The Accompaniment in "Unaccompanied" Bach: Interpreting the Sonatas and Partitas for Violin
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The Accompaniment in "Unaccompanied" Bach: Interpreting the Sonatas and Partitas for Violin
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Overview
Known around the world for his advocacy of early historical performance and as a skilled violin performer and pedagogue, Stanley Ritchie has developed a technical guide to the interpretation and performance of J. S. Bach's enigmatic sonatas and partitas for solo violin. Unlike typical Baroque compositions, Bach's six solos are uniquely free of accompaniment. To add depth and texture to the pieces, Bach incorporated various techniques to bring out a multitude of voices from four strings and one bow, including arpeggios across strings, multiple stopping, opposing tonal ranges, and deft bowing. Published in 1802, over 80 years after its completion in 1720, Bach's manuscript is without expression marks, leaving the performer to freely interpret the dynamics, fingering, bowings, and articulations. Marshaling a lifetime of experience, Stanley Ritchie provides violinists with deep insights into the interpretation and technicalities at the heart of these challenging pieces.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780253022080 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Indiana University Press |
| Publication date: | 06/06/2024 |
| Series: | Publications of the Early Music Institute |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 130 |
| Sales rank: | 810,448 |
| File size: | 5 MB |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
Stanley Ritchie is Distinguished Professor of Music at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He is a leading exponent of Baroque and Classical violin playing and recipient of the Early Music America's highest award, the Howard Mayer Brown Award for Lifetime Achievement in Early Music.
Read an Excerpt
The Accompaniment in "Unaccompanied" Bach
Interpreting the Sonatas and Partitas for Violin
By Stanley Ritchie
Indiana University Press
Copyright © 2016 Stanley RitchieAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-253-02208-0
CHAPTER 1
Principles of Interpretation
My purpose in this opening chapter is to summarize information about various aspects of the topic, which will be alluded to throughout the book and provide the basis for clearer understanding of ideas that may frequently be novel or at odds with contemporary concepts of interpretation.
Notation
My suggestions for interpretation are based on the use of the facsimile of Bach's autograph, with occasional reference to the copy by Anna Magdalena. Once one becomes used to reading it, the notation in both manuscripts is fairly clear, and if one is to arrive at an independent interpretation, their use is essential. Bear in mind that any "Urtext" edition has involved decision making on the part of the editor, whose task it is to decipher the numerous ambiguities. One of my goals in writing this book is to help readers in this process in the hope of liberating them from reliance on editions of any kind.
We should also be aware that any system of notation represents the closest possible approximation to the composer's intention, and that it was only in the twentieth century that composers began to micromanage, even to the extent of dictating the duration of notes. It is important, therefore, to familiarize oneself with certain conventions spelled out in treatises of the period that have to do with rhythmic alteration and rubato. Since the only information we're given is the notes themselves, we must learn to read between the lines.
Polyphony
Examination of the facsimile will reveal an important feature:
Bach never wrote two notes on one stem.
This notational convention clearly shows that Bach was always thinking polyphonically. Hence, a double-stop, or a three- or four-voice chord should never be perceived as a vertical entity except for the purpose of harmonic identification: it is a point at which the separate voices coincide. The concept of vocal coincidence helps us to give each line its appropriate weight, according to whether its function is primary or accompanying.
Harmony
Awareness of the function of each chord — whether consonant or dissonant — and the nature of the harmonic progressions is essential to determining the dynamic shape of gestures and phrases, and consequently the organization of the music. Generally speaking, a dissonance will resolve on a consonance and be dynamically stronger, but as with most generalizations, you will encounter occasional exceptions according to context. I point out to my students that we, in the twenty-first century, have heard everything — or think we have — but if we are to react to music as eighteenth-century musicians did, we need to be surprised by and respond to harmonies such as the diminished-seventh chord that are familiar to us but novel or even shocking to them.
Metre
The metre of a movement is an essential factor in the determination of its tempo. One of my cardinal rules of interpretation is that all music is in one, by which I mean that there is one strong beat per measure and one weak, an ancient practice referred to as tactus. This concept enables us to differentiate between similar metres — 2/4 and 4/4, 6/8 and 12/8 — and to understand why a composer chose one rather than the other. In the case of triple metres, in which the "tactus" will be irregular, the irregularity will be dictated by the sequence of harmonies, sometimes one-two, sometimes one-three, but only rarely one-two-three even when there are three different chords.
