon a note of some weight should be played as quick as a Pralltriller. Prel. and Fugues, Prel. IV., part i., C sharp min., bar 13 — V ^p P^- ^^ ■^T- 8157 i»5 A Doppelschlag incorporated occurs in : Prl. and Fugues, part i., Fugue XV., G, bar 53— N.B N.B. A Doppelschlag incorporated and rhythmically arranged occurs in Prel. VII., part i., E flat, bar 9 — A Diatonic Doppelschlag is contained in the subject of Fugue III., C sharp maj., part i.- N.B. A Chromatic Doppelschlag occurs in Prel. XXIV., part ii., B min. — N.B. i S5 ^ i A combination of Doppelschlag and Pralltriller preceded by an appoggiatura, the whole of rather doubtful authenticity, appears in 6 Kleine Praeludien, No. I., bar 4— Written. Played. i ■^ =?: ^^ « SCHLEIFER. THE SLIDE. The Slide derives from the Lute. Observe the soft lute-like effect of the slides in the examples indicated by the sign '**^. Gavotte II., Partita, B min. — ^ ^ JJ^i^Jfl i T^^^~^r crcja-Vr'rV'r"^^ " ^^'^ ^ta^'^ ^ 't^ f^ r r ».»., bar 2:^ ,1 £lr-A j:i .'f(»Jf S.. * 4^4 -n ^^ bar 6: f=g?T^ 8157 i86 b. Slide written out in small notes : Matthaus Passion, Aria " Erbarme dich "— Violin Solo. f^r^#i^JJg^^ ^±ii^J^=:*;^ Many examples are found in the Sonata II. in D, for viola da gamba and cembalo. Bach Ges., Vol. IX., pp. 194 and 195, fully written out as well as indicated by the usual sign -♦v-. Organ sonata I., E flat — Adagio. Organ sonata VI. — Lento. gi{„.s^) 1- -S-* ■:& M^ m Cantata " Christ unser Herr 2um Jordan kam." Bach Ges., Vol. I., p. 206. Aria — Sg; ^m 1 — K Men - schen. glaubt doch die c. Written out and incorporated. Partita VI., E min. — Tempo di Gavotta. ser Gna - de. Execution thus : ^,'([', EJ.r cSi^^I^^lPl $ s^ &c. Organ sonata III., D min. Vivace. Prl. and Fugues, part ii.. Fugue XVI., G min., penultimate bar- &c. either thus, N.B. or thus, or something between the two. ^S Cantata " Lobet Gott." B. Ges., II., p. i- Tromba. lit*: -f^-P- ^^P =tN: =F^ ^£;j;M4£f^ The theme of Prel. XXII., A min., Prel. and Fugues, part i., begins with a Schleifer — ^^^^M f " iJi- d. Augmented Schleifer are found written out in the Gigue of the B minor Partita, also in Cantata* 92, B. Ges., Vol. XXII., pp. 50 and 51. i ± Aria. m ^ a=t t2=^ ±=^ -jd ^^ Tenor. Seht ! seht ! wie ^ m i bricht, wie reisst, wie fallt, =^=^ liM^ S^j^i^U^i^ ^ ^ ^^ * This device has been extensively adopted in Wagner's " Gotterdammerung." 8157 i87 Anschlag. No sign, rare. Written out : Goldberg variations, Var. 25, bars 14 and 21 — as at N.B. N.B. Toccata, F sharp min. : 4th bar before the end (A) f'^^r^r^^. ^^ (A) Schleifer, (B) Anschlag. Sarabande, F min. Bach Ges.,, Vol.. XXXVI., p. 230, bar 6- Akpeggio. Chord to be broken upwards. Chord to be broken downwards. Edit. Peters (Fr. Kroll) shows the latter form at the close of Fugue III., C sharp major, transposed into D flat in that edition. Part I. — ^^g ^r\ :?5 S rr\ V Arpeggio downwards and, upwards occurs written out in Kleine Praludien, No. 3 — i ^^¥^- /rs r ^r Couperin's signs for this gg e^ ^ wauld appear thus — ife :«=|: IIe ^ffe- Vi^ L' ■t^ The pattern for an out of the way arpeggio for the violin is given in Cantata 86. B. Ges., Vol. XX., Such things have been correctly indicated by F. David in his edition of the violin and clavier sonatas (Edition Peters). As to the proper way to treat chords which Bach directs to be broken up and down arpeggio (Fantasia Chromatica, and in the ten bars marked " Fantasia : arpeggio " before the Fugue in A minor, B. Ges., Vol. III., p. 334) J consult C. Ph. E. Bach's directions, ^os<. Also Mendelssohn's letters, Briefe II., p. 241; and Billow's, BischofPs, and Naumann's editions of the Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue. 8157 i88 When an appoggiatura is applied to an arpeggio chord, it takes its place as one of the notes of the arpeggio, and occasions a delay of the particular note to which it belongs equal to the time required for its performance, whether it be long or short— W M -t- 1 lS It is, perhaps, worth while to note that chords on the harpsichord were, frequently, slightly broken to avoid the jerking effect which is apt to occur when several keys on a. quilled instrument are struck simultaneously. AcciACCATURA — (German : Quetschung). The sign ("'"*') for this obsolete ornament has been suppressed in the Bach Gesellschaft's edition of the Partitas and Suites. It is given in Bischoff' s edition and correctly explained there. Bach in several instances has written out both the arpeggio simple and the arpeggio with an acciaccatura : a. Partita VI., Toccata, bars a and go — k± ^ 3 ^m -p ^ ^ ^^ ^ -If -i--j m Here the first bar is an arpeggio simple — the second is an arpeggio with an acciaccatura — e.g., the demisemiquaver G. b. Scherzo, Partita III., A min., bar 5 before the end — Presto. ^m Ihis, e.g., the dissonant quaver G sharp against A, is the roughest form of acciaccatura. A veritable scrunch, such as Domenico Scarlatti affects. Execution, on the pianoforte, thus : — c. Arpeggio and acciaccatura indicated by signs. Sarabande, Suite ang.. No. i, A maj., bars I and 6, ■**■ and | Written. f=^^^ &c. * Franklin Taylor, under Arpeggio, in Grove's Diet., I., i 8157 iSg Sarabande, Partita VI., E min Written. Similarly at bars 4 and la. Compare also the little Prelude in A min., from Friedemann Bach's Clavierbuchlein— Bach Ges., Vol. XXXVI., p. 237, where the sign *^ has been reproduced without comment. Bebung. Recit., " Am Abend aber " — Cantata, No. 42, B. Ges., Vol. X., p. 72 — Continuo — _ Cembalo 7-rra ( » 3 g,, /> Bebung written out for the clavier. Suite angl. I., A maj., Bourr6e, bar 30- ^S ¥^=r Suite angl. III., G min., Gavotte I., bar 22, &c. — m i^ESt W^ On a keyed instrument, whenever the bass has a long sustained note, the key may be struck again as soon as the sound begins to flag, care being taken that the repercussions do not contradict the beat. In square time repercussion may thus take place in the beginning or the middle of a bar, according to the speed of the movement. This applies to long drone on G in the popular Gavotte (Musette), Suite angl. III., G minor, and the like. Groppo. A synonym current in Bach's time was " circulo-mezzo." The Groppo is indicated in Cantata 99, " Was Gott thut das ist wohlgethan," B. Ges., Vol. XXII., p. 257, thus :— Allegro. Flauto traverse. {sic) tr Groppo. ^^p -cz: S^^ #r^rf£ ^^ piano. The explanation is probably as follows : — Bach's friend Walther in his Lexicon, 1732, describes a " Groppo (compare Diruta's Groppi, ante, p. 5). ascendente " and a "Groppo descendente" Walther adds : " This diminution (division) is often employed on the penultimate of a cadence so as to form a close to the trillo." The Groppo intended by Bach may therefore consist of closing notes to the shake, and the effect of the example may thus be : 8157 I go Or, if the Groppo is to do all the work of the t'l ; it may be thus- The gradation from forte to piano in the autograph score can also be taken to mean a shake beginning quick and gradually slackening, which would thus require a regulated closing Groppo to lead into the sequence. Gruppetto is a modern Italian term for the turn — a survival probably of the old " Groppo descendente." BACH'S USE OF THE DOT. In Bach's time double dots were not in use, and the single dot was employed to express prolongation in a somewhat less strict way than we are now accustomed to. Bach, Handel, and all their contemporaries often take the dot to mean a prolongation either more or less than one half. Many an absurdity will be avoided if this fact is borne in mind. In the autograph of "Die Kunst der Fuge," now at Eerlin, which Bach himself prepared for -the engraver, he has taken the trouble to insert T ^f f f for the customary but inexact f ff^ • Compare the Contrapunctus 6, in stile francese.. Similar changes were made for the engraved edition of the Ouverture and Partita in B minor (Clavier-uebung II.). Accordingly, Fugue in D major, Prel. and Fugues, Part I., bar 3 — written thus : J. ^ m^'r^j^ ought to be played thus ; Sinfonia V., bar 9- :^ &c. Written. Played. Suite franc I., D minor, Gigue — Written. Played. ^f ^^^ ^^^^M^M In all such cases triplets would be wrong. Prel., F sharp maj., Prel. and Fugues, Part II. Written. Played. Andante con moto. ^ itlE d 4) ^ ^ ^s ^iE v=j=r=^ The bass almost, but not quite- ^ 8157 igi Leopold Mozart's rule, "The dot ought always to be held a little longer," represents the common practice at and before his own time. Therefore the short note following a dot should in most cases be taken at a little less than its true value.* Very often the prevailing rhythm determines the value of the dot.. Compare C. Ph. E. Bach : Written. ^ ^^3-J^l Played. r^::^ r c:^- i^f Written. - Played. - . Also J.J. Quantz- Written. Pla yed. . . la J J J J J J J. r f r -F — ^- Similar passages in J. S. Bach must be taken cum grano, |* J ~ * 'J^ and vice versa, especially when a compromise is desirable to enable one hand to play two parts. Thus in the Partita III., Allemande, bars 2 and 6 — Written. ™im^«-« Played. f)' tor T I J I j~ * Agricola, one of Bach's pupils, in his translation of Tosi, "Anleitung zur Singkunst," p. 133, states this as follows:— " Short notes which follow dots, especially semiquavers and demisemiquavers, and in alia breve time, &,> f , even quavers, are invariably taken very short — the notes preceding the dots being held so much the longer " ; thus — Written. „ d, j - n Adagio. , — _ .. , ■■ °' f -a d ^jM:3^^^^^^ " If the short note begins, and the dot occurs after the second note, the first-note is to be taken as short as possible, and the note with the dot prolonged — Written. "Played. m v s- \ ^-lS-^- \\ ^^ ^ " Here the first note has the stress, and the note with the dot is taken more delicately — the two notes are invariably connected (legato). The note with the dot is to be properly sustained, and, if there is sufficient time, its tone again increased, thus — W^=^ ' &c. 8157 192 Prel. XVI., G min., Part II. of Prl. and Fugues, \ 4 must be taken to mean ! j The reverse case is found in the Fugue in G minor, B. Ges., Vol. XXXVI., pp. 57-62— ^ -Pr- ^ -^-^ ^ ^^ -r*-- w z 1J. 3J. iij'uj i m^^^&^^tg- Here, and throughout the Fugue, the semiquavers following dots can hardly be taken so short as they are written. In the left hand part of the above quotation, and in