In principle, then, when a composer has chosen 2/4 over 4/4, the eighth-note, which is a subdivision in 4/4, is the basic unit in 2/4. The affect will usually be more energetic, and the tempo at times relatively slower, due to the frequency of strong beats. Indeed, Bach's puzzling use of 2/4 as the metre of the B-minor Tempo di Borea, notated as four quarter-notes per measure, might be interpreted as his way of indicating a moderate tempo, for there are certainly two strong beats in many bars.
Alla breve, or "cut time," a term that refers to there being one strong beat per two measures, is usually indicated symbolically. However, it is important to recognize that more often than not, throughout the Sonatas and Partitas, the second bar of a pair is weaker harmonically, thereby creating what is essentially alla breve. Note also how Bach chose 3/4 with half bar-lines as the metre in the G-minor Presto and for the B-minor Corrente — a type of alla breve — but with normal, full bar-lines for the Double of the latter, which has the effect of holding that section in check despite the tempo mark of presto.
Dynamics
The dynamic structure of the music is governed by several factors:
the overall architecture of the movement
the prevailing affect
the alternation of consonance and dissonance
tessitura (the vertical range of pitches)
linear direction
the use of rhetorical devices
Although symbolic dynamic indications are rare in Baroque music, becoming familiar with composers' use of the features I have listed will lead to a better understanding of appropriate concepts of expression. Each of these topics will be referred to at times in the course of the book.
Inequality
The Baroque concept of inequality —"good" and "bad" notes, strong and weak syllables, dissonance and resolution, the subdivision of beats and measures into stressed and unstressed elements — applies throughout and is an essential aspect of effective interpretation. In certain contexts, the concept also applies to rhythm, especially in French music, where a series of eighth-notes may be played with long-short inequality, not unlike the jazz tradition of "swinging," to enhance the flow. So-called Lombardic (short-long) rhythm will occasionally be applied as an ornamental variation of "straight" notes. The practice is discussed at length in chapter 7 in the section on the Minuet.
Fingering
The polyphonic nature of the music demands great clarity, and for this reason it's best to favor fingerings in low positions unless higher ones are specifically implied or unavoidable. It is best, also, not to run up to third and fourth position in order to avoid string crossings, which are often much more desirable musically, and technically quite practicable, especially when using a period bow. This topic is treated in detail in chapter 12.
Note Length
Clarity of voice-leading requires careful control of note length so as to avoid confusion. For instance, there will usually be one accompanying note in a double-stop and one melodic, and even though they may be identically notated, the melodic note should generally be held longer than the accompanying one. (An exception is to be found in a passage such as mm. 156–160 of the A-minor Fuga, where two voices move in parallel sixths.)
Bow Direction
Many passages are most effective when bowed "as it comes," because the use of repeated up-bows often draws attention to notes that are relatively unimportant. Neither is it essential to play a strong beat with a down-bow, even when it occurs on a three- or four-note chord. In principle, of course, it is better to use bow direction in accordance with the harmonic context (i.e., with a down-bow on a strong harmony resolving to an up-bow), but this will not always be possible. One frequently encounters passages in which the best effect is to be found in the use of bow direction that may seem counterintuitive: Bach does indeed expect one to bow in reverse at times, and bowing "as it comes" often produces a much more satisfactory reading. In "three-and-one" passages, one should avoid the use of the "hook-stroke," which has the simultaneous undesirable effects of flattening texture and reducing resonance. It is, of course, a variety of martelé — short, stopped strokes — which did not become a part of normal right-arm technique until the nineteenth century.
Articulations
Articulation in speech or music may be defined as the separation of one sound from another: in musical terms an articulation, or "sound," can refer to a single note or else two or more notes under a slur. In eighteenth-century music, a slur should be treated as a type of ornament — not a technical suggestion that may be altered at the whim or for the convenience of the performer. Because of our training, it is normal to perceive slurs as "bowings," and therefore changeable when inconvenient or awkward; in eighteenth-century music, nothing could be further from the truth. In Bach's music, slurs create variety of texture and are an important part of the language and reflect the aesthetic ideals of his time. In attempting to arrive at an interpretation that does justice to his intentions, one should remember that by all accounts Bach was a fine violinist, and start by following the markings he provided.