other similar cases by no means rare in Bach, they must be made to chime with the quaver triplets. Square time, C. may thus on occasion be read as compound triple time, ^ — but it is incumbent on the player to render such passages without loss of rhythmical deiiniteness and consistency. Whether the preponderance lies in the direction of triplets or of dotted crotchets, quavers, or semiquavers, it is always a matter of give and take, of balance and delicate adjustment between the parts, rather than of strict mechanical accuracy. As C. Ph. E. Bach has it, " This sort of thing requires a degree of freedom which excludes all that is slavish and mechanical." Take, for instance, the Gigue in D min., Suite franc. I., quoted above — it stands in square time, but there is rather a leaning towards ^ ; or the Gigue in E min., Partita VI., with its curious time signature (t)=f ; again there is square time, but with a slight leaning towards triple time. Such subtleties can hardly be indicated on paper, and- rough and ready attempts to express them, like Czerny's caricature of the Prelude in D maj., 48 Prl. and Fugues, Part II., in consistent ^^ time, tehd to do more harm than good.* The occasionally variable and inconstant value of the dot once understood, many an apparent difficulty as to the rhythmical arrangement of ornaments will disappear. For example : in the Organ chorale, " An Wasserfliissen Babylons," bar 3, and so forth, let the dot after the shaked note be read as a long dot, our double dot, and the closing notes shortened to demisemiquavers, thus : 3E ^ ^ ^^ tr T i The dot is also sometimes made to do duty for a short rest. Aria, " Riihmet Gott«s Giit' und Treu," Trauung's Cantata, Bach Ges., Vol. XIII., p. 34 — ^ ^ r^ IS^ i It Riih-met Got tes Gut' und Treu ... . . Here, to avoid stiffness and angularity in the Vorschlage, the dot should be taken at tather less than its true value — ^^ • Compare Couperin's directions to " La Laborieuse," ante, p. 50. 8137 193 TIME SIGNATURES AND TEMPO. To the rather lax use of the dot as a sign of prolongation must be added Bach's ambiguous use of the signature for common time, C, and for a la breve time, (^. In Bach's autographs and the MS. copies of his disciples C and (^ alternate without rhyme or reason. An autograph score may show C when the autograph parts, or MS. parts with autograph corrections written out at the same period and for the same performance, show (|J, or Q and (^ and vice versd. The same anomaly exists in the few works printed ^during Bach's lifetime, all of which were revised by him and some actually engraved under his supervision.* The late Dr. Rust, in his interesting prefaces to Vols. XXII. and XXIII. Bach Ges., arrived at the conclusion that Bach regarded the perpendicular stroke through the semi-circle (t, which, long before Bach, was the distinctive character of the sign for square time halved, as a mere calligraphic flourish to be adopted or dispensed with at pleasure. Thus the difference between C and (|j, which Bach's notation seems to imply, proves illusory in the majority of cases, and the two signatures cannot safely be taken to represent a lesser or a greater degree of speed as though it were Q = TnodeTato and ([; = allegro, or a greater or lesser number of accents in a bar as though.it were C. i — ■^ — ^i ([;, f, — ^- We are, therefore, deprived of an important distinction marking various degrees of speed and stress. And as Bach is so very sparing in his directions concerning pace, phrasing, expression, and everything that comes under the head of style, there is some likelihood that certain movements of his may be misinterpreted. Yet the question of speed is far from being in so bad a plight as it would seem. We may regret that Bach in so many cases has left mere notes — but are not the true determinants of style in a piece of music intrinsic rather than external ? Are they not, as he himself would have said, mainly contained in the music itself rather than in any words or signs accompanying the record of the music on paper ? Moreover, are we not in possession of many facts more or less worth notice as bearing on the question, and in their cumulative effect sufficient to determine it ? Apart from Bach's own occasional indications — Largo, Grave, Adagio, Andante, Allegro, Presto — which we can easily apply by analogy, some such facts are: (a) The pace of popular old French and German tunes, the rhythms of which constitute the framework of so many of his subjects, is still well known ; (6) Chorales are still sung in the old Protestant •way, and the tradition among German organists as to the style and average speed of the figurated Chorale persists ; (c) we know the nature and construction of the instruments, the compass and capabilities of the executants and voices Bach had at his disposal, even the capabilities for conveying sound of the very places in which he played or conducted ; (d) for us, quite as much as for Bach's contemporaries, the words of an air or a chorus, considered in relation to the notes or groups of notes to which they are to be sung, the limits of a singer's breath, and the like, are signs and guides not easily mistaken ; (e) last, and not least, the suggestion as to speed to be derived from the presence or absence of ornaments, the position in which they occur, their nature and number, are often significant and well worth consideration. // the amaments throughout can be rendered truly and without curtailment, so as to chime with the text without any wrench or sense of effort, it is more than probable that the pace adopted for a movement will prove the right one in the end. In the writer's opinion a temptation to go wrong may lie in our taking too literally the words contained in the obituary notice which appeared in 1754: " Bach took the Tempi of his compositions " sehr lebhaft,' in a very lively manner " ; " which," adds Professor Spitta, the biographer par excellence, " must have been particularly the case with regard to the clavier pieces in accordance with * Compare the Ouvertures to the Partitas in B minor and D maj., IV.— the AUemande, Partita II., C min., Bach Ges., Vol. III. ; Musicalisches Opfer, canon 4, Per augmentationem, contrario motu, B. Ges., Vol. XXXI. In one case only Bach expressly writes " alia breve " in connection with (j». " Goldberg Variations," XXII., B. Ges., Vol. III., p. 293. 8157 194 the nature of the harpsichord and the clavichord."* It may have been so, especially with regard to some of the dance measures in Bach's Suites and Partitas, where he uses fewer ornaments than some of his models, Couperin, Dieupart, &c., and where accordingly he may have increased the pace. Yet anyone who has handled a harpsichord cannot but be convinced that the extremely rapid pace at which nowadays pianists of repute, and even some organjsts, choose to play certain quick movements of Bach would have been intolerable if not impossible on instruments worked by a mechanism such as that of Bach's harpsichords, or of the contemporary organs. The capabilities of the taodern pianoforte are but a poor excuse for such anomalous proceedings. Similarly, though not to so great an extent, violinists are tempted by the perfect elasticity of Tourte's bow to play the movements marked Presto in Bach's works for violin solo at a racing speed such as with the old bow would have resulted in a woeful scratch and scramble. It may be said, justly perhaps, that the tendency towards increased speed in the performance of music, even of ^ery complex music, is instinctive; that in music, as in other matters, the average educated mind now moves faster than it did some few generations ago ; that the constant hearing and practice of elaborate musical works has had an effect on the intellectual faculties of man; that we realise complicated successions of sound at a swifter rate than our great grandfathers, and so forth. To test an average musician's instinct in favour of increased speed, let any one who can read and play instrumental music fluently at sight take up some early piece, say one of Sweelinck's Fantasias or Toccatas for the organ, or a harpsichord piece of Byrd's, Bull's, or Gibbons', from the " Parthenia," or some of the tunes and divisions for the Lute in the very interesting transcriptions of cinquecento Lute music by Chilesotti, and, disregarding any editorial hints as to tempo, play it straight off. Ten to one, before he has got to the middle, he will discover that he has started it too fast— and he will be all the more surprised to find that a slower pace, perhaps the right one, will at first feel strange and that he will have to try again and again ere he can strike the mean and satisfy his instinct for true time. FINGERING. Players of Bach's clavier and organ works may find it worth while, in one particular, to return to his method — i.e., the occasional crossing of a long finger over a short one when a step between a white and a black key is concerned. Suite ang. I., A maj., Courante II., Double I., bars i, 3, and 19 — ^fe 1 3 s » rii/c^cj/^s Suite ang. III., G min., Gigue, second part, bar 13, and similarly in the third bar before the end. , 12 1 ^ S € ~3 TV i ^- Inventio X., G maj., bars 27 and 38 — 2 4 - X^F 3- ^ and the occasional passing of a short finger under a long one. Suite angl. I., Double I. to Courante IL, bar 10 — i 2 ii * The learned Biographer forgets that the imresponsive touch of the harpsichord could not be so easily manipulated as the simple and sensitive touch of the clavichord. C. Ph. E. Bach had good reasons for preferring the latter, even in the matter of speed and apart from expression. With regard to speed the harpsichord must be taken as akin to the organ, whereas the clavichord, in a faint way, foreshadows the pianoforte. aie?