At times, the precise length of a slur is difficult to determine, and one must make an artistic decision about the number of notes it encompasses. In Bach's manuscript, many slurs are quickly and imprecisely drawn, as if to say, "It's obvious what I mean — I don't need to waste time being careful." On the other hand, there are instances where he goes to great pains to ensure that his intention is unmistakable. When encountering a slur that could be read in various ways, weigh the choices both musically and technically: more often than not, the musically desirable solution will also turn out to be violinistically logical.
Finally, one difference between modern notation and that of Bach's time is that then a slur from a pair of tied notes would always start from the second note of the tie. Because of this, if there is ambiguity, always consider the possibility that subsequent notes should be taken in the same direction as the tie.
Ornamentation
Well into the nineteenth century, performers were expected to be able to add improvised ornaments to the basic musical text, even to the extent of providing concerto cadenzas ex tempore. In some repertoire, notably French Baroque, all the ornaments were prescribed by the composer, leaving no room for spontaneous improvisation. At the other end of the spectrum, the slow movements of the Sonatas for Violin and Continuo, op. 5, of Corelli provided simple melodic lines on which a performer was expected to improvise spontaneously. When Bach's slow movements — which are essentially written-out examples of the combination of French and Italian ornamentation referred to as les gouts réunis — became known, a controversy erupted. Johann Adolph Scheibe, a composer and theorist, criticized its use as excessive and was immediately attacked for his views by contemporary composers and aestheticians. Chief among Scheibe's complaints were that in composing a completely ornamented work, Bach had obscured the simple melodic lines, and that the work of improvisation was that of the performer, not the composer. Be that as it may, what we have as a result is a unique historical document: a brilliant example of Bach's own improvisatory style. In my opinion, then, the two movements that I classify as improvisatory should subtly reflect the tradition on which they were based, with the notation understood as descriptive, not prescriptive.
What Bach did so exquisitely was take two dissimilar ornamental styles — the Italian: florid gestures that connect basic melodic notes; and the French: symbolically notated embellishments of individual notes — and meld them into a style uniquely his own. I discuss in detail his use of ornaments and suggest ways of reading them at various times throughout the volume.
CHAPTER 2Dance Forms
Dance was an essential element of court life in eighteenth-century Europe, and whereas none of Bach's Partita movements was intended for use as ballroom accompaniment, we should bear in mind that knowledge of the characteristics and appropriate tempi of the various dances is essential if we seek to approximate their style. As esoteric as this may sound, three centuries later, we now have access to and may profit from the fruits of considerable research by experts in this field in order to have a glimpse of that fascinating social ritual. I recommend to my students that they at least watch videos, if not live performances, of Baroque dances reconstructed by soloists and troupes that specialize in this art, and, better still, that they avail themselves of any opportunity to experience Baroque dance personally in a workshop setting. The physical sensation of Baroque dance can have a remarkable and lasting effect on the way one uses the bow when playing these movements.
Allemanda
This was one of the most popular of Baroque instrumental dances and a standard movement, along with the Courante, Sarabande, and Gigue, of the suite. The Allemande originated some time in the early or mid-sixteenth century, appearing under such titles as "Teutschertanz" or "Dantz" in Germany and "bal todescho," "bal francese," and "Tedesco" in Italy. Originally a moderate duple-metre dance in two or three strains, the Allemande came to be one of the most highly stylized of all Baroque dances. However, because it is more in the nature of an Entrée, an introductory processional piece, and lacks the rhythmic energy and regularity of other dances, I have chosen to categorize it instead as a philosophical movement and discuss it in chapter 9. This is in accord with the opinion of influential eighteenth-century commentators.
Bourée/Borea
During the reign of Louis XIV, the Bourée came into fashion both as a social dance at balls and as a theatrical dance. Lully included Bourées in many of his ballets and operas, and composed one for the dancing-lesson scene in Act 1 of Molière's Le bourgeois gentilhomme (1670). Later French composers for the stage, including Charpentier, Destouches, Campra, and Rameau, continued to use Bourées in dancing scenes and occasionally in overtures.