- ^95 SHARPS USED IN PREFERENCE TO FLATS. Bach writes seven sharps for C sharp major, where D flat major with its five flats would be muchi lasier to read; six sharps for D sharp minor, where the modulation to the dominant A sharp major' jrings about ten or more sharps— whereas, if written with flats, the dominant would appear as B flat- najor. Mizler, Bach's friend, in his translation out of Latin into German of Fux' " Gradus ad :»a:rnassum," calls the degrees of the A flat scale : " Gis, B, C, Cis, Dis, F, G, Gis " ; those of the B flat ;cale : " B, C, D, Dis, F, G, A, B," &c. How did they come by this curious practice and inconsistent lomenclature ? A clue to a true answer appears to lie in the fact that, as late as the seventeenth century, jerman lutenists, organists, and cembalists used the so-called German Tahlature* A hook attached .to a etter indicated a Jt; thus, F. = F sharp; G, = G sharp; C, = C sharp, and this was a direct way of ndicating the particular (black) key to be touched upon the organ or cembalo. In an analogous way lotes with flats were expressed in syllables, — again with a view to a direct indication of the (black) key to 36 touched — thus, Eb was called Dis; Ab, Gis ; Dl7, Cis ; Gir, Fis. And it was therefore a matter of xadition rather than an anomaly when Bach and his sons spoke of a Prelude and Fugue " Aus dem Dis" — neaning E flat. FURTHER EXAMPLES OF J. S. BACH'S ORNAMENTS COMPLETELY WRITTEN OUT. Organ Choral, "Allein Gott in der Hoh' sei Ehr." B. Ges., Vol. XXV.2, p. 122— Written. ^^ CV) ^ . Adagio. _ ^ r""T'Cj ^ I J J* u K *ii ^ w -^^E w '^^ ^S {s^c. «#: I":*. iU ^ , j ■ J ^ -^ m3^ i ^^tF ftc=|Ei ■ &c. m E^es s^ ^ m. CO ^-r^ ■ &c. r r r J- Played. Adagio. (or tr) * Compare the fac-simile of " Fantasia " in C, by J. P. SweeUnck, in the Appendix to Bellerman's " Der Contrapunt." 8157 Ibid : bar 12 before the end : a capital proof, if proof were required, that the above interpretation of the "accents " in bar i, &c.j as Nachschlage is correct ; if treated in the usual way as appoggiaturi, the following cacojihany would result— Ibid : Last two bars — Writteu. Organ Choral, " Das alte Jahr yergangen ist." B; Ges., Vol. XXV^, p. 19. The melody of this touching piece may be played as follows (original signs in brackets) : — (Adagio.) (tr) ''^) ^^^^^-^r^^ ay^rr^r^^ j"bjj-j^ C^) Organ Choral, "O Lamm Gottes unschuldig " — -ft* (••^) (-) ^ rwrr^^^ T 8157 197 Inventio IX., F min., bars 15 and 16. Bach Ges., Vol. III. Written. Played. Moderato. tr .. (or a greater number of re-percussio ns.) tr ^)7iriri^-w^i 1 11 rrr i ii i \ \ \ \=^ r^^^ -f- :f- Concerto, D min.. No. I., for cembalo and strings. B. Ges., Vol. XVII., pp. 3-42. Adagio, bar 13 ct segue- Solo. P H .!•. B S L ^ ^|P'T> b£ i^ 4 1 '^r •' v+^^ =F ^3^ ^ ^^-^ ^r-r-r-g>g ^ s^:^ =ti+ ^«i^ Adagio. Played. ^^ ..^ ,^ A glance at the variantes, pp. 291-297 {ibid), proves this interpretation of the ornaments to be, correct — bars I and 3, however, seem to contain Nachschlage. Cantata 109. B. Ges., Vol. XXIIL, p. 244, illustrating the appoggiatura from belovif and above; the use of the dot ; and shakes stopping on the dot — Aria. Violin. m f 1 q e^.f ^ ^f.r fa- I ' i^^d ^+^-fir-t ^.^ ^£ £ &Zt itr#rt.-F^irH^ m &'\I\f\ !g^ b---r^^.. m ^ -t^ T3tZ3l F^ Played. - r-- ^^^ fWfe^^ J LLlU^U^r^ I^^^g S157 Inventio III., C min., bar la. If the shake starts with the accessory note anticipated, ugly fifths will be avoided- i^^ else, the shake might be begun with the main note ; or, if the notation of the Bach Ges., Vol., III., p. a (Cm'), is accepted, the solution will he- Diatonic mordents and Schneller. (Praeludium pro organo pleno) — Played. . . ^^ I^n Hfh Jj ^=^ * i^ ^^ui^r i Written. ir^^J I f'^^ ^ r- -p — =)- r ^ ^^M>-7|r-R ::e=F :J !^ m r 1 D =^ f '1^ (* s^ ^ -p-^ ^ :-r Fughetta super : " Wir glauben all' an einen Gott." B. Ges., III., p. ai6 — ^ Itc, q[- r 3:4: ^ i-tJ -^y^St^r^ J. iJ^'^-aiC^r^p^^'^ 8157 199 In the Edit. Peters the notation looks simpler with its tied demisemiquavers instead of dots ; the ■sign c^^ there stands for a shake with the prefix from below and the closing notes. The diatonic mordents and turned shake can be approximately expressed thus — . (Slow.) , .^ ^T^ ^ ^^P^ tK^- ^ 'J. W fl^^^^^^g^ &c. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ £^ Fewer p !> .M/jqr ^ _ r'T' — n g^^t^E^^^ 3^S CV»v prrtr »^^ j^ I ^gg^ ^d'-^Txg ^jq^Jiaifei^ Prelude, C sharp min., Prl. and Fugues, Part II. The writer adopts Bischoff's text as the result of careful comparison of the MS. and other sources, and plays the first 16 bars thus — ±& Andantino. m -r 1 ' ;' 5^s i^'-j'--n^^^^ ^ ,^ iS s jL ^s i5^ES ^^f" molto espressivo B Tf-f-' «H8C #=^Js tg:? S J ^ 1 1 ^ ^^ s^ ^ p^r^£crr c i-rT f^'^ra^ ^ 8157 201 (--Htj.) *J*; ^^ ^ H ^tf^ r r ^ Llj- i *^ ii-^ ^ ^=t *^ ' ^ 'xjgjn ^ ^ :*t ^ s J^ iE * SS: ^^:* J^si ^ -^J_ ^ *-«K^ Ui-W J. r r- -gg-^ i>- P^ ^ ZE yfG a!: M U fr^M zF &c. ^ Compare also Kroll's text as given in the edition of the B. Ges., Vol. XIV., and in the Peters edition. Here and there some of the ornaments may perhaps Be dispensed with, but omission, if any, must be made to correspond in the different sections. Aria m:t 30 Veraenderungen, the " Goldberg Variations," for cembalo with two manuals: B. Ges. III., p. 263, et seq. This great piece, a summary of J. S. Bach's achievements as a clavier- player and composer for the clavier, has been rather neglected by students, probably because some of the variations appear to be impossible on the pianoforte. The mechanical difficulties are, however, not insuperable, and the piece should take its place as one of the principal landmarks in the literature of clavier music. By the aid, now and then, of special fingering and the occasional substitution of one hand for the other, the writer has 8157 102 succeeded in playing the entire piece without the loss of a note.