As stylized dance music, the Bourée was characterized by duple metre with an upbeat of a quarter-note, a moderate to fast tempo (half-note = c80–92) and phrases built out of four-bar units. Bourée choreographies are fairly simple in comparison to other dances like the Sarabande, Gigue, and Loure: they are light, carefree, energetic, and fleet.
Ciaccona
A form of continuous variation similar to the Passacaglia, which became popular during the Baroque era, the Chaconne originated in Latin America in the late sixteenth century as a lively dance which had both instrumental and vocal accompaniment. Although no music for the Latin American type survives, it is most likely that the refrain was constructed on one of a number of typical harmonic patterns. During the early seventeenth century, the Chaconne appeared in Spain and Italy, where it became popular as both a dance and an instrumental form. The Chaconne also became popular in France and, toward the middle of the seventeenth century, in Germany and England. In France, the dance became slower and statelier, as did the Sarabande on its removal to France from Spain.
It is interesting to note that Bach subtly transforms his Ciaccona into a Passacaglia at the twenty-fourth measure and proceeds thereafter to go back and forth between the two forms throughout the movement. I shall deal with that feature at length in chapter 6.
Corrente
A fast triple-metre dance and instrumental form popular from the late sixteenth century until the mid-eighteenth century, it is usually considered by some to be an Italian version of the Courante. However, whereas the normal metre of the elegant Courante is 32, Bach's Corrente is in 34, and, as one of the standard dances in a partita, a vehicle for idiomatic display.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from The Accompaniment in "Unaccompanied" Bach by Stanley Ritchie. Copyright © 2016 Stanley Ritchie. Excerpted by permission of Indiana University Press.
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Table of Contents
Foreword / Mauricio Fuks
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Principles of Interpretation
Notation
Polyphony
Harmony
Metre
Dynamics
Inequality
Fingering
Note Length
Bow Direction
Articulations
Ornamentation
2. Dance Forms
Allemanda
Bourée/Borea
Ciaccona
Corrente
Gavotte
Gigue/Giga
Loure
Menuet
Sarabanda/Sarabande
Siciliana
Double
Preludio
3. Analytical Methods and Exercises
G-Minor Adagio
G-Minor Fuga
D-Minor Allemanda
4. The Improvisatory Movements
G-Minor Sonata: Adagio
A-Minor Sonata: Grave
5. The Fugues
G-Minor
A-Minor
C-Major
6. The Ostinato Movements
Partita II: Ciaccona
Sonata III: Adagio
7. The Dance-like Movements
Bourée and Borea
Tempo di Borea
B-Minor Corrente
D-Minor Corrente
Gavotte en Rondeau
The Giga
The Gigue
The Loure
The Menuets
The Sarabande and Sarabanda
The B-Minor Sarabande
The D-Minor Sarabanda
8. The Virtuoso Movements
G-minor Sonata: Presto
B-Minor Corrente - Double
The A-Minor Finale
The C-Major Allegro assai
The E-Major Preludio
9. The Philosophical Movements
The Allemanda
B-Minor Partita
D-Minor Partita
10. The Lyrical Movements
The Siciliana
A-Minor Sonata: Andante
The C-Major Sonata: Largo
11. Right-hand Technique
Polyphony
Chordal Technique
Martelé and Spiccato
Sautillé
Bariolage
Ondeggiando
12. Left-hand Technique
The Role of Vibrato
Half-Position
Choice of Fingerings
Intonation
Tuning
Last Words
Bibliography
What People are Saying About This
In this book the Nestor of American historically informed players offers a practical guide to the possibilities of translating the past in the present.
This 'work' fills what I have felt for many years to be a serious void in the violin literature. Performing and teaching the solo sonatas and partitas of Bach on both 'modern' and 'period' instruments has shown me how vital it is to have an authoritative 'work' that provides answers to the interpretive questions that will lead the contemporary violinist to a more historically informed performance. As I read (and re-read) these pages, I found myself saying 'bravo' and 'finally' frequently in happy agreement. Stanley Ritchie has given Francesco Geminiani, Leopold Mozart, and Pierre Baillot a worthy companion on the bookshelf of dedicated fiddlers. Thank you for this splendid addition to our literature! It has all of the elegance and integrity that has typified Richie's admirable fiddling in both the modern and 'authentic' worlds.
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