* The correct ornameiit-s and a few suggestions to facilitate the execution are given below. The present text of the Aria is that of the Sarabande, Or Air, in one of Anna Magdalena Bach's clavier books, 1725, fac-simile in Bitter, Vol. I., and of the original edition, " Clavier-uebung," Part IV. (Nurnberg, 374J2).t The Aria is written in a style exceptional with Bach — that of an air i la mode, with a profusion of "galant" ornaments, which must be treated after the manner of contemporary French ctansons and German Lieder, or like the embellishments in the slow movements of Quantz, quoted ante. The reproduc- tion of the signs, both in the edition of the Bach Ges. and the edition Peters, is inaccurate. Rheinberger, in his transcription for two pianofortes, omits them nearly all. Bischoff has consulted the original edition and compared manuscripts, but he seems to have been puzzled by printer's errors — e.g., confusion of -fw and /*•>', &c,, upon which the proof copy in the British Museum throws some light. Aria written thus : s -^^^^^^ L^ C/*w ^ I^ Played thus : ( Andante grazioso. Strict time as regards the main beats, give and take in details. Fewer re percusiions may be taken iit the prolonged shakes.) ^ -mi "If C*w ^ ^ ^ , .J j: ^ .rJ ^ -i^. ^^^■^ -p-^-l (or as at bar 11.) u>gjjjj J J^ g ^^ -^^ * • 'jty f.f ?j , .-j -^ -^-^ I I & J^A (*v) ^ J- A 1 ..^ -J- .SI ^ 8157 204 ■n f f (*is 25 -^- rr l ffrP'r S — 1^^ i s^ ^3=.^ ^^=r" ^ B-= ^ f JL ?^t^^^^TT^^[ ^ izS: -^ ^ ^m 5 P^ ''^T] /JTls i EiS; ^ S; *JJ J S^ ^ ^ s^ =f" C -1 -^ V sj— j*- 4=t -* s -^ti_ i:j^ i ^ai^^ ^^ -^ I -?n ,m Jlg73-iJ^=^ ^ jjw i^ ^ =^=1= "T i : j_Ji£ZX«J g 1^^ . ■*■ *=t*i ^^& ^ fT?yT7 J ^J3j /-v /7\ 35 IE =i-fT-?^ ^^ ^^ 1^^ r ^ ?= Vi* VAR. II. The long mordents of the original edition (-i^v) are misrepresented in B. Ges., Vol. III., p. 365, as A*y (horizontal stroke to the right), which is the sign for J. S. Bach's " trillo und mordent" — i.e., shake with closing notes . . . but the original fails to distinguish consistently between long mordents ,<[w, and short .♦jv. Short mordents as the editions Peters and Bischoff have them are probably intended, thus — i te f=^ m 8157 205 VAR. V. th A-y ^^' ^^' ^^' ^^' '^^^ ^*^"^ '^^ ^""^ '**^ ^^^ blurred in the original and are again misrepresented as mordents in me editions Peters, §ischoff, and B. Ges. Bischoff rectifies the matter in a note. Bar ii contains a shake with closing notes {.sJf), J. s. Bach's " trillo und mordent "— Bar. 17. (C*»f) Penultimate bar facilitated. ir ^ li^t J 1 1 1 ^^^ F Sopra. VAR. VII. The long mordents (^w) in the edition of the B. Ges. are in conformity with the original-in moderate time, there nothing to prevent their being played— bars i and 2, and treble, bars 9 and 10— Ed. Peters, and Bischofif, indicate Vivace and short mordents ; better, perhaps, than the long, on a pianoforte. Bars 6 and 7, &c. ; the dot may be taken to represent a semiquaver rest— VAR. VIII. The last two bars can be rendered on one keyboard, thus — VAR. X. Bar 9, treble— short mordent on the first minim G. Faulty in B. Ges. owing to an engraver's mistake in the original. The corresponding bar of the second part correctly has^ 0- Bars 4, 5, 6 facilitated- H 12 14 3 12 12 VAR. XI. n *r i £ i. t o 1 a I £ 1 Sofra. ^Y (♦«-) -•- (rw) Bars 13 and 14, the shake stops on the sixth semiquav.er — bar 15, it stops on the fourth semiquaver. Last two bars facilitated — 52 , , „ a i >- i 3 fF\'^ \ ^ i irrkLz x ni^ri f=^^^sf^m^ih i u^Aj 8157 :ou VAR. XII. Bars 4 and 3 before the end a»v signifies a shake, and the reverse sign -^w a mcrdent — S * ' ' ' '*^ r\- I ^"""^ ^ r i I r ' I: "^ — 5=^ VAR. XIII. All vorschlage short — also short mordents and pralltriller throughout. The signs for mordents and pralltriller in the Bach Ges. edition are doubtful. Bar 8, second part, Bach Ges. is correct, a^— i.e., "trillo und mordent" — Pg^j^jj^ V4R. XIV. Signs rather doubtful in the original. Edit. Peters appears to be in the right — or it might be, bar 3- i r u{o):^/f 3; m t—h Ij^rrrffr^ and the same in bar 2 of the second part, &c. VAR XVIa. " Ouverture " : this is a specimen of the French ouverture as LuUy has it, and of which J. S. Bach has composed several — Ouverture and Partita, in B minor, Clavier-uebung, II. ; Suite (Partita) for flute and strings also in B minor ; four " Ouver- tures" for orchestra, B. Ges., Vol. XXXI. The French Ouverture generally opens with a stately movement in square time built upon simple progressions in the bass. Divisions were written out in plain notes, but the players were considered at liberty to introduce further ornaments, and they did so. A piece, therefore, will appear plain in outline, yet curiously complex in detail if anything like a complete version on paper is attempted. Compare D'Anglebert's transcriptions of Lully's ouvertures in " Pieces de Clavecin," 1689 — which transcriptions, by the way, are the first true clavierauszuge. Bach's Ouverture may be played as follows (original signs in brackets, the irepercussions of shakes at the player's discretion) ; Grave. ^^^-^ -^ . . _ (•♦»f' * (^^-i (Ow^ "r'M'' -^¥- =#f^ ^ mini. ^"^ ^-¥^ F#t^= 1- " ■ ^ — L- — ^-^ t E: m-^ F=P^ F^^^ pf .^ ^ - 1^ r T^\ P— ^ ^ ' r, — s ^ -^— '- * This sign ought to be /^ — the perpendicular stroke seems to have been misplaced. 8157 207 (Gv^)_ i^)^ (A^. ^^fwfg (v:) (Uw) ^,J>JyJJJ.UTM-^ 8157 208 VAR. XVI6. ^^P^-^f-=^ VAR. XVII. Bars 4, la, &c., may be facilitated, according to Bischoff, thus — But these passages can be played without much difficulty as they stand in the original. Sixth bar before end — Bars 9, lo, mordents- VAR. XX. Bars II, 12, transient shakes. Bar 6— VAR. XXI. Alia breve, bars ii and i2- VAR. XXII. * Or if the B. Ges. sign (&♦♦*) be accepted — 8157 1 209 VAR. XXIII. Edit. Peters has short mordents. Bischoff reproduces the original ^*v, but recommends short mordents (-^jv). At a moderate pace there is no reason why the original signs as given in the Bach Ges. should be ignored — i.e., /W — (not) **y. Bar 9, et seq,-^ • At a quick pace, however, short mordents are best- In the second part, bars i, 2, 3, 4, when the passage descends the ornament must be reversed — i.e., Schneller in place of mordents. VAR. XXIV. Appoggiaturi rather short. Shakes in bars 17 and ig to stop op the gth quaver f. \ f f f (-Uv) Mordents in bar 24 — iV^) VAR. XXV. VAR. XXVI. Bar 3. Schneller (/»v), not (-♦♦v). Bar 16. Mordents (-»|^), not ('»*f). Jf Time = I — tbe dots after quavers in the | time to be taken almost as double dots, thus- 8157 2IO VAR. XXVII. The turns in bars 7, 8, 14, 15, 20, ai, as in Var. 16 f f f f ; those in bars 23 and 24 ^^ Bars 9 and 10 : the sign ^ (not ,|*v) stands for J. S. Bach's " trillo und mordent " (triller with the closing notes) — rm^ y r r ^ i: &c. P=F^=U r r r r r f^ *' * -^ ^'^ Bars 22, 23, 24 — END OF PART I. 8157 VOCAL DUETS. FRANZ ABT. 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No. 21. — Bheinberger, Josef. Eleven Compositions. No. 25. — Rheinberger, Josef. Seven Compositions. Nos. 23, 24, and 25, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. No. 26.— Tours, Berthold. Juvenile Album. Eight Char- acteristic Pieces (Duets), 2s. Nos. 27 and 28. — Moscheles, J. "Domestic Life." Twelve Characteristic Duets, Two Books, each 2S. The Two Books, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. No. 29. — Ejerulf, Halfdan. Nine Pieces. Op. 4, Nos. i to 3 ; Op. 12, Nos. I to 6. No. 30.— IQerulf, Halfdan. Ten Pieces. Op. 24, Nos. i to 4 ; Op. 27, Nos. I and 2 ; Op. 28, Nos. i to 4. No. 31.— Kjerulf, Halfdan. Op. 28, Nos. 5 and 6 ; Op. 29 ; and Twenty Songs arranged for the Pianoforte by the Composer. Nos. 29, 30, and 31, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. Nos. 32, 33, and 34. The National Dance Music of Scot- land. Arranged for the Pianoforte by Alexander Mackenzie : with additions by his son, Dr. A. ,C. Mackenzie. Nos. 32, 33, and 34, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. No. 35. — Mackenzie, Dr. A. C. Eight Pieces. Op. 13, Nos. I to 5 ; Op. 15, Nos. i to 3. No. 36. — Mackenzie, Dr. A. C. Nine Pieces. Op. 20, Nos. I to 6; Op. 23, Nos. i to 3. No. 37. — Mackenzie, Dr. A. C. Six Songs. Transcribed for the Pianoforte by Guiseppe Buonamici. Nos. 35, 36, and 37, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. No. 38.— Altschol, Rudolf. Songsj Fifty Hungarian National No. 42, No. 43, No. 41. — LiadofT, Anatole. Twenty-one Pieces. Op. 2, Nos. I to 14; Op. 3, Nos. I, 3, 4, and 6; Op. 6; Op. 15, Nos. I and 2. LiadofF, Anatole. Seven Pieces. Op. 4, Nos. I to 4 ; Op. 7, Nos. I and 2 ; Op. 11. Liadoff, Anatole. Ten Pieces. Op. 8 ; Op. 9, Nos. I and 2; Op. 10, Nos. 1, ii, and 3 ; Op. 13, Nos. I to 4. Nos. 41, 42, and 43, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. No. 44.— Cui, C^sar. Thirteen Pieces. Op. 20, Nos, I to 12 ; Op. 21, No. 3. No. 45. — Cui, Cesar. Eleven Pieces. Op. 21, No. 4; Op. 22, Nos. I, i, and 3 ; Op. 31, No. 2 ; Op. 39, Nos. I to 6. No. 46. — Cui, Cesar. Seven Pieces. Op. 22, No. 4 ; Op. 29, No. I ; Oh, 30, No. i ; Op. 35, Nos. i and 2; Op. 40, Nos. 2 and 4. Nos. 44, 45, and 46, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. No. 47. — Schubert, Franz. Four Impromptus. Op. 90. No. 48. — Schubert, Franz. ■ Four Impromptus. Op. 142. No. 49. — Schubert, Franz. Moments Musicales (Op.94)» and Adagio and Rondo (Op. 145). Nos. 47, 48, and 49, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. Schubert, Franz. Three Sets of Variations, Andante, and Klavierstuck. Schubert, Franz. Adagio, Allegretto, and March in E major, &c. . — Schubert, Franz. Five Klavierstiicke and Two Scherzi. Nos. 50, 51, and 52, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. No. 50, No. 51 No. 52. No. S3.— Hofinann, H. ' ' The Trumpeter of Sakkingen " (Op. 52) and Two Valse Caprices (Op. 2). No. 54.— Hofmann, H. "Italian Love Tale" (Op. 19) and Five other Pieces. No. 55. — Hofmann, H. Fourteen Pieces. Nos. 53, 54, and 55, in One Vol., cloth, 4s. 19/9/9* LONDON & NEW YORK : NOVELLO, EWER AND CO. NOVELLO'S VIOLIN & PIANOFORTE ALBUMS. *i. MENDELSSOHN. — Four Marches, s. d. Transcribed by B. Tours. No. i, Wedding March ; No. 2, War March of the Priests ; No. 3, Cor- nelius March; No. 4, Funeral March ... 2 6 *2. BERTHOLD TOURS.— Thirty Melo- dies (expressly written to be used in connection with the Author's Violin Primer) ... ... ... 2 6 *3- MENDELSSOHN.—" Elijah." Ten Transcriptions by B. Tours ... i o *4. GOUNOD,— " Mors et Vita." Ten Transcriptions by B. Tours ... 2 6 *S. BATTISON HAYNES. Twelve Sketches ... .. ... ... 2 6 *6. SIEGFRIED JACOBY.- Hungarian Dances. (Transcribed) ... ... 2 6 7. IPPOLITO RAGGHIANTI. Nine Morceaux de Salon... ... ... 2 6 8. OLIVER KING.— Twelve Pieces ... 2 6 *9. JOACHIM RAFF. — Six Morceaux de Salon ... .. ... ... 2 6 10. SIEGFRIED JACOBY.— Six Charac- teristic Pieces. For Two Violins 2 6 11. ARCANGELO CORELLI. — Twelve Sonatas. In Two Books. Edited by A. DoLMETSCH. Book I. ... 3 6 »i2. ARCANGELO CORELLI. — Twelve Sonatas. In Two Books. Edited by A. DoLMETSCH. Book II. ... 3 6 *i3- SIEGFRIED JACOBY. Eight National Melodies. (Arranged) 2 6 *i4. GOUNOD. — " Redemption." Nine Transcriptions by B. Tours ... 2 6 * 1 5. ARNOLD DOLMETSCH. — Twelve Easy Pieces ... ... ... ... 2 6 * These Albums may also he had arranged for Violoncello and Pianoforte 3 6 6 6 =^16. HAAKMAN. ^Twelve Characteristic s. d Pieces ... ... ... 26 17. HANDEL. Six Sonatas. The Pianoforte Accompaniment by A. DoLMETSCH 18. ARCANGELO CORELLL Six Trios. For Two Violins and Violoncello, or Pianoforte; or as Quartets, with Violoncello and Pianoforte. Edited and the Piano- forte Accompaniment by A. Dol- METSCH ... ... 3 19. KATE RALPH.— Six Pieces ... 2 20. VARIOUS COMPOSERS.— Fourteen Pieces 2 21. VARIOUS COMPOSERS.— Twelve Pieces ... ... 2 22. VARIOUS COMPOSERS.— Thirteen Pieces ... ... 2 23. ROSALIND F. ELLICOTT. — Six Pieces ... ... 2 *24. ARTHUR SULLIVAN. "The Golden Legend." Nine Trans- criptions by B. Tours 2 25. J. MULLER.— Forest Pieces (Op. 9) 2 26. ETHEL M. BOYCE.— Eight Pieces 2 27. I. B. POZNANSKL— Ten Pieces ... 2 28. CH. DE B^RIOT.— Eight Pieces... 2 29. HENRY PURCELL. Fourteen Pieces. The Pianoforte Accom- paniment, Marks of Expression, Bowing, and Fingering by Arnold Dolmetsch ... ... 2 30. H. W. ERNST.— Seven Pieces ... 2 31. F. DAVID.— Five Pieces 2 32. H. VIEUXTEMPS.— Four Pieces .. 2 6 6 6 6 *A. C. MACKENZIE.— Six Pieces for s. Violin. With Pianoforte Accom- paniment. No. I, Gavotte ; No. 2, Berceuse ; No. 3, Benedictus ; No. 4, Zingaresca ; No. 5, Salta- rello ; No. 6, Tema con Variazioni net 5 Zingaresca (from the above) ... „ 2 Benedictus (from the above) ... „ 2 „ „ Arranged for Orchestra. Full Score 5 Orchestral Parts 3 Highland Ballad, Op. 47, No. i, for Violin with Pianoiforte Accompaniment... 3 d. A. C. MACKENZIE— coMfi?iMe«?. Two Pieces (Barcarola and Villanella), s. d. Op. 47, No. 2, for Violin with Pianoforte Accompaniment ... 3 6 Pibroch. — Suite for Violin Solo. Arrange- ment for Violin and Pianoforte net 6 o Orchestral Parts ... ... ,, 18 o JOSEPH NE§VERA.— Ten Pieces for the Violin. With Pianoforte Accompaniment ,.. ... net 6 o C. GURLITT.— Six Pieces for Violin. With Pianoforte Accompaniment net 4 o Romance (from the above) ... „ 20 LONDON & NEW YORK: NOVELLO, EWER AND CO. BEETHOVEN'S SONATAS (NEW AND COMPLETE EDITION.) EDITED AND FINGERED BY AGNES ZIMMERMANN. in One Volume, Folio size, handsomely bound in cloth, gilt edges, PRICE ONE GUINEA. Octavo Edition, paper cover, 5s.; cloth gilt, 7s. 6d. Or Singly: — No 1. F minor, Op. 2, No. i 2. A major, Op. 2, No. 2 3. C major. Op. 2, No. 3 4. Eb ftiajor. Op. 7 5. C minor, Op. 10, No. i 6. F major, Op. 10, No. 2 7. P major, Op. 10, No. 3 8. C minor. Op. 13 (Path6tjque) 9. E major. Op, 14, No. i 10. G major. Op. 14, No. 2 11. Bb major, Op. 22 12. A ? major. Op. 26 13. Ep major. Op. 27, No. i (Quasi Fantasia) 14. C|! minor. Op. 27, No. 2 (Quasi Fantasia) 15. D majoi. Op. 28 16. G major, Op. 31, No. i... 17. D minor, Op. 31, No. .2... 18. E|7 major, Op. 31, No. 3 d. O o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o No. ig. G minor. Op. 49, No. i... 20. G major, Op. 49, No. 2... 21. C major, Op, 53 22. F major, Op. 54 23. F minor. Op. 57 24. Ff major. Op. 78 25. G major. Op. 79 26. Eb itiajor. Op. 81A 27. E minor, Op. 90 28. A major. Op. loi 29. Bb major, Op. io6(HammercIavier) 30. E major. Op. 109 31. Ab major, Op. no 32. C minor. Op. in 33. Eb major 34. F minor 35. D major 36. C major 37. G major 38. F major 3 6 4 6 3 3 5 5 S 10 5 5 5 3 2 3 2 I 2 d. C G O O C O o o o o o o o o 6 o 6 The Separate Sonatas sold at Half-price. MOZART'S SONATAS (NEW AND COMPLETE EDITION.) EDITED AND FINGERED BV AGNES ZIMMERMANN. No. I. 2. 3- 4- 5- 6. 7. 8. 9- 10. II. In One Volume, Folio size, handsomely bound in cloth, gilt edges. PRICE EIGHTEEN SHILLINGS. Octavo Edition, paper cover, 3s. ; cloth gilt, js. Or Singly:— C major... F major... B 7 major Ep major G major... D major... C major ... A minor... D major... C major . .. A major ... a. d. No. s. d. ..40 12. F major 5 -40 13. Bb major 5 ..40 14. C minor (Fantasia) .. .. JO ■30 14A. C minor (Sonata) 5 -40 IK. F major 6 ..60 16. C major .. .. 40 •• 5 17. F major 1 t* , .. .. 4c •• 5 18. Bp major 5 ■SO ig. D major 5 • 40 20. Bb major 5 .40 The Separate Sonatas sold at Half-price. LONDON & NEW YORK: NOVELLO, EWER